Using Social Media Strategy Update - A Conversation with The Tech Team Behind BarackObama.com
Below is this week's B2.0 update:
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This week is a different kind of update. As host of Technology For Business Sake (TFBS) I have the great pleasure of having excellent guests on with me to discuss how technology can help small businesses compete, thrive and survive in a "web-enhanced" world.
Recently I had the opportunity to speak with Jascha Franklin-Hodge, co-founder and chief technology of Blue State Digital. BSD is the technology partner the Obama campaign turned to build and manage their web presence. This includes the creation of the BSD-powered sites BarackObama.com, and the social networking component My.BarackObama.com.
These sites have been responsible for:
- Capturing 1.4M email addresses
- Creating over 1M user accounts
- Promoting over 75,000 campaign events
- Supporting donation efforts that helped raise over $250M
Jascha shares how BSD got started with the campaign and built the BarackObama.com site in less than a week, the strategy behind the campaign's web presence and the way it has fostered a wildly active community. He also discusses what small businesses can take away from the campaign with respect to using technology to engage people.
Please enjoy this TFBS "re-broadcast"!
I enjoyed this interview for several reasons. The biggest reason is the focus on engaging people in a way that fosters and deepens relationships. Great interview!
Warmly,
Ron Hudson
Ron Hudson Influence Persuasion NLPs last blog post..50 of the Most Powerful and Influential Women in Social Media
This was a very insightful interview..
The expertise you have is admired and..
hoped for!
The POWER of the Internet..
Social Networking..
On and off line is awesome..
I liked the tip for creating..
The Feed Back Loop.. When I heard
It spoken out loud the significance
was loud and clear!
Thanks,
JoAnn Donahue
http://www.IamJoAnnDonahue.com
JoAnn Donahues last blog post..Compensation Plans & Products Do NOT Make You Money!
Great information, and very helpful.
Do you have any thoughts on if BSD would feel any responsibility if Obama is elected and proves to have a negative effect on the country? I am not saying that he will, just wondering since all seem to agree that BSDs impact on the campaign was great.
JoAnn, Ron and T,
Thanks for checking our talk with Jascha from BSD. We were very excited to have a chance to speak with him. And thank you as well for your kind words. I think we all can learn a great deal from what they are doing.
T,respectfully, I wouldn't want to even risk a guess as to what the BSD folks might feel or think regarding your question. However, I do feel like they have served their client well. In fact I would be thrilled to serve any of my customers as well as they have served theirs.
Thank you all once again for the great feedback. We appreciate it.
Brent Learys last blog post..Trading Places: Starring Entellium and Landslide Technologies (Not Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd)
@ Ron - Thanks for stopping by. Conversations like this are not easy to come by. Many distinctions in this interview. The questions is can business owners become actionable with the information that is here.
@ JoAnn - Yes. Glad that you enjoyed the interview. The articulation of the strategy in terms of engagement and the feedback loop got my attention too. To think it is one thing. To hear it is another. To see strategy and tactics executed and illustrated gives the concept life.
@ T - BSD was hired to do a job. They have done that assignment well. To execute a campaign like this, to this level, is the dream of every vendor who handles marketing for a client. The goal here is to document the successful actions that can be then understood and duplicated. In my opinion, speculation around the future success of the client is not for us to attempt to determine. We'll have to see what happens.
Thanks for your valuable feedback.
I enjoyed the interview using social networking to tap in the power to engage with people to build relationships and to establish specific groups to take some kind of actions.
Jackie
http://www.makemoneyhomebiz.net
Jackie,
You nailed the sequence: Engage, build, take action. This is what using the social media component of the web is all about the new platforms and properties make is easier.
- David B.
- http://www.DavidBullock.com
I got a lot of very good information and tips on using social media to get people on my site and getting them involved. There are so many tools that I was unaware of and will be using. EXCELLENT info.
Norma:
Thank you so much. Glad that we are able to bring you this social media implementation information. There is not enough room here to show the other 90% of the information that we have been gathering for the last several months.
Jackie and Norma thanks so much for stopping by and checking things out. David and I are learning right along with you, and we're glad to hear that these lessons from Obama's campaign are are helping you as well.
Thanks again!
Thanks for a GREAT interview.
I've been following Barrack's website since the primaries began. Phenomenal job! Barrack's web site is a model we will be following for our work in mobilizing divorced dads for changes in Family Law…
David Bullock's comment (who I am not surprised to find here…) is quite insightful - Here's my take:
"Engage, Encourage, Empower…"
We live in unbelievable times - Finally those with ambition and audacity can community organize on an issue and at a scale that only the wealthy had access to through mass media.
Next Tuesday will be historic not only for Barrack's election should that come to pass, but also for the vision of change that only someone who has the courage to dare to believe can bring about.
Danny Guspie
Executive Director
http://www.Fathers-Resources.com
@ Danny
We are glad to have the opportunity to document this extraordinary process. This promotional model had been extremely effective. To witness a vision moved to action is the best motivation.
- David B.
[...] you afford to miss it? For more more social media lessons from Barack Obama's campaign and an interview with BSD, the firm behind BarackObama.com and My.BarackObama.com, visit Barack [...]
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To those observing across the pond this election has been fascinating.
I do hope the momentum can be maintained and that ordinary people will become empowered, encouraged and engaged.
We watch with trepidation!
Angela Verleys last blog post..Fishy Supermarket Doings
Fantastic interview. Thank you for sharing this information.
Ananda Leekes last blog post..Love's Troubadours Celebrates President-Elect Obama
@ Angela - Thanks for your observations from across the pond. This surely is an exciting time. The election is finally over and now on to the business at hand.
Getting businesses moving and into profits.
Again thanks for keeping an eye on us. Hopefully the momentum will continue.
@ Ananda - Thank you for your interest. We truly enjoyed putting this together for you.
- David B.