The Presidential Elections are heating up.
For many this is a time of immense emotional activity. In the last ten years people have become emotionally invested in the outcomes of the election. I’ll just state now that I don’t pay attention – or at least pay very little attention – to politics. Instead of voting each year I donate to charities (The Donald Driver Foundation). I figure I only have so much time to live so I might as well spend as much of it as I can growing Ghost Blog Writers.
But since there is interest in the election I thought I’d take a different approach and analyze the content strategies and marketing strategies of the candidates. We’ll pull out some strategies you can use to persuade people to choose your business when they’re making buying decisions.
Note: I’m visiting the presidential sites using Incognito mode in Chrome so I’m not bombarded with re-targeting ads for the next month. A little trick you can use to control the ads you see on various websites.
Site Credits
1. Email list growth is a high priority
The first impression you get when visiting the sites of the candidates is that they put huge emphasis on growing their email lists.
In both cases the calls to action stand out. What the candidates are looking for is as many signups as possible. Focus on what would make your visitors sign up for your email list. In the case of the candidates the “why” is being part of something. For your business it might be to get something in return like a guide or access to exclusive content.
2. The About pages are important
Featured prominently on the websites of the candidates is content describing the product, which in this case is each of the candidates. The content has text describing each person and what they stand for and it also includes video in both cases that does the same thing. This is a very important part of the content selling process. People buy (or in this case, vote) for people they trust and feel connected to. The same works in a business situation.
You need to connect with your customers to get them to trust your company.
The About page will be one of the most-trafficked pages on your entire website. People will read your blog posts, read about your products and services, but they’ll also read about you. They want to know who you and your employees are and what you stand for in your industry. Use a variety of content including text and photography.
3. Extensive Guides
Each of the candidats uses written content describing their stance on issues and their plans for operating as president. This type of content is basically the same as creating guides and how-to information, which is something many companies create.
Guides and information are shared and searched for like crazy and it’s not just presidential issues. People are searching for information on all kinds of topics including those related to your business. By creating guides you give people something to find when they’re searching. You also give them something to share when their peers have questions.
4. Blogging about recent events
Something we write about here on GBW is news content. For your company that means taking recent items in the news that might impact your customers and providing point of view. It keeps people interested in you and your company, but it also brings in new visitors looking for information on the latest news.
Each of the candidates uses a blog to provide their own point of views on the latest happenings in the world.
Content is a huge part of the presidential elections. If it’s important enough for the candidates it should be important for you and your business.