Digital Public Affairs Outlook 2011

8/7/2019 Digital Public Affairs Outlook 2011

1/17

Digital Public affairs

OutlOOk2011

Trends, Tools, and Conditionsto Watch in the Coming Year

By Chip Grifn

Chief Digital Ofcer


2/17

Trends, Tools, and CondiTionsTo WaTChinThe Coming YearDigital Public Affairs Outlook 2011

tableOf cOntents

Executive Summary.i

Political and Policy Environment.1

Shifting.Responsibility.from.Legislators.to.Regulators.1

What.to.Watch.in.2011.1

Understanding.the.Role.of.Digital.Government.Efforts.2Penetrating.the.Proliferation.of.Congressional.Communications.2

Strategic Trends.3

Having.a.Seat.at.the.Table.3

Using.Public.Policy.Blogs.to.Communicate,.Humanize.Issues.3

Going.Back.to.Basics.to.Create.Winning.Campaigns.4

Understanding.the.Role.of.Monitoring,.Measurement.&.Metrics.5

Improving.the.Culture.of.Transparency.5

Valuing.Employee.and.Customer.Engagement.5

Media Environment.6

Blurring.the.Lines.Between.Traditional.and.New.Media.6

Changing.the.Face.of.Inside-the-Beltway.Digital.Media.7

Coping.with.Coarseness.and.Incivility.in.Social.Media.8

Impact of Technology.8

Growing.Mobile.Adoption.and.Advances.8

Maturing.the.Online.Video.Experience.9

Facebook.Takes.Hold.10

Experimenting.with.Geolocation.11

Benetting.from.the.Tablet.Revolution.11

What to Watch in 2011.12

Impact.of.the.Political.Climate.12

2012.Presidential.Campaigns.12


3/17


4/17

Trends, Tools, and CondiTionsTo WaTChinThe Coming Year

1

Digital Public Affairs Outlook 2011

POliticalanD POlicyenvirOnment

Shifting Responsibility from Legislators to RegulatorsA.widespread.belief.that.todays.politics.are.more.contentious.than.at.any.other.time.in.recent.memory.represents.

a.bit.of.hyperbole.Those.who.long.for.the.less.partisan.days.of.yesteryear.are.either.too.young.to.recall.those.

times.apart.from.history.books.or.have.memories.too.clouded.by.nostalgia

Nevertheless,.the.current.environment.in.which.public.policy.decisions.are.being.made.is.indeed.highly.charged.

With.an.approaching.presidential.election,.that.environment.will.only.become.more.polarized.in.the.coming..12-24.months

The.political.dynamic.that.will.most.impact.digital.public.affairs.in.2011,.however,.is.one.born.out.of.a.desire.to.

avoid.rancor.and.reworks.In.an.attempt.to.move.legislation.through.Congress.with.the.barest.of.margins,.much.

legislation.in.the.past.two.years.has.actually.punted.on.key.issues.The.unstable.electoral.politics.of.the.past.two.

decades.now.manifests.itself.in.a.Congress.unable.to.make.difcult.decisions.for.fear.of.losing.a.legislative.battle

Instead.of.ghting..and.resolving..policy.disputes.in.committee.or.on.the.oor.of.the.House.or.Senate,.a.

dizzying.array.of.critical.decisions.have.now.been.ceded.to.the.executive.branch.in.the.form.mandates.to.

regulators.to.implement.key.pieces.of.prominent.legislation.Major.issues.stemming.from.legislative.battles.

including.health.care.and.nancial.reform.remain.to.be.resolved.by.regulators.rather.than.legislators

An.increasing.amount.of.effort.will.need.to.be.spent.by.public.affairs.professionals.focusing.on.non-descript.

federal.buildings.scattered.throughout.Washington,.DC.rather.than.on.the.iconic.white.structures.at.either.end..

of.Pennsylvania.Avenue.

Inuencing.regulators.presents.different.challenges,.especially.in.the.digital.public.affairs.space.These.battles.

are.not.necessarily.won.or.lost.by.the.volume.of.public.opinion.but.are.based.on.the.more.targeted.and.informed.

messaging.of.peers.Some.of.these.battles.will.be.waged.directly,.with.the.Internet.deployed.to.generate.

comments.from.the.public.targeted.at.an.agencys.ofcial.docket.Other.ghts.will.be.won.through.bank.shots.

by.inuencing.key.lawmakers.who.hold.oversight.responsibilities.over.the.regulators.Still.others.can.be.won.

through.thoughtful.information.and.commentary.on.key.industry.blogs.studied.by.the.policy.wonks.at..

the.agencies

While.these.battles.require.more.creativity,.they.create.great.opportunities.for.the.innovative.digital.public.affairs.

communicators.who.are.able.to.effectively.target.their.messaging.to.drive.favorable.outcomes

