Which mobile tactics work? MobileMondayDC looks beyond Obama’s campaign on sms success, part 2
December 22, 2008 :: Jill Foster
On SMS, elections, the energy bill, & more, part 2: MobileMonday meets in DC
MobileMondayDC, apart of the greater MobileMonday community, met last week complete with networking reception & a fine panel on political mobile media campaigns. It all went down at Amplify Public Affairs where DC chapter’s co-founder Kathie Legg helped to make it all happen. And leading the group discussion and panel were Kevin Bertram-CEO, Distributive Networks; Scott Goodstein-External Online Director, Obama Campaign; Michelle Mayorga-Mobile Program Manager, Rock the Vote; and Katie Harbath, previous Deputy E-campaign Director, Rudolph Giuliani Campaign and currently Online Services Director with DCI Group.
Eye openers, mobile’s future, and Rep. John Culberson
Katie Harbath previously with Giuliani’s campaign brought great insight into what her team gleaned this political season and where she sees mobile media being used.
The mobile demographic wasn’t quite our campaign’s demographic in 2007 but a year later, with the Republican National Committee, we used mobile fundraising efforts which was a huge eye opener.
Katie envisions mobile campaigns and outreach going beyond text messaging and into heavy execution of live mobile streaming among other tactics.
Republican momentum: mobile media and #dontgo
Remember Twitter’s hashtag discussion that tracked the summer’s energy debate & bill i.e. #dontgo? Katie relayed how that mobile media initiative began. It was fascinating to learn the play-by-play, much of which I hadn’t realized.
Cameras off, lights out, and House Republicans hold ground
After Speaker Pelosi put the House in recess this August with cameras turned off, the House Republicans wanted to stay to address energy issues related to the energy bill. So they did and Rep. John Culberson started twittering about it (and all of his followers started twittering about it).
Then the media picked up on it.
The Twitter hashtag happened because Eric Odom suggested #dontgo and everyone just started using it. He then made the first version of the dontgo website that weekend and it’s been going every since.
Results:
The Dontgo Movement website continues to build an active community, including an opt-in email subscription roster of at least 30,000. Nice(!)
For the love of Pete: take the time with short code set up
I learned plenty about basic questions and steps to set up a dedicated sms short code (plus blogger Glenn Gabe led me to the Common Short Code Administration, a boon for guidance and resources).
Big lesson learned: allocate time with the respective wireless carriers to wait for your own text short code (it takes on average 2 months for it to gain approval). As for fees, it takes app. $1000/mo to use a specific short code plus ongoing usage fees which vary based on how often your constituents or consumers use it.
Short codes and small business
Depending on budgets, it could be a compelling way for businesses to start mobile communications or manage a mobile community for a certain marketing or political campaign. Again, knowing the first few steps (or 10!) to get organized can help make the whole process more approachable and streamlined.
Response teams & mobile campaigns: go multi-lingual?
Depending on the depth of your mobile campaign and communities involved, interpreters may or may not be a concern. Some campaigns discussed, more heavily Obama’s, the need for inclusivity and how offering multiple languages to text in enabled that goal. Rock The Vote offered a Spanish online presence with Obama’s campaign also interpreting text messages in French, German, Spanish, English, and Italian.
Questions, questions
What resources and even networking events online or off do you find useful for learning mobile media? or learning new tools in general?
Photo of cell phone cake by Donbuciak under Creative Commons A-NC-ND 2.0
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