Expert tips on creating a campaign website
So you’ve decided to run for Council at the next local government election…congratulations! I promise you, this will be an interesting, challenging and busy experience and you’ll learn plenty.
I’ve been involved with running election campaigns for more than 20 years and in every single one, at some point, you’ll be short of something - most likely time, money or volunteers! Hopefully a few of the pointers here can help you identify what’s vital to your campaign, what’s nice to have and what you can do without.
Broadly speaking, you should learn, understand and comply with the election framework you’ll be working within as a candidate in terms of campaign expenditure. Any cap or limit will dictate how much you can spend on your campaign promotional material, which in turn will give you an idea of what your budget will be. You should also fully expect to entirely fund your budget out of your own pocket, and count your blessings if you receive financial or in-kind support from anyone else!
Deciding on the best way to raise your profile, gain support and win votes can be confusing, and depending on how many voters you are wanting to reach, some forms of communication are better than others. Whether you are running for Mayor and having to cover an entire Council area, or putting your hand up to be a Councillor, you need to get bang for buck out of your campaign budget!
Connecting with voters
Ways to connect with voters can include TV and radio ads, Facebook, newspaper ads, direct mail and face-to-face, but one method kills a lot of birds with one stone – having your own candidate website.
These days, a personal website is critical for any and all candidates and should be the very first thing you choose to invest in. It is an affordable, easy way to reach your voters 24/7 to tell them about you, your passion for the area and your vision for the future.
It is a perfect platform for photos of you out in the community and a place where you can explain your position on local issues. It is a great place for journalists to find high quality photos of you and choose quotes from your online statements. It can also be updated or refreshed easily.
All in all, a campaign site is the perfect communications tool for any candidate, and I’ve got some tips and tricks to help you get the most from your website.
Campaign Website Tips & Tricks
First gather your content
The first, and most important tip, is to start planning and gathering what you need for content. A lot of this can be done beforehand, saving you precious time during the campaign itself, and what you choose to put on your website can be used for other purposes like pamphlets, flyers, your candidate Facebook page and as a source for any media outlets wanting to find out about you as a local candidate.
Create a Photo Library
You will want a photo library that you can use to pick photos for any purpose, including your website. This means high quality, high resolution shots of you ‘active’ in the community – talking to people of all ages, from all walks of life, in a variety of locations. These are the first and maybe the only impression many voters will have of you, so make it good!It is worth setting aside a day just for taking these photos, which can also be used on your Facebook page or in printed materials. Organise an experienced photographer, find other people willing to be in photos with you (make sure you get approval from anyone appearing in these photos – they may not want to have their photo in campaign materials!) and set a schedule to cover several different locations during the day.
Remember to get a haircut beforehand and bring a couple of changes of outfits so you can change your look throughout the session. Make sure your face is clearly visible in all photos and that you look happy, interested and engaged. Get a wide variety of shots, and only use the best ones. Also have a think about doing some short videos while you are out and about, which can also go up on your site.
Identify your policy priorities
Decide your top 3 or 4 issues and write a paragraph for each one, explaining in clear and concise language why they matter to you – and more importantly, voters – and what you will do to fix them.These issues should resonate with as many people as possible to capture their attention. It is fine to have a long list of things you want to tackle if you’re elected – and you can talk about these elsewhere on your website - but your top 3 or 4 issues should be your priority, and should be prominent on your website.
Write your story
Write a personal biography, which explains who you are, why you care about the community and why people should vote for you. This can include information on your family (and a photo of them if you want to), your life experience, your working history and involvement with any community groups in the area. You want your biography to clearly show that you have the community at heart, and understand the issues that matter to locals.
Enlist a proofreader
And with anything that goes on your website, get someone to proofread it all before it goes live!
Be contactable
Finally, another job you can get out of the way early on is to decide how people can contact you. I would highly recommend having a dedicated campaign email which should be linked to your website.Just remember, if people go to the trouble to send an email you will need to respond to them in a timely manner, so setting aside some time each day to check your email and respond to messages is important.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kate Barwick is the Principal of Capital K Communications and has worked in senior communications and media positions with political and community leaders at all levels, including Deputy Prime Ministers, Federal Cabinet Ministers, a State Premier and Federal Members of Parliament.
Her knowledge, network and experience has seen her play key roles in Federal, State and local government election campaigns since 2001 – including an impressive record of success in retaining or winning critical seats.
Her experience in political campaigning, communications, media engagement and government relations gives Kate a comprehensive understanding of our national, state and local political environments, all while building a strong and collegiate network across the nation.
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Get ready to launch a personalised campaign website in just a few hours.