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.the.current.political.climate.to:

. .Drive.increased.targeted.engagement.of.regulatory.agency.leaders.and.staff.members.using.a.range.of.digital.tactics.that.depend.more.on.quality.of.audience.than.quantity

. .Complicate.strategic.planning.as.a.result.of.the.more.opaque.nature.of.the.regulatory.process.and.the.difculty.

in.using.some.common.digital.tactics.more.frequently.used.in.legislative.battles

. .Increase.the.need.for.technical.and.academic.commentary.in.social.media.to.resonate.with.the.more.educated.

regulatory.audience.as.compared.to.their.legislative.counterparts

. .Saturate.inside-the-Beltway.digital.media.outlets.with.earned.media.outreach.and.paid.media.acquisitions.as.

more.issues.are.waged.among.elites.rather.than.at.the.grassroots.level

. .Compel.greater.coordination.between.the.legislative.and.regulatory.operations.of.many.public.affairs.teams.to.

affect.needed.changes

WhattOWatchin 2011. .The.changed.political.climate.in.the.wake.of.the.2010.elections.will.lead.to.increased.digital.innovation.as.

the.parties.swap.roles.and.attempt.to.make.their.mark.given.their.new.status

. .Outside.groups.will.also.modify.their.digital.campaign.approaches.as.the.prospects.for.their.points.of.view.

change.How.these.groups.choose.to.organize.will.impact.future.digital.public.affairs.efforts

. .The.2010.presidential.campaigns.will.provide.a.meaningful.testing.ground.for.the.adoption.of.new.tactics,.

technologies,.and.tools.that.will.make.their.way.into.the.digital.public.affairs.toolkit.of.the.future


5/17


2


Understanding the Role of Digital Government EffortsWhen.President.Obama.took.ofce,.he.pledged.a.greater.use.of.technology.by.federal.agencies.to.assist.in.

communicating.with.the.American.public.In.so.doing,.he.sought.to.accelerate.a.trend.that.had.been.underway.

for.more.than.a.decade.Since.the.earliest.days.of.the.Thomas.system.launched.by.the.Library.of.Congress.

to.make.legislative.information.available.online,.government.at.all.levels.has.been.inching.its.way.into.greater.

information.transparency

Today,.the.effort.to.engage.citizens.online.by.their.government.often.operates.under.the.Government.20.

moniker.Whatever.one.calls.it,.it.is.clear.that.more.information.and.services.are.becoming.available.via.the.Internet.Whether.it.is.a.transaction.with.the.local.DMV.or.access.to.EPA.records,.citizens.can.now.get.access.

with.much.less.effort.than.they.could.only.a.decade.or.two.ago

The.ease.of.access.to.information.benets.digital.public.

affairs.campaigns.in.several.ways.Mash-ups.that.

use.government.data.blended.with.web.services.like.

Google.Maps.can.create.very.compelling.tools.to.help.

communicate.often.arcane.information.in.a.way.that.

motivates.activists.Crime.logs.released.by.local.police.

departments.have.historically.been.dense,.relatively.

meaningless.lists.But.put.those.crimes.on.a.map.and.

suddenly.you.have.a.powerful.way.to.communicate.

important.trendsSimilarly,.government.agencies.at.all.levels.are.adopting.more.electronic.means.of.communications.to.enable.

feedback.from.the.public.These.are.steps.that.Congress.and.many.state.legislatures.adopted.years.ago,.but.

now.they.are.coming.to.regulatory.and.administrative.agencies

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.Government.20.efforts.to:

. .Make.more.government.data.available.online,.leading.to.greater.and.more.effective.use.of.mash-ups.in.digital.

advocacy.campaigns.focused.primarily.on.educating.and.inuencing.political.elites

. .Facilitate.communications.with.more.government.agencies,.making.regulatory.advocacy.campaigns.more.

similar.to.their.legislative.counterparts.in.terms.of.the.tools.used.to.direct.grassroots.inuence

. .Continue.to.create.a.community.of.increasingly.professionalized.digital.practitioners.at.all.levels..

of.government

Penetrating the Proliferation of Congressional CommunicationsMembers.of.Congress.and.their.staffs.often.nd.themselves.buried.in.a.blizzard.of.communications,.especially.

in.todays.nearly.cost-free.electronic.messaging.environment.Gone.are.the.days.when.contacting.ones.elected.

ofcials.required.someone.to.foot.the.bill.for.a.phone.call,.postcard,.or.letter.With.web-based.contact.forms.and.

email,.it.now.takes.very.little.effort.and.almost.no.cost.to.deliver.an.opinion.to.a.policymaker

Unfortunately,.this.increased.volume.makes.it.more.difcult.to.make.a.difference.Quantity.alone.is.no.longer.the.

leading.way.to.show.up.on.a.lawmakers.radar.in.the.right.way

Digital.communicators.are.discovering.new.ways.to.break.through.the.noise.and.deliver.effective.messages.

