Posts tagged ‘Michael Cornfield’

5 Crucial Elements of a Public Affairs Website

When building a public affairs website bear in mind that the guidelines for building an effective website are not the same as when building traditional public relations campaigns. When someone visits a public affairs website they expect to receive information without any spin on it. The best websites dedicated to public affairs allow visitors to quickly locate the information they need without searching for it. A bonus is when there is also the ability to quickly act on the information they receive through the website.

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Creative Commons License photo credit: andrewasmith

The first thing to consider is what it is that you want to accomplish through your website. Consider the audience for the website and who it is that you hope to reach. Consider for the reasons someone would come to the website and use those to help you design your site.

Also ask: what content will visitors be seeking? When building a public affairs website you want to link the content and the audience. You want the content to be relevant and timely.

Interaction is another key component, and you want make sure that visitors can interact with you. This can occur through blog comments, forums, online opinion polls, live chats, etc. Most people want something to do when they visit a website, even if it is simply just providing their opinion.

An effective website must also be usable. The key to this is to keep it simple. For the most part, visitors want information in bite size pieces. Media Relations Handbook, by Bradford FitchIf it takes too long for them to find the information they want, they will leave. Use language that is easy to understand and follow.

Finally, make sure that if you incorporate any innovation in the website that you do it in a manner that is in keeping with the visitor’s needs. Never use something just because it is the latest thing in the online world.

To find out more about communicating with the public consider our Advanced Media Relations Workshop and our Capitol Learning Audio Course with Michael Cornfield, Maximizing the Internet for the Public Affairs Professional.

Reference: Media Relations Handbook, by Brad Fitch, Section 6.6 Five Building Blocks of Public Affairs Web Sites.

TheCapitol.Net also has Capitol Learning Audio Courses that can help you learn more about how best to use different tools and techniques to communicate more effectively.

For more information about media training from TheCapitol.Net, see these resources:

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Posted 2010/10/25, 6:07 am  ·  Category: Government ·  Comments Off on 5 Crucial Elements of a Public Affairs Website

The Importance of Online Communication for Advocacy and Legislative Affairs

Politics as a whole has been completely transformed by the emergence of the Internet. While pre-Internet forms of media still continue to dominate Washington, there is little doubt that online communication is having an impact. Today the Internet and associated online tools of email, blogs and other social media are considered to be indispensable tools for anyone involved in public affairs. These cost-effective methods are able to reach millions of people almost instantly.

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Creative Commons License photo credit: Marc_Smith

There are several important differences between older forms of media and newer, online forms of media. One of those differences is that online communication greatly increases the complexity of messages. While traditional forms of communication allowed for two or three core messages, we can now have multiple messages using online communication.

In addition, message delivery can now be completely unfiltered as a result of the ability to communicate online. This was not the case with traditional forms of media, in which communication was filtered directly by the media. While messages featured centralized control in the past, today that centralized control has been removed in online communication.

Another important difference between traditional forms of media and online communication is that interactive communication is now possible. The receiver can communicate with the sender. In the past, only one-way communication was possible. This has made it much easier for the public to become involved in issues that affect them on a daily basis.

In order to compete in today’s environment it is imperative that you have a comprehensive understanding of the tools available to you. Trying to navigate the world of public policy and politics while using strategies Media Relations Handbook, by Bradford Fitchfrom yesterday is one of the fastest ways you can find to be ignored.

Developing an online communication agenda ensures that each of your public policy issues blend seamlessly with your offline goals. These goals typically include the promotion of an agenda, increasing membership or followers, enhancing productivity, feeling invested in a cause, and raising money.

To find out more about how you can use online communication methods to further your cause or issue, consider TheCapitol.Net’s Media Relations for Public Affairs Professionals course and our Advanced Media Relations Workshop.

TheCapitol.Net also has Capitol Learning Audio Courses that can help you learn more about how best to use different tools and techniques to communicate more effectively.

For more information about media training from TheCapitol.Net, see these resources:

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Posted 2010/10/21, 5:57 am  ·  Category: Government, Public Policy ·  Comments Off on The Importance of Online Communication for Advocacy and Legislative Affairs