Candidate Websites: Who's Doing What with Theirs?

What makes up an effective website? How are candidates able to reach out via the web to individuals who are seeking information on their political experience, plans for the future, and current campaign? I decided to look more into Senator McCain, Senator Clinton, and Senator Obama’s websites to do a bit of comparing and contrasting, as well as a personal critique.

Starting with John McCain. His website is extremely professional and well put together. Clearly there is a theme with the star logo and his name is the first big focal point upon entering the site. There is no mistake of who this website represents. There is also an image in toward the top left of him and his wife smiling at what could possibly be a crowd of supporters. His wife is waving, and although she herself is behind McCain, the extended arm allows her to be noticed and stick out in the photo as well, instead of be hidden in the background.

As far as the home page is concerned, you have a variety of options to choose from. The theme of the site focuses on McCain’s service to America. There is an immediate link under the aforementioned photo that allows you to “follow the tour” of what his campaign as named “The Story of John McCain: Service to America Tour.” I would also like to note a subtext under “The Story of John McCain” that reads “The American President Americans have been waiting for.” This immediately reminded me of a speech strategy we talked about in class earlier this semester about the importance of emphasizing language that implies victory (like stating “when I am president…”). I really felt that this simple subtext was a strong conviction that McCain will win the presidency.

Moving onto navigation of the page, you have drop down links to see all options, a place to sign up and donate, as well as links to recent news stories and links to “McCain’s Action Center,” which includes links to places where you are able to join the campaign’s support in one way or another. Overall, McCain’s website is well pulled together and easily navigated through.

Next, I looked at the Clinton website. Again, you have an image of Hillary in front of an audience of supporters looking happy and engaging to the audience. Hillary has a couple differences than McCain that really highlight her internet savvy campaign team. First of all, her first major headline under the main picture of her in front of a crowd specifically states “Help Hillary Win Indiana.” This really shows that her website is being frequently updated and is addressing current events that she is working toward in obtaining a candidacy nomination. Besides frequent updates, she has Hillary TV on the main page, and this is a feature I do not see consistent across the board with the candidates. Her use of video technology is a great tool in the campaigning process. The use of drop down links is, again, a convenient feature that minimizes needless clicking around a website, and her decision to have related Hillary websites and links to recent news and information at the top of the scrolling page is an effective placement of what she would like emphasized to those who visit her site. Like in the McCain site as well, you see the red, white and blue themed colors, and a noticeable patriotic logo connected with her name.

Finally, I checked out Obama’s site. Red, white and blue color scheme? Check. Scroll down navigation rollover? Check. Unchanging photo of candidate along with noticeable patriotic logo with name? Check, check. We see reoccurring themes for these websites that give them the quick and easy navigation and obtainment of information. All three sites also have nearly identical navigation links to the same issues. I found it particularly interesting that each site had one of their major thinks connected to a blog. Like we have been discussing in class lately, the blogosphere is becoming a turning point in the process of getting spotlight on certain information and making what we see as news.

One point I would just like to reiterate is the fact that Clinton is the only candidate of the three that utilizes the web videos. McCain has a photo gallery, while Obama has his own form of Barack TV, however the organization of Clinton’s video gallery and the emphasis of it on her website is more prominent.

I didn’t look into minor party candidate’s websites, however, going off of the Nader site we saw in class, there are obvious differences to their composition. The color scheme, the navigation, and overall lack of tech savvy support indicates the disadvantages that come with providing a website that you are unable to help grow with a limited budget and minimal support. Websites are the master media of our mainstream media world, and it is important for the major candidates especially to keep up with their sites and make them as easy as possible for individuals to find and access the information they desire.

Personally, I was the most impressed with Clinton’s site and found it the most attractive at first glance.