The internet & how it successfully transformed a presidential campaign

November 7, 6:12 PMBoston Internet ExaminerKate Dickman

The internet has always had a place in campaigns but certainly has never been as effective and taken advantage of as it has in this year’s race.  Never before has a Presidential candidate taken charge with their web efforts as much as Obama and quite frankly, the internet is what propelled him to election victory.  

Before running, Barack Obama was virtually a nobody.  Since day one of his campaign, the Obama camp used the internet to spread his message and organize supporters in a way that no medium could have ever managed to accomplish.  While teaming up with the co-founder of Facebook, they managed to create their own social networking site, my.barack.obama.com.  The site attracted over  1.5 million members who interacted with one another and eventually created 35,000 separate groups which would collaborate with the Obama campaign and be handed different tasks.  As election day grew nearer, these activists were canvassing the streets and  campaigning in a way we have never seen before.                                                                                                                                          

Obama gained massive momentum with younger voters by targeted them directly through sites like Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, YouTube and more.   With a large funding push online, three million people donated over $600 million online.  His campaign was one word: VIRAL.  It spread like wildfire and the news of the man who could bring about change was abundant. Obama managed to hit every major site on the web while also controlling rumors from the opposing party.  

 As it looks, the Obama’s internet presence will continue to thrive throughout his Presidency.  With the creation of Change.gov, anyone can logon and read his blog, profiles of the Obama and Biden as well as his agenda as President.   It would be in his best interest to use the same tool that helped him with the election, to correspond with the American people.  We are in the digital age and this is the way we communicate.  Providing this next Commander in Chief can continue with the conversation, we may just be ok this time around.  

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