Video.messaging.from.constituents.represents.one.way.that.some.issue.campaigns.are.making.headway.in..

their.efforts.to.stand.out.While.email.messages.may.be.impersonal,.video.can.make.a.much.more..

powerful.connection

Of.course,.video.alone.does.not.scale.well.When.using.less.scalable.technologies,.then,.it.is.vital.to.consider.which.voices.are.contributing.messages.and.what.they.are.saying.Identifying.the.highest.quality.messages..

and.messengers.helps.make.video.communications.much.more.effective

Whether.one.is.communicating.with.a.lawmaker.by.video.or.the.written.word,.social.media.now.permits..

those.messages.to.be.shared.more.broadly.With.old-fashioned.phone.calls,.mail,.and.e-mail,.messages..

were.one-on-one.Today,.a.constituent.can.post.a.video.message.on.YouTube.for.other.voters.to.see..

.or.post.a.message.to.their.representative.or.senator.on.Twitter.and.encourage.others.to.join.the.effort

.Government.at.all.levels.has.been.inching.its.way.into.greater.information.

transparency


6/17


3


Looking.ahead,.we.expect.efforts.to.break.through.the.clutter.to:

. .Increase.the.value.of.more.personal.methods.of.communications,.including.video

. .Foster.greater.innovation.in.digital.communications,.including.efforts.to.blend.electronic.messaging.with.ofine.

delivery.methods.(eg,.handing.a.spreadsheet.and.CD.of.petition.signers.personally.to.a.staff.member)

strategic trenDs

Having a Seat at the TablePerhaps.the.most.important.trend.we.have.seen.over.the.past.twelve.months.is.anecdotal.evidence.that..

digital.communicators.increasingly.nd.themselves.with.a.seat.at.the.strategic.management.table.for.public.

affairs.campaigns.

Up.until.recently,.most.political.and.public.affairs.campaigns.treated.online.and.mobile.communications.as.an.

independent.silo.with.second-tier.status.Often.the.online.team.would.be.tasked.with.a.specic.requirement.

rather.than.participating.in.the.strategy.development.Frequently,.these.requests.would.come.with.so.little.

advance.notice.that.the.digital.communicators..no.matter.how.talented..did.not.have.the.time.or.resources..

to.make.them.fully.successful

Nevertheless,.digital.tools.continued.to.make.an.impact.on.campaigns.As.the.media.confronted.the.shift.

to.digital.from.traditional.methods.of.communicating,.media.professionals.within.public.affairs.and.political.

campaigns.have.also.recognized.the.change

We.are.now.moving.into.an.era.in.which.digital.efforts.can.and.will.serve.as.the.core.of.the.overall.campaign.In.the.words.of.one.of.our.clients,.in.the.future,.digital.should.be.the.nuclear.reactor.that.powers.the.full.suite.of.

public.affairs.strategies.and.tactics

By.participating.in.the.strategy.development.and.being.able.to.coordinate.digital.activities.with.traditional.efforts.

at.the.earliest.stages,.digital.public.affairs.campaigns.have.taken.a.signicant.step.forward.

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.that.having.a.seat.at.the.table.will:

. .Provide.digital.public.affairs.teams.the.opportunity.to.lead.campaign.efforts,.with.online.tools.serving..

as.the.hub.of.the.overall.campaign

. .Improve.the.usage.of.digital.tools.in.public.affairs.campaigns

. Enhance.the.effectiveness.of.digital.tactics

. .Increase.the.amount.of.resources.dedicated.to.digital.public.affairs.programs

. .Make.recruiting.high-caliber.digital.communicators.easier.as.they.can.be.promised.a.meaningful.voice..

in.the.campaign

Using Public Policy Blogs to Communicate, Humanize IssuesCommunications.professionals.increasingly.embrace.the.use.of.new.media.to.communicate.their.messages.

Ofcial.corporate.disclosures,.including.quarterly.earnings.releases.for.publicly.traded.companies,.are.now.

frequently.debuted.online.Advocacy.organizations.and.trade.associations.disseminate.their.own.key.news.in.this.

new.medium.rst

In.the.public.affairs.world,.we.now.see.organizations.sharing.their.views.on.vital.public.policy.issues.via.blogs.or.

even.social.networks.like.Twitter.and.Facebook

Even.the.most.conservative.corporate.cultures.seem.inclined.to.wade.into.the.space.and.often.enable.comments.

from.the.public..something.that.was.virtually.unheard.of.just.a.few.years.ago.Although.many.of.these.blogs.do.

not.generate.considerable.two-way.conversation,.they.still.play.an.important.role.in.sharing.critical.information.

with.interested.audience.members

At.present,.most.ofcial.public.policy.blogs.focus.largely.on.communicating.with.a.narrow.group.of.expert.

individuals,.especially.those.engaged.professionally.on.the.issues.discussed.

