Social Media Analysis: John Edwards (D)
*Disclaimer. It’s important to note that I’ve been following the Edwards Campaign for some time and while not an active supporter, I’m certainly leaning in his direction.
John Edwards has the following:
- Website: http://www.johnedwards.com/
- YouTube: http://youtube.com/profile?user=johnedwards
- MySpace: http://myspace.com/johnedwards
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/person.php?id=2352506197
- FlickR: http://flickr.com/people/forallofus/
- Mobile: text “today” to 30644
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnedwards
- Blog: http://blog.johnedwards.com/
Note that there is a long list of social media sites that the Edwards site links to. I’ve included a quick review of them all…whew!
Website: Here we go! There’s that splash page! Ok, so here’s the thing. It’s clear I don’t like them. But…I’ve been to this site before … shouldn’t see that splash page anymore! Come on! It’s a simple JavaScript people. If I’ve been here, get me in without seeing that splash page! I can already report that I’ve been getting Edward’s emails for some time, so his email sign up does work and I’m not overwhelmed, but I do keep getting information.
Once past the splash page, I get to the site which is pretty straight forward. Call to action in the far right hand corner (seems to be the place – someone did an eye-tracking study, eh?) to get me to sign up (just in case I missed it on the splash page), contribute, create a personal fundraising page and join “one corps” to volunteer locally. This one is interesting. Clicking on it reveals a beta site that shows the different chapters in each state, profiles and pictures so you can see how many there are, how old they are and how many people are involved. Quite nice.
On the home page there’s a YouTube pull in, recent news and along the right hand side the list of “social networks”. Sites listed are Facebook, Flickr, MySpace and YouTube. Oh…and there is RSS…but it is at the bottom. Edwards also does the mobile thing.
So, I clicked on the “Social Networks” and OMG! I have hit the MOTHERLOAD! I had NO IDEA that Edwards was so social networked. And what’s even nicer is the little commentary by each. I won’t reproduce it here…go check it out yourself. But, here’s the list of video sharing, blogging, profile and networking sites. They also provide nice badges to add to your own profile (scroll down for my full review of the one’s that aren’t “mainstream” and my overall reactions to the Campaign’s social media strategy)
- YouTube
- MySpace
- Flickr
- Facebook
- PartyBuilder (from the DNC)
- 43Things
- Ning
- MetCafe
- Revver
- Yahoo! 360
- Blip
- Capitol Hill Broadcasting
- VSocial
- TagWorld
- CollectiveX
- Bebo
- Care2
- Essembly
- Hi5
- Xanga
- Gather
- Del.icio.us
- LiveJournal
However, there is ONE MISSING – TWITTER – I’ve been subscribed to the Edwards Twitter for several months now…why isn’t it listed here?
So Wow!...lot’s of good information here and a Social Network panacea. They might want to consider a different approach and let us know that there are so many options. A mini feed on the home page with small icons would be nice – a mouse over would explain. One thing that is neat is that they do invite people to Facebook groups. I like that. Links to the blog and of course issues too! Some integration here, which is nice. Overall, clean, clear and easy to follow. Not as action-oriented as Clinton, but blows them all out of the water with the Social Media focus.
YouTube: Mix of a bunch of videos – Very recent post right off as of the 18th from his bus tour of Iowa. It’s recent which is nice. Campaigning and cheering, but it shows that Edwards is doing different things and they are keeping it current which is VITAL. Nice to see how much they are connecting the YouTube videos to the other social media sites. 3,774 subscribers.
MySpace: WOW! This is by far the best campaign MySpace site I’ve seen so far. First it is clear and easy to follow and starts off with a fabulous integration of visuals along with connections to other sites. Running a nice blog app, as well as connection to Twitter, Demand, and even a Hispanic social networking site, MyGrito.com. The most integrated (links to YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, etc.) social site so far. Interlinked, current, and running some very nifty applications. Down side? My computer can’t handle it and is grinding to a virtual halt! eep! And…well…I really do like the music at this site…and there isn’t any. 47961 “friends”
Facebook: So here’s another one who can’t seem to figure out that you can link to a “public” page on Facebook. Click on the link and we get the login screen of doom. Anyway, once logged in we finally come to a site that is using some applications, is clearly updated and is linking back to the main site, MySpace, Demands, YouTube, Twitter and even a “fan group” in Facebook. Yep. While it doesn’t look like this is an “officially” run group, it is certainly one that the campaign supports and is pushing people to be involved in. The campaign is also porting in Flickr and YouTube Video, using the notes application, listing a bunch of groups that are both issues and support focused, and they even have the Twitter feed as well as the calendar. Basically, this is the best use of Facebook by a candidate so far. What’s missing? There are several trip/map applications that I would have expected to see here that I didn’t, especially given the bandwidth hogging map they are using at MySpace. Also, the blog import should be listed, and I noticed that they are asking people over at MySpace to support John using the Newsvine application in Facebook. Hmmm….don’t see that here either. Too bad. 16,511 Supporters.
