We now know that at least one of our candidates knows how to use Google Ads (screen shot of my weather forecast below the fold, so as not to be mistaken for an ad for Matt Dunne).
I’m actually curious as to how this is going to pan out, because this is the first Vermont governor’s race where I’ve seen a serious and concerted web presence on the part of multiple candidates. I’ve joined the Facebook groups of three candidates and I get multiple updates from them. I’ve also managed to get lots of e-mails from many campaigns, even ones I didn’t sign up for (I’m not sure how that happened, but since I found the updates interesting I never asked them to remove me).
But as far as web ads go, I’d like to solicit some opinions: have you ever been influenced by a web ad (either for or against?). Do you block ads entirely? Do you find them annoying?
I’ve got mixed feelings about this. I have ads on my own personal web sites because, quite frankly, I’m hoping to make at least enough money to pay the hosting fees. I don’t do the google ads thing– I have very specific things I’m advertising that I want advertised and little else (i.e., the music ads link to places where people can purchase my music, the photography site ads link to books about birding and camera equipment), and I try to avoid anything with lots of flashy activity, but there are reasons people make ads flashy: they’re meant to get attention, and really, candidates do need to advertise.
I’d especially like to hear from the Dunne campaign about this (it can wait until after the primary is over 🙂 ). Once the primary is all said and done, do you think the Google ads were worth it? If you’re the nominee, will you continue to use them? If you’re not, do you recommend that the nominee use them as extensively as you have?
As far as Facebook goes, and this question is for all the campaigns: have you found the Facebook tools a good way to outreach? One thing I’ve noticed that’s really interesting is the discussion going on between people still trying to decide. I’ve posted on the walls of several candidates wishing them luck, while explaining that I’m still undecided, and I’ve had mostly cordial and respectful responses advocating for the candidate. I did have one particularly annoying and unpleasant response from one candidate’s support (I’m chalking that up to heat of the moment frustration from someone who might have issues with interpersonal communication), but almost everyone I know has given me very polite and respectful suggestions and thoughts on why their candidate is the best, and most of this happened on Facebook.
Has this been everyone else’s experience as well?
What about our exchanges here on Green Mountain Daily? Have you found it to be helpful? Useful? What about our live blogging of the early education forums?
So just to finish off: I look up my weather forecast, and I get this:
I’m going to start calling this “the Full Dunne.”
…I’ll be interested in what people have to say, since I’m considering putting some of my limited budget into FB and GMD ads again, and maybe WUnderground (I see Matt’s there all the time!). I have to say, the 1 week buy at GMD this summer had an astonishing click through rate. 🙂
Including wunderground, so I had no idea Matt had google ads until my husband checked the weather on his computer earlier. It’ll be interesting to find out what kind of traffic was generated by the ad. I’d have chosen different text for the ad copy, though.
As far as the general value of google ads, it’s kind of a toss-up. If the ad is for something with broad appeal, and you’re really good at the SEO game, you can get pretty good traction with one, but otherwise….
..once you start reading about ads and Google. I got a crash course from my youngest son, a “google junkie” who I think would be happy to share what he knows; and he knows a lot. Experimenting can cost a fortune and allowing ads on your site can get you banned if you’re not aware of every little rule so it would be to the benefit of your advertising budget to consult with someone like him (who isn’t working for Google) about expectations and pitfalls.
The ads work, depending. He’d probably tell you to first do all the tricks of the trade to get your site ranking up as high as possible because (again, depending -) you may find the ranking will bring you some fairly brisk business, at least initially. One way to test your ranking is to google some key words that a buyer might use – so for example, if you sell Pete the Moose t-shirts, you’d google that and see what pops up and find where your site shows up. The goal is to end up within the first few listed sites; and there are ways to accomplish that.
As far as Google ads such as the one Dunne ad I’ve seen, my thoughts are they do have some impact, but I’ll take an email communication any day of the week as heads above a banner or blinking ad.
I’ve received email from the Shumlin Campaign – several of them – but never signed up. My guess is that my email address was extricated from his legislative in-box, since I have in the past emailed him in Montpelier. I’ve read them all, even the one from Olivia Shumlin that arrived earlier today.
The Vermont Democratic Committee has sent a number of emails, too (but I’ve signed up for those) and I’ve spent time on all candidate web-sites.
I don’t “facebook” (I don’t have time to learn all the ins and outs!) but I have enjoyed the emails and have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the opinion and reports here – and I loved the live blogging – and really enjoyed everything the candidates themselves have done here on GMD – for one thing, all of this “electronic” communication gives me a distinct feeling of belonging, of being part of a process that has in the past, left so many feeling disenfranchised.
I actually believe that as more people turn to the internet for this type of communication, the percentage of people who exercise their right to vote could very well rise as a direct result. And in terms of the generations below me, this is where many of them feel the most comfortable, and this is where they are looking for information.
One thing it does without question (Especially here on GMD) is to create a real sense of community. It’s real, and I like it – with or without ads.
Since I was able to, on all sites. Every now and then when I look at familiar sites from someone else’s computer, I do a double-take, as I’m not used to seeing all of the ads. Even have a lot of the ad crap blocked on FB. Completely different look.
I think web ads are a tremendous advantage in the long run. I rarely click them but am always interested to see what comes up when I am searching. I think Matt’s success with web ads is akin to when you see a bunch of yard signs for a candidate. You cannot help but notice their presence.
Likewise, with Facebook, I can think of probably at least 10 friends who will be voting for Matt Dunne tomorrow even though I wouldn’t have expected them to vote, much less to support Matt. Amongst people who don’t like talking about politics that much, it has proven a fairly painfree way of reaching out to potential voters and persuading them.
I don’t like advertising generally, and online advertising seldom does anything more than irritate me. I’m certainly not going to CLICK on an ad — yikes! — why encourage them? And having a “face” all over a service I need, like the weather? NOT appealing. It’s possible that really does work with younger people; to me, it’s like magic pasta cookers and Ginsu knives.
What does have an impact on me is viral media — a good clip at YouTube is something I’ll not only watch but send to others. Having ads posted here at GMD was very helpful — I could see them ONCE, in an evaluative context.
As for FB, the only candidate I signed up for was Philip Baruth. This may because I’m a big supporter, but can’t vote for him, so it’s a nice way to keep up. Or it could be because he can write — a very unusual skill in politics. I might well have signed up for more pages if I’d had trouble deciding. I’m inclined to think it’s a good medium for smaller campaigns — too many people, and it gets unwieldy.
Julie, I have to agree with the earlier commenter who recommended getting your ranking up — I think that will do more than anything else for your bottom line. I also read Craigslist ads and I click through to look at the work of artists and photographers. I like the whole Craigslist format because I get to choose the ads I want to see.
However, I doubt I’m very representative.