In.addition,.most.of.these.public.policy.blogs.are.much.less.conversational.in.tone.than.their.marketing.

counterparts.might.be.In.many.industries,.especially.those.that.are.highly.regulated.or.under.intense.scrutiny.


7/17


4


from.the.public,.media,.or.politicians,.this.more.formal.tone.will.be.difcult.to.shed.because.of.the.necessary.

involvement.of.legal.departments.Although.corporate.lawyers.are,.by.instinct.and.training,.highly.risk-averse,.

steps.can.and.should.be.taken.to.relax.the.feel.of.these.policy.blogs

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.public.policy.blogs.to:

. .Incorporate.more.video.in.an.effort.to.better.humanize.both.the.organization.and.its.issues

. .Attempt.to.broaden.the.audience.for.these.messages.in.the.coming.years.as.organizations.seek.to.take.

advantage.of.the.ability.to.communicate.directly.with.activists.and.other.key.constituencies

Going Back to Basics to Create Winning CampaignsThe.public.affairs.space.has.not.been.immune.from.the.same.scourge.that.has.plagued.other.digital.

communicators:.the.lure.of.Shiny.Object.Syndrome.The.desire.to.use.the.latest.and.greatest.technology.

because.it.gets.the.most.media.coverage.and.generates.the.most.excitement.continues.to.be..

an.issue.that.must.be.confronted

Contrary.to.popular.thought,.however,.this.trend.is.not.new.to.the.Internet.space.As.new.methods.of.

communication.have.been.developed,.there.has.often.been.a.rush.to.use.them.just.because.they.are.there.

When.this.reports.author.began.working.on.Capitol.Hill.some.two.decades.ago,.the.new-fangled.fax.machine.

was.ooded.with.curled.pieces.of.paper.proclaiming.various.policy.positions.and.ideas.Members.of.Congress.

would.make.a.pilgrimage.to.the.bowels.of.one.of.the.House.ofce.buildings.to.host.recorded.TV.talk.shows.that.

would.air.on.local.cable.access.channels..for.an.audience.of.perhaps.ten.constituents

As.the.World.Wide.Web.came.to.prominence.in.the.mid-1990s,.personal.web.pages.became.popular.Most.email.accounts.came.with.a.small.amount.of.space.to.host.an.individual.web.site.The.early.adopters.would.

obligingly.put.up.some.information.and.links.on.these.simple.home.pages.At.rst,.they.would.be.regularly.

updated,.but.eventually.they.would.languish.as.the.novelty.wore.off

Today,.we.see.relatively.few.personal.web.pages.In.their.

place.we.have.seen.the.rise.of.blogs,.but.these.too.have.

seen.diminished.use.and.many.lay.dormant.With.Twitter,.

Facebook,.and.other.social.networks.all.the.rage,.blogs.

simply.dont.have.the.lure.they.once.did

Increasingly,.we.see.successful.communications.

campaigns.reevaluating.their.toolsets.Savvy..

public.affairs.professionals.have.turned.their.eyes.to.the.

past.to.nd.cues.for.what.might.work.best.Even.leading.evangelists.for.blogging..like.entrepreneur.Jason..

Calacanis.who.turned.blogging.into.a.multi-million.dollar.

payday..are.returning.to.their.roots.and.publishing.email.

newsletters.instead

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.this.return.to.basics.to:

. .Reinvigorate.email.lists.as.a.central.campaign.tactic,.

understanding.that.list-building.has.always.been.a.key.

component.of.politics.and.public.affairs.efforts

. .Separate.casual.blogs.from.those.that.offer.up.real.

substance,.leading.to.a.decline.in.me.too.blogging..

and.more.original.thought

. .Increase.the.focus.on.measurement.and.metrics..

to.evaluate.the.success.of.different.digital..

campaign.tactics

.Even.the.most.conservative.corporate.cultures.seem.inclined.to.wade.into.the.space.and.often.enable.comments.from.the.public..something.that.was.virtually.

unheard.of.just.a.few.years.ago


8/17


5


Understanding the Role of Monitoring, Measurement & MetricsDigital.public.affairs.benets.from.extensive.availability.of.performance.data,.but.it.can.also.be.hindered.by.all.this.

information.Understanding.which.metrics.to.use.and.when.in.evaluating.the.success.of.a.campaign.has.become.

increasingly.important

Communicators.now.have.a.wealth.of.numbers.available.click-through.rates,.ad.impressions,.page.views,.Twitter.

followers,.Klout.scores,.Facebook.likes,.time.on.site,.and.more.At.the.same.time,.monitoring.services.seem.to.

