Best Tools for Political Campaigns in the Digital Age

Politics, in its most ideal manifestation, is a noble and selfless pursuit. The desire to run an effective government that improves lives and makes a difference within the community is not a matter of political ideology or allegiance to a single party. It’s a basic and essential function of any modern democracy. Political campaigns that transcend simplistic labels on the ballot are therefore vital to the operation of local government.

There’s no shortage of good candidates who want to run for office and make a difference, but they’re often deterred from entering a race by the arduous process of campaigning, which involves endless rounds of fundraising, organization building, and speeches. Fortunately, a modern digital-first campaign strategy does not have to cost millions of dollars in political advertising or require a sprawling machine of campaigners and consultants to make decisions for you.

GoodParty.org can provide candidates with many of the political tools you’ll need to compete effectively as an independent or third-party candidate in a local race. From fundraising to data analytics to social media campaigns, these tools can enhance your campaign efficiency, drive  voter engagement, and ultimately save you a considerable amount of money in the long run.

The Importance of Digital Campaigning

Digital campaigning can take many different forms, including social media campaigns, online fundraising, and data analytics. Together, these platforms have introduced important campaign innovations that no candidate can afford to do without. They can give you more insight than ever before into voters’ habits and preferences so you can effectively optimize your operations based on the data you’re receiving.

While the evidence strongly suggests that political canvassing via grassroots organization, get-out-the-vote campaigns, face-to-face interactions, and the ability to connect with potential voters on a personal level are all important aspects of a modern campaign, having the right digital tools at your disposal will enable you to collect data directly from the field and deploy it properly. This data can help you allocate resources, manage your field staff, formulate election strategies, and ultimately tailor your message based on what people are saying in a far more effective manner.

A basic digital-first approach that narrowly targets a specific audience — a process also known as microtargeting — can yield powerful results for local candidates with an appealing message. The ability to gather data about voters and tailor your message in a manner that conveys the most important issues to persuadable voters can sometimes prove to be more valuable than traditional tactics of voter engagement such as television advertising, yard signs, and hiring extensive paid staff. As a result, every campaign should strive to build a robust and efficient online presence.

The Value of Campaign Management Tools

Choosing the right political tools is an important aspect to any robust digital campaign. Candidates must consider a range of factors, including voter engagement, grassroots mobilization, online advocacy, and campaign finance resources.

With the emergence of data analytics in recent years, microtargeting has become a more effective and potent option. The extensive use of surveys, petitions, and subscription sign-ups, combined with publicly available demographic data, will allow you to create detailed voter profiles and derive important behavioral insights to facilitate direct engagement with your constituents.

Campaign finance is often the most intimidating barrier to an independent candidate who doesn’t have the backing of a large party apparatus. Fortunately, the dawn of the digital campaign has created more options than ever before for aspiring politicians to raise money. Crowdfunding, which enables candidates to tap into a vast audience of potential grassroots donors, has become an increasingly common method of soliciting money in the internet age. Some mobile fundraising platforms even allow supporters to seamlessly send donations through a simple app or text message. These methods extend well beyond the scope of small campaigns as well. When Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ran for the House in 2018, she raised 62 percent of her funds from small donations of less than $200.

Whereas the traditional tools of political campaigning can reinforce the inherent advantage of large donors, the recent growth of digital political technology has helped to democratize political engagement while giving ordinary citizens a stake in campaigns. Numerous platforms already offer microtargeting or crowdfunding services, but GoodParty.org can help candidates navigate through the process with its sophisticated political software and expert advice.

A Point to Consider: Cost-Effectiveness

Running an effective campaign can be an expensive proposition. According to a 2010 article published in The Street, political consultant Angela McMillen estimated that a campaign for local and city elections would cost at least $15,000. That figure is no doubt much higher today. But compared to the costs of running a traditional campaign, a digital-first strategy can save you money on expensive television advertising and paid media consultants and staff.

It still costs money to gather data and advertise your campaign, but because earned engagement is often more important than paid engagement, the barriers to entry have fallen significantly for a potential third-party candidate with a compelling message and a savvy and creative digital strategy. A strong social media campaign that consists of Facebook posts, YouTube videos, Twitter posts, and TikTok content can spread a message organically at minimal or no cost. A 2020 study co-authored by Wharton marketing professor Pinar Yildirim and Carnegie Mellon professor Ananya Sen found that free social media can help boost donations and drive engagement for new candidates.

GoodParty.org’s AI Campaign Manager

GoodParty.org’s free AI Campaign Manager provides a cost-effective means to craft and manage a winning independent or third-party campaign, unencumbered by the need for a complex political operation. Once the AI Campaign Manager has collected a list of the political issues that are most important to you, it will generate a full policy summary, campaign statement, and voting strategy, all ready for you to use.

This full suite of political tools enables even first-time candidates to craft highly detailed speeches, campaign materials, social media posts, press releases, and website content tailored to your individual preferences to encourage voter engagement. The built-in Campaign Tracker tool also lets you keep tabs on your voter outreach goals, including the number of door knocks, calls, and online impressions made throughout your campaign. 

Conclusion

If you’re an independent candidate who wants to make a difference in your community, then our experienced support network and free AI Campaign Manager can assist you with the challenge of crafting a campaign from start to finish. The first step is to sign up for GoodParty.org and schedule a meeting with our team of veteran campaigners.