Flickr: You ask…and well… you receive! I wondered in my last post if anyone would really use Flickr to convey a message. Well here it is. The Edward’s campaign is really pushing it here. The profile opens up to a message…and a way to see all the photos (of course), but there are messages from supporters, a listing of the groups he “belongs too”, and a direct link back to the campaign website. There are more than images of kissing babies here my friend! 549 contacts.
Mobile: Text “today” to 30644.
Twitter: I’ve been “following” Edwards for several months now at Twitter. Pretty good use of the application – and it’s ported into MySpace and Facebook. Too bad it’s not listed on their site anywhere!
Blog: The Edwards blog is a confusing mess. There is no other way around it. Three columns, different postings from different people, it doesn’t make sense and is hard to follow. Actually overwhelming…where do I go?? The information is wonderfully current and there are links to video blogs as well as issue posts. Social networking site buttons are everywhere and RSS is on every post. There is even a link to Technorati. However, the usability factor here is very poor. At least when you click on “video blog” you get a nice clean simple to follow list of different entries. I like the segmentation along the top so you can go to specific themes – which are then much clearer. I guess it’s just the first page that is a mess…um…kinda like locking that door there folks. I have little to no desire to go any further. Lack of usability has killed this one. Too bad.
Search Results: Searching on “Edwards” in Google results in news items first, then Edwards Life Sciences, and then the Edwards for President site. Unlike the past four candidates I’ve reviewed, this one is not a current senator, so we don’t see that site anywhere. There is a WikiPedia.com listing further down. No YouTube or MySpace…However if the search is on “John Edwards” then there is more listed – and his TWITTER site comes up. (side note…notice the change in Google listings? – They seem to be segmenting information differently). Not much on the sponsored ads. I’m surprised that the Edwards campaign hasn’t done anything with “Edwards” – common name. People might not search on John Edwards. Over at Yahoo! Similar results. The campaign site comes up #4, with WikiPedia.com directly below at #5. YouTube references and Blog at number 10! Many sponsored listings, but that has more to do with the general key word “Edwards” than anything else. More focused results if someone searches on “John Edwards”. Over at Live the campaign site follows Edwards Life Sciences, just as at the other sites. The WikiPedia.com entry comes fifth, and there are references to YouTube and MySpace further down. No interesting sponsorships to report. Easy to find information if you type in “John Edwards” but just “Edwards” isn’t nearly as clear. You could say that about all the candidates, and since I’ve only focused on searching on last name, I’ll stick to that and advise that the SEO work on the last name get busy! It might be worth a few sponsored ads to make sure the connection is made.
Other Social Media Sites:- Partybuilder: http://democrats.org/page/dashboard/public/gTVGc/ This is the DNC’s “social networking” site. Um…bleh. But, the Edwards Campaign is using it and has posted general information and a blog. Blog isn’t very up to date. I wonder if this DNC service ports in from an active blog, or if someone has to “re-blog” to get it listed. Looks like the Campaign is using it to its ability, but the DNC could do WAY better. Not worth the effort. 547 Friends
- 43Things (http://www.43things.com/person/onecorps/): This is a new site to me, so I had to explore a bit. I’m now a member and this is pretty cool. It’s a list site basically. The 43 things you want to do, or the places you want to go, etc. however, it then links you with all the other people who want to do whatever it is you want to do, and the places you want to go. You can add this to your blog (stay tuned!). So, how’s the Campaign doing? Um…not so much. Considering all the things they could list about places they are going (bus tour… HELLO!), where they’ve been, and the things they want to accomplish. It would seem that they are using this for One Corps, but I think they could really use this for the campaign – list the people they are meeting, the places they have been, the things they want to accomplish (gee…no brainer on this one!), and what they are consuming. Interesting opportunity…MISSED.
- Ning: OOPS! While the campaign site lists this as a place to follow One Corps and their videos I got the broken link of doom page. Who is checking your links?? Can’t find it by searching either. Bummer. Looks like they have moved away from this one. Too bad. This site is new and has some interesting potential. Build it first folks, then beta, then release!