be.sprouting.all.over.the.place.with.the.promise.of.keeping.track.of.mentions.of.the.campaign,.organization,.and.

issue.throughout.social.and.traditional.media

As.the.measurement.and.tracking.options.continue.to.multiply,.public.affairs.professionals.need.to.carefully.

assess.their.own.needs.in.determining.how.to.effectively.monitor.and.evaluate.their.campaigns

Ultimately,.every.effort.is.different.and.should.be.assessed.according.to.metrics.tailored.to.the.specic.goals.of.

the.campaign.Click-through.rates.matter.on.ads.designed.to.generate.petition.signatures.but.may.not.be.as.

relevant.for.banner.ads.placed.on.web.sites.designed.to.get.the.issue.on.the.mind.of.inuential.individuals.inside.

the.Beltway.(Note.that.often.different.ads.should.be.deployed.for.these.purposes,.as.well)

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.metrics.to:

. .Face.increased.scrutiny.from.non-digital.decision-makers

. .Require.signicant.additional.resources.to.properly.evaluate.the.success.of.specic.digital.tactics

. .Continue.to.evolve,.with.both.the.quality.and.quantity.of.data.continuing.to.increase.as.more.networks.and.

providers.seek.to.differentiate.themselves.through.access.to.numbers

Improving the Culture of TransparencyAs.social.media.adoption.grew,.organizations.leapt.at.the.opportunity.to.take.advantage.of.this.new.medium.

to.inuence.opinion.without.the.lter.of.the.mainstream.media.getting.in.the.way.As.with.many.emerging.

communications.platforms,.there.was.an.early.Wild.West.feel.to.the.environment.Without.established.rules.it.

was.often.difcult.to.judge.what.tactics.were.acceptable

Too.often.organizations.chose.to.hide.their.involvement.in.various.digital.media.campaigns.Few.were.immune.

from.this.instinct.Temptation.often.outweighed.reason.Even.the.most.prominent.organizations.and.agencies.at.

times.pursued.some.more.opaque.tactics

In.recent.years,.we.have.seen.a.marked.decrease.in.this.sort.of.activity.and.a.clear.rise.of.the.culture.of.

transparency.in.social.media.campaigns.Part.of.this.trend.can.be.attributed.to.the.adoption.of.legitimate..

means.to.inuence.the.new.media.audience,.including.various.forms.of.advertising

In.addition,.the.penalty.to.be.paid.for.subterfuge.has.risen.as.consensus.has.been.reached.that.most.paid.

anonymous.activity.online.is.not.acceptable.At.the.same.time,.the.benets.of.surreptitious.commenting.and.other.

once.common.activities.are.decreasing.as.the.proliferation.of.content.and.the.increasing.incivility.of.many.online.

discussions.diminishes.the.value.of.these.snippets.of.thought

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.the.culture.of.transparency.to:

. .Increase.the.use.of.blog.advertising,.including.banner.and.text.promotions

. .Foster.greater.use.of.clearly.disclosed,.sponsored.blogs.and.blog.posts

. .Diminish.the.effectiveness.of.the.few.agencies.that.continue.to.trafc.in.opaque.social.media..

inuence.practices

Valuing Employee and Customer EngagementMost.organizations.do.a.mediocre.job.at.best.of.activating.their.employees.and.customers.on.behalf..

of.issues.that.matter.Rather.than.focusing.on.the.constituency.impacted.most.directly.by.regulatory..

and.legislative.issues,.many.choose.instead.to.devote.considerable.resources.attempting.to.attract..

other.members.of.the.public.to.their.cause


9/17


6


Obstacles.do.stand.in.the.way.of.engaging.employees.and.customers,.but.they.are.far.from.insurmountable.

Corporate.legal.and.human.resources.departments.are.often.reluctant.to.permit.clear.and.compelling.messages.

to.employees.about.the.urgent.nature.of.specic.public.policy.debates.

The.marketing.side.of.the.operation,.meanwhile,.wants.to.control.all.outreach.to.customers.and.prospects.

Anything.that.isnt.focused.on.the.next.sale.of.a.certain.product.or.service.is.a.distraction,.in.their.mind

Media.relations.professionals,.too,.often.have.misgivings,.fearing.that.the.press.and.broadcast.media.

may.choose.to.excoriate.an.institution.for.pressuring.employees.or.customers.to.take.action.This.fear.is.

not.unfounded,.as.the.media.has.demonstrated.periodically.by.leveling.just.such.an.attack.on.too.many.organizations.Rather.than.appearing.defensive,.

however,.more.organizations.are.and.should.be.willing.

to.proudly.proclaim.their.support.for.informed.activism.

As.long.as.the.activity.is.truly.voluntary,.there.should.be.

nothing.to.hide.from.

