Some 60 million people were online during the 2006 campaign, gathering political information and exchanging views by e-mail. Nearly 14 million of those people posted on blogs, uploaded a video they created or forwarded political content via e-mail.
The data, from a recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project shows the depth of interest in politics.
The nature of the Internet, however — which is more of a library for information or private club for conversation — makes it hard for lobbyists to shift the conversation to a topic they want to introduce.
The reason is hinted at in data from the E-Voter Institute. Those who are already “in the club” — interested in a topic and seeking information — are relatively easy to reach. Web sites, blogs and podcasts reach this audience 45 to 60 percent of the time, according to the August 2006 study.
Outsiders, however, were hard to reach. The political consultants who were surveyed found Web sites and other methods effective less than 10 percent of the time when it came to connecting with swing voters, independent voters or those who were undecided. While they considered e-mail — in this case e-mail newsletters — to be the best tool to reach voters who had not made up their minds, they were seen as effective only 8 percent of the time.
E-mail has to be used carefully said Jim Jatras, a principal at the new lobbying group Squire Sanders Public Advocacy. Even e-mails sent to subscriberlists can be seen as an intrusion and he distributes e-mails only to key persons who have expressed an interest in receiving them.
“Everybody’s got his mailbox full of stuff they don’t want,” said Jatras. Even those you think might be interested may not be and you don’t want to annoy the ones you are trying to persuade. “I don’t want to do my client a disservice.”
The way around that is to have an opt-in only system said Thomas Harpointer, CEO of AIS Media. His firm is only one of many software providers hoping to tap into e-mail lobbying.
How do you get new subscribers then? The Internet. Groups from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to the National Rifle Association have signups on their Web sites for newsletters and e-mail action alerts.
It must work. The consultants in the E-Voter survey called the acquisition of new e-mail lists one of the most effective uses of the Internet.
Dee Ann Divis is the business editor of The Washington Examiner. Contact her at [email protected]
