Apr 21, 2023 | Oak Ridge, NJ – 

Campaign websites are not unlike other websites selling a product, but the product is a candidate for public office. Enough information must be provided that voters can make a decision (particularly in primaries) about who to vote for. Information must be well-organized, compelling, and easy to find; confuse voters, and they may look elsewhere.

1. Professional-quality photos are really important, and they carry a message just as strongly (perhaps more so) as any text. The photographer must understand the candidate’s point of view and take photos that support it. For instance, if the candidate is for taking better care of the elderly, pictures of elderly people must illustrate their humanity and worth. Also, the photographer should take mostly horizontal photos, as vertical photos have limited use on websites (portraits being a notable exception).
2. Home page with a clear message that represents the candidate’s focus and values. That can include quotes and photos, as well as position statements or statements of qualification. The homepage is not the place for a deep dive; its main purpose is to get visitors to click for more details elsewhere on the site.
3. About page that outlines the candidate’s biography, emphasizing experience, education, and motivation relevant to the position they are seeking. This should be a narrative, not a resumé. It should be well-organized, as long as it needs to be to convince voters the candidate is qualified, and no longer. Photos and quotes are extremely helpful.
4. Issues page that outlines the candidate’s positions not only on the issues they feel strongly about, but any issues that might be important to constituents. Issues should be organized in such a way that a quick glance gives a good idea where the candidate stands, but more info about each is easily accessible.
5. Means of taking donations – BlueSites requires the use of ActBlue. More than a collector of donations, they offer a range of fund-raising and compliance services, making donations easy, providing email marketing services to solicit donations, and ensuring that campaign finance rules and laws are followed. if your campaign organization is registered as a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4), ActBlue donation forms can be embedded on your website; otherwise you’ll send donors to an ActBlue page associated with your account. If you’re not already familiar with ActBlue, learn more here.
6. Volunteer page that allows constituents to sign up to help the campaign, with choices indicating the type of help they might be interested in offering.
7. Voting information page that provides info that helps people to register and vote. That may include important dates, registration information, voting location and vote-by-mail information, and links to information that may exist on state and local websites.
8. News/Press Release page that allows the candidate to publish press releases, and also point people to articles and news stories published elsewhere about the candidate or issues,
9. Contact page which offers constituents and other site visitors various means of contacting the candidate or staff.