Perhaps.the.greatest.obstacle,.however,.has.been.the.

historic.difculty.of.bending.organizational.logistics.

to.support.advocacy.activities.Reaching.customers.

was.often.a.cumbersome.process.of.inserting.notices.

into.monthly.bills,.bags,.or.packages.Employee.

communications,.while.often.easier,.often.fell.short.

when.it.came.to.making.it.easy.for.the.individual.worker.

to.take.action

Many.social.media.tools.make.it.easier.for.employees.and.customers.to.become.organized.and.engaged.

Organizations.intranets.continue.to.evolve.and.provide.greater.opportunities.for.sharing.information.that.is..

linked.to.external.advocacy.activities.Customers.often.use.web-based.portals.for.sales.and.support,.providing.

an.easy.mechanism.for.most.service.providers.and.merchants.to.provide.the.information.and.tools.necessary..

for.activism

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.organizations.to:

. .Take.advantage.of.Facebook.and.other.social.networking.tools.to.communicate.with.and.organize.the.activism.

of.employees.and.customers

. .Build.more.effective.email.lists.of.targeted.constituencies.to.educate.and.activate.them.on.issues..

of.importance

. .Overcome.the.objections.of.risk-averse.internal.departments.by.becoming.more.willing.to.stand.up.for.the.

value.of.civic.participation.in.the.policymaking.process

meDiaenvirOnment

Blurring the Lines Between Traditional and New MediaWithin.public.affairs.teams,.the.digital.communicators.frequently.operated.within.a.silo,.separate.from.their.

traditional.media.colleagues.In.many.instances,.online.communications.may.simply.be.a.checkbox.that.needs..

to.be.marked.as.old.school.public.affairs.pros.pay.lip.service.to.the.new.medium

As.this.silo.breaks.down.and.digital.communications.becomes.better.integrated.with.traditional.outreach.efforts,.

the.challenge.of.coordination.increases

The.decline.of.internal.silos.parallels.what.is.happening.with.media.outlets.themselves.As.traditional..

media.continues.to.experience.signicant.pressure.on.its.business.outlook,.with.declining.revenues.striking.

newspapers,.magazines,.and.broadcast.media,.many.outlets.have.increasingly.turned.to.social.media..

for.salvation

Most.major.newspapers.no.longer.focus.simply.on.a.daily.newsprint.edition.Instead,.they.now.publish.around.

the.clock.using.their.web.sites.Cable.news.networks.that.once.distributed.content.solely.in.video.form.now.

augment.that.with.the.written.word.on.their.own.web.pages

.Most.organizations..do.a.mediocre.job.at.best.of.activating.their.employees.and.customers.on.behalf..

of.issues.that.matter


10/17


7


For.journalists,.this.changing.environment.has.meant.they.now.must.become.jacks-of-all-trades.They.must.be.

able.to.write,.take.pictures,.and.appear.on.video..or.ideally.even.produce.it.

As.digital.public.affairs.professionals,.we.must.be.prepared.to.deal.with.this.new.environment.ourselves.It.

obviously.creates.great.opportunities.as.the.proliferation.of.available.outlets.makes.it.that.much.easier.to.produce.

deliverables.for.our.campaigns.But.that.same.proliferation.also.makes.it.more.difcult.to.break.through.the.

clutter.to.make.a.signicant.impact.Gone.are.the.days.when.getting.to.one.or.two.reporters.would.mean.that.

you.were.able.to.reach.a.huge.percentage.of.the.American.public.on.the.nightly.news

This.blurring.also.makes.the.internal.operations.of.public.affairs.programs.more.challenging.Although.the.overt.silos.are.diminishing.within.organizations,.individual.specialists.still.tend.to.focus.on.either.new.media.or.traditional.

media.But.with.reporters.from.the. New York Times.on.Twitter.and.with.their.own.blogs,.which.team.owns.

those.relationships?.Perhaps.that.is.an.easier.question.than.publications.like.the.Hufngton.Post.or.TechCrunch.

that.publish.in.no.traditional.medium,.but.have.taken.on.more.of.a.traditional.media.feel.in.recent.years

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.this.blurring.of.the.lines.to:

. .Require.greater.coordination.between.traditional.and.social.media.communications.teams

. .Emphasize.the.need.for.matching.target.audiences.with.specic.outlets

. .Improve.quantity.of.deliverables.while.diminishing.the.quality.of.individual.media.hits

Changing the Face of Inside-the-Beltway Digital MediaThe.rising.inuence.of.Politico.has.placed.increasing.pressure.on.other.Washington,.DC-oriented.media.outlets.

to.innovate.Previous.efforts.at.establishing.a.meaningful.foothold.in.the.online.political.media.space.have.been.met.with.mixed.success,.with.some.early.comers.like.CNNs.AllPolitics.being.reintegrated.into.the.cable.

networks.main.site.and.others.like.Votercom.simply.shuttering

The.ability.of.Politico.to.establish.a.powerful.presence.in.a.relatively.short.period.of.time.has.been.impressive.

