Comments on: Online campaigns and Facebook at the PES conference, Vienna

By: Gisela

Gisela — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:59:53 +0000

Hi Jon,

Although a bit late, here is the link to your video declaration in Vienna (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDaTCdVasjE) – an article will be put up later this week on Yourspace. Other videos are also available at http://www.youtube.com/europeansocialists

Best,

Gisela

By: Jon

Jon — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:42:46 +0000

With respect e-Newsletters are in there – but not at the bottom level. You’ve got to have some sort of basic interaction with an individual to get hold of their e-mail address to use for a newsletter. You need to either know them offline, or online get them to fill in a ‘Subscribe’ form.

Also bear in mind the presentation was structured for people who generally are not experienced in using the internet.

By: Dale

Dale — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:31:21 +0000

On your pyramid, you missed email newsletters at the very bottom. I know they are old skool but they are still the strongest campaign tool. (especially if linked to a database see http://www.lyris.com/software/ for an example of a top end solution)

While i understand the simplicity of your presentation I appreciated Rikke where she stated ‘User preferences often depend on interest and nationality’.

By: Rikke

Rikke — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:27:07 +0000

Hi Jon – thanks for mentioning my presentation! Nice seing you in Vienna, I think we did a good session on online campaigning. At least that’s the feedback I got from a few people in the audience

After Vienna I’m definetely excited to see how the online and offline activities of the PES and its activists will develop during the next year!

By: Central Scrutiniser

Central Scrutiniser — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 08:55:36 +0000

Good stuff! Putting political debate online makes it more accessible and engages people who otherwise wouldn’t be interested, encouraging them to comment and to vote.

But compare the net presence of the US presidential election with that of our forthcoming European Parliament elections. The lists are up but who are these people and what are their policies?

The candidates’ cynicism and lethargy is transferred to the electorate. They should be fundraising, pushing out their messages, taking the voters’ pulse and analyzing it, figuring out what works and what doesn’t.

By: Ralf Grahn

Ralf Grahn — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:02:01 +0000

Jon,

Just as a reminder to fledgling or lesser politicians that foreign minister Carl Bildt posts daily (sometimes two or three short notes) in Swedish and foreign minister Alexander Stubb daily in Finnish (often with a bit of substance).

(Of course, just now they might disprove what I am saying, July being the ‘heaviest’ traditional holiday month in the Nordic countries. By the way, August as the EU institutions’ vacation month ‘par excellence’ has required adaptation from the ones who work with European Union questions.)

Anyway, blogging is possible, if the will is there, and with mobile connections coming down in price, less productive moments can be put to good use.