The Press and the Internet? Well, duh.....

Reviewing Winning Campaigns Online chapter on Online Media Relations, I came to the very obvious and delayed realization that, the press refer to candidate websites when covering campaigns and races. I never lent much thought to the idea of reporters using campaign websites as a resource for information. I always thought of a campaign website and its design, in terms of reaching out to voters and donors and communicating to the press via phone, in-person, and faxed press releases.

Given the influence the press and their coverage has in campaigns, it is important not only to create a website strategy that is appealing and informative to voters, but will also assist the press in doing their job, as well. It is imperative to provide reporters will the tools they need to write, preferably, favorable stories about the candidate.

Nash and Ireland advise creating an "online press kit" for reporters. They go on to say that a big mistake in online relations is that "candidates treat their websites as if they were printed brochures: something to be read once and then discarded."

With the popularity of the Internet and blogs, I am sure this is something subject to change. Upon reflection, I think that very notion is why I thought that websites were more geared toward luring voters, not the press.

It makes perfect sense, but I had never put much thought into the press and its utilization of information posted on websites.