Although.viewed.by.many.outside-the-Beltway.as.a.social.media.publication,.the.reality.is.that.their.print.edition,.

distributed.mostly.to.ofcial.Washington,.actually.drives.the.lions.share.of.their.revenue,.according.to..

most.reports

Nevertheless,.their.innovative.approach.to.covering.politics.and.policy.in.a.comprehensive,.around-the-clock.

manner.has.forced.change.on.the.competition.Niche.publishers.like.National.Journal.and.Congressional.

Quarterly/Roll.Call.have.taken.steps.in.recent.months.to.make.their.operations.more.digitally-focused.Pressures.

on.the.media.industry.as.a.whole.have.also.played.a.role.in.the.shift,.with.CQ.merging.staff.with.Roll.Call.to.make.

for.a.leaner,.more.focused.operation

More.broadly.focused.publications.like.the.Washington.Post.and.Hufngton.Post.are.also.tuning.their.political.

news.operations,.while.Bloomberg.continues.its.efforts.to.become.as.indispensible.to.the.policy.world.as.they.

have.long.been.for.professional.investors.In.addition,.a.range.of.blogs.and.web.sites.play.important.roles.for.the.

professional.policy.class

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.the.changes.in.the.Washington.media.environment.to:

. .Drive.higher.prices.for.online.ads.targeting.the.Washington,.DC.surroundings.as.these.publications.condition.

elites.to.get.their.information.digitally,.thus.making.the.audiences.more.valuable.for.advertisers

. .Create.new.opportunities.for.digital.promotion.as.the.media.outlets.seek.new.ways.to.maximize.revenue.

through.sponsorships,.branded.content,.and.other.tools.less.common.to.traditional.media.outlets


11/17


8


Coping with Coarseness and Incivility in Social MediaToo.often.we.see.thoughtless,.vulgar,.and.insulting.commentary.throughout.social.media.Although.it.represents.

only.a.small.share.of.the.most.consumed.content,.it.is.too.prevalent.and.has.had.a.clear.impact.on.digital.public.

affairs.campaigns

What.once.may.have.been.limited.to.the.neighborhood.bar,.kitchen.table,.or.perhaps.ofce.water.cooler.now.

permeates.online.discussions.Many.bloggers.seem.determined.to.wield.the.power.of.the.electronic.pen,.not.as.

a.tool.of.thoughtful.discussion.but.rather.one.of.insult.and.vitriol.The.ability.of.individuals.to.hide.behind.the.cloak.

of.obvious.anonymity.or.the.camouage.of.silly.pseudonyms.seems.to.facilitate.shameful.behavior

It.seems.that.nothing.is.off.limits.Tragedy,.including.serious.illness.and.death.impacting.ideological.opponents,..

is.something.that.far.too.many.revel.in.Prominent.public.gures.like.Ted.Kennedy,.Bob.Novak,.and.Tony.Snow.

had.their.nal.days.marred.by.countless.commenters.remarking.that.they.deserved.their.fate.or.even.wishes.that.

their.suffering.was.great

Even.in.less.macabre.circumstances,.the.conversation.is.far.too.lled.with.invective.Rather.than.debate.over.the.

merits.of.an.issue,.many.social.media.types.resort.to.name-calling.While.this.is.not.altogether.different.from.the.

tone.of.cable.network.debates.between.partisans,.it.does.take.on.a.more.aggressive.air.when.it.manifests.itself..

in.online.discussions

Major.media.outlets.and.organizations.engaged.in.public.affairs.have.recognized.the.downside.of.free.and.open.

comments.and.have.begun.to.adapt.their.processes.to.address.the.challenge.

The.upcoming.presidential.campaign,.coupled.with.the.aftermath.of.the.2010.elections,.will.exacerbate..the.problem

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.increasing.online.incivility.to:

. .Cause.more.organizations.and.media.outlets.to.restrict.comments,.including.the.use.of.more..

aggressive.moderation

. .Reduce.the.number.of.social.media.venues.that.truly.foster.two-way.conversation.as.the.effort..

to.police.the.conversation.outweighs.the.benets.of.increased.discussion

. .Segregate.audiences.between.thoughtful.consumers.of.commentary.and.those.more.agitated.partisans..

who.want.no.part.of.opposing.views

. .Force.digital.communicators.to.adopt.different.approaches.when.dealing.with.the.more.segregated..

activist.audiences

imPactOf technOlOgy

Growing Mobile Adoption and AdvancesWhile.a.signicant.majority.of.Americans.own.cell.phones,.smartphone.adoption.remains.limited.to.about..

one-fth.of.mobile.users.It.is.still.an.important.market.and.one.that.should.not.be.overlooked,.but.it.is.easy..

to.overestimate.its.present.signicance.For.those.with.more.sophisticated.phones,.the.RIM.Blackberry.still.

outstrips.more.buzzed.about.smartphones.like.the.iPhone.and.Android.devices.