- MetaCafe: http://www.metacafe.com/channels/John+Edwards/ A social media video sharing site. Looks like effort stopped here about three months ago. Doesn’t seem like this one has a lot of people engaged. No subscriptions and only one post. Holds promise, but only if you use it and drive people there. I’d assume the campaign had to focus on other more popular sites. Um…so remove the link if you aren’t going to keep it updated gang!
- Revver: http://one.revver.com/account/show/JohnEdwards/ A video site. Nothing here. So why link to it? Beta test it first folks. Put content there and get some volunteers to get involved…then link to it from your site.
- Yahoo! 360: http://360.yahoo.com/jrepresident A group-based sharing site. Photos, general information, friends list, blog feed, and comments. Under utilized. The feed that comes in is current – must be ported in from somewhere else. Not a lot of activity. Again, another one that may not be worth the effort given the amount of people using the service.
- Blip.tv: http://johnedwards.blip.tv/: Interesting video site that allows you to subscribe via iTunes and other services. Looks underutilized by the campaign – doesn’t seem to be high traffic, but this is a very cool looking site.
- Capitol Hill Broadcasting Network http://chbn.com/johnedwards: So this could be interesting, but again, not much info here at all. If the campaign is going to put something out there and link to it, it needs to be fully functioning.
- Vsocial: http://www.vsocial.com/user/?d=105967: It’s a listing place for your different social media – um...if you used this, you’d think that Edwards doesn’t exist in the social media world. Need I say it again??
- TagWorld: http://www.tagworld.com/johnedwards08/: Another social media site – low support, no current info.
- CollectiveX: https://johnedwards.collectivex.com/join: This one looks very interesting and allows for discussion and active engagement – but…again, no critical mass = no engagement. Why link to it?
- Bebo: http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MID=367137231&MemberId=3057165809: another social networking site popular in the UK and growing here in the US. More up-to-date than a lot of the others, but most recent post was 23 days ago. The same map application that is being used in MySpace is being used here. There are some other widgets and wall posts (spam is high). Overall ok, but not at the same level of effort as the MySpace/Facebook.
- Care2: http://www.care2.com/c2c/people/profile.html?pid=811375420: Another social networking site ala MySpace. Just about at the same level of Bebo. Social change is the focus here, but again, not as current as the big players. Pulling in YouTube, but that’s it really. Profile isn’t even fully filled out. Some blog posts from 17 days ago and notes from 6 days ago.
- essembly: http://www.essembly.com/groups/profile?gid=-422: It’s a social change site. You can connect with others who are ideologically aligned with yourself – um...if the site is working. No blog activity there since march, looks very quite. The Edwards area is blank save for several pictures. Waste of Time. Take it off the list.
- Hi5: http://edwards2008.hi5.com/: yet another social networking site where there is minimal activity. Some video and image slide shows. Nothing posted since April.
- Xanga: http://profile.xanga.com/johnedwards08/ (from main website inks to the mobile site…whoops!) here’s the other link: http://www.xanga.com/johnedwards08: Basic only. Last post was from May. Not very active at all.
- Gather: Uh Oh! Dead link alert! The website is linked to “presidentedwards.gather.com” but that doesn’t work. After some quick navigation and searching the real URL is: http://johnedwards.gather.com/. Anyway, more recent activity here – as of August 7th. Nothing new or special though.
- Del.icio.us: http://del.icio.us/JRE_POST_LOG/: Just a list of recent postings from blogs, etc. Nice link list. Wonder if the folks over at the campaign know that there is now a delicious Facebook app that they could plug in? Guess not.
- LiveJournal: http://jre2008.livejournal.com/profile: blogging/journal site. Very low activity.
Recommendations: Whew! So here’s a Yin/Yang analysis if I ever saw one. The overall website is ok, the MySpace, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and Twitter are all AMAZING! Well done, in-depth, all linked to one another, current and engaged. Nicely done!
However, the social media listing off the site is
beyond misleading. Most of the long list is poorly populated at best, with broken links and zero involvement at worst. Many missed opportunities, but I believe overall that this is a clear case of social media run amok! Someone decided to go crazy and link to EVERYTHING. Well, then…you better keep it all up to date, and since none of the sites talk to each other until some fairly recently, that’s a lot of updating on a lot of sites. There is nothing worse than a social media site with NO ACTIVITY! This campaign would do much better to focus and narrow their social media involvement (which I think is happening naturally) and get the dead links and low performers off the campaign website.
The blog needs help! That first page is a nightmare and prevents real engagement. I’m surprised – they could do much better.
Great work on the main social media sites. Keep it up! Average website. Fix the blog. Oh, and do some SEO and even some CPC on the search engines for a bit to help drive more traffic.
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