The Importance of Online Branding for Politicians

While the new marketing space of the internet has repercussions for all sorts of personal branding, it is perhaps most important for politicians. By their very nature, political figures are expected to be in touch with their constituents, are discussed frequently, and are held to a higher standard than virtually any other brand. At the same time, they are generally facing a very active force trying to tarnish their brand, in the form of their opposition. As a result, online brand management is a crucial part of achieving and maintaining success as a political figure.

It is a truth of politics that if an opponent is utilizing a form of media that a politician isn’t, then they control the discourse absolutely. Nowhere is that more true than on the internet. If a political brand is left unattended, it is certain that eventually the opposition will become aware of this and have a field day with it. Public perception is shaped more and more by what is read online, and without careful brand management the online space can become quickly inundated with negative spin.

One of the most important tools to managing an online political brand is simply being fully available through as many means as is possible. Politicians should have a Twitter presence, a blog, and pages on every major social networking platform, like LinkedIn, LookupPage and other niche networks. This allows them to stay in touch with their constituency whenever a problem or concern arises, to tap into massive numbers of supporters for projects, and to undertake spin control when necessary. It also limits the opposition from dominating those spaces and having free rein to say whatever they choose.

Controlling search results for the political brand is also crucial. The first page of search results in any major search engine should lead to sources friendly to the politician, or at the very worst neutral. Having a weak Google and search engine strategy can result in opposition candidates and parties creating pages that outline perceived faults in the politician, to undermine their credibility.

More and more people turn to the internet for primary information about a political candidate, and it is imperative that this information be controlled to prevent damage to the brand. The tools used to manage a political brand are much the same as those used to manage any personal brand, and rely primarily on creating high-relevance pages that show up as first page results for the brand. Free services such as Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr can all be used to provide landing pages that give information about the politician and outline their stances on key issues. Services with a nominal fee, such as LookupPage, can also be used to help ensure first page visibility.

If the worst does happen and the political opposition ends up on the first page of results, it is important to realize that this can be changed by building up inbound links, adding more high-value landing pages, and rallying supporters, negative sites can be buried on page three or four, far past where most people browse.