These.market.forces.limit.the.audience.for.mobile.public.affairs.web.sites.and.cell.phone.applications.

SMS.text.message.campaigns.have.excellent.open.and.conversion.rates,.but.they.also.tend.to.carry.very..

high.attrition.rates.as.well.Building.lists.of.activists.cell.phone.numbers.for.use.in.such.campaigns.has.been.

popular.topic.of.conversation.since.the.Obama.campaign.ofcially.announced.the.vice.presidential.selection.

using.that.medium.

With.the.exception.of.some.employee.communication.campaigns,.it.is.unlikely.that.SMS.will.represent.an.

important.component.for.most.public.affairs.efforts.in.the.foreseeable.future

As.the.mobile.space.continues.to.grow,.so.will.the.opportunities.to.take.advantage.of.the.technology.in.digital.

public.affairs.projects.Now.is.a.good.time.to.begin.to.experiment.with.various.technologies.and.applications.to.

become.familiar.with.what.is.possible.and.what.works.best.However,.it.would.be.a.mistake.to.overestimate.the.

impact.of.mobile.communications.on.the.outcome.of.most.efforts


12/17


9


More.advanced.mobile.technologies,.like.augmented.reality,.are.intriguing.components.for.future.efforts.They.

may.play.an.important.role.in.organizing.efforts.around.the.2012.presidential.campaign,.for.instance.But.the.

adoption.rates.of.such.technology.are.simply.not.high.enough.at.present.to.have.a.major.impact.on.specic.

issues.of.interest

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.mobile.public.affairs.efforts.to:

. .Focus.mostly.on.campaigns.with.widespread.national.interest.or.audiences.skewed.toward.early.adopters..

(like.the.tech.community)

. .Continue.to.generate.positive.media.buzz.due.to.the.novelty.of.innovative.mobile.efforts,.thereby.justifying..use.in.exchange.for.useful.earned.media.coverage.even.in.the.absence.of.signicant.user.adoption

. .Integrate.some.basic.traditional.tactics.customized.for.the.mobile.arena,.including.search.and.mobile.web..

site.optimization.rather.than.getting.caught.up.in.full-blown.mobile.campaigns

. .Show.signs.of.early.maturity.as.the.2012.presidential.election.approaches,.with.a.corresponding.increase..

in.importance.to.many.public.affairs.campaigns.over.that.time

Maturing the Online Video ExperienceIncreasing.bandwidth.availability.coupled.with.falling.prices.for.quality.video.recording.hardware.and.software.

makes.video.an.increasingly.viable.and.useful.option.for.digital.public.affairs.campaigns

Multimedia.content.helps.organizations.make.a.more.personal.and.meaningful.connection.with.viewers.This.can.

be.particularly.important.for.digital.public.affairs.campaigns.that.often.must.take.complex.or.arcane.issues.and.

make.them.relevant.to.a.large.enough.audience.to.make.a.difference.in.the.outcome.of.a.policymaking.process

Video.has.already.been.a.part.of.many.public.affairs.and.issue.campaigns.online.for.many.years.However,.

the.quality.has.often.left.something.to.be.desired.Consumers.have.come.to.expect.a.higher.quality.online.

video.experience,.especially.with.the.emergence.of.streaming.sites.like.Hulu.and.Netix.providing.professional.

multimedia.content.Web.users.no.longer.accept.that.online.videos.must.be.cheap.and.cheesy.like.much.of.the.

original.YouTube.content.was

Public.affairs.teams.can.still.create.relatively.affordable.high-quality.video.content.because.of.the.aforementioned.

decline.in.the.cost.of.the.tools.of.the.trade.However,.the.limiting.factor.in.many.cases.is.the.availability.of.talented.

individuals.to.do.the.production.work.Yet.even.simple.talking-head.videos.can.be.effective.as.long.as.a.modest.

amount.of.thought.and.execution.is.focused.on.proper.sound,.lighting,.and.camera.angles.These.require.

relatively.little.expertise.but.stand.head.and.shoulders.above.much.of.the.content.that.has.found.its.way..

online.to.date

On.the.distribution.side.of.the.video.equation,.typical.avenues.like.organizational.web.sites.and.blogs..

are.certainly.viable.In.addition,.they.can.be.useful.outreach.tools.when.communicating.in.social.media..

and.on.social.networks

Increasing.availability.of.pre-roll.video.advertising.inventory.presents.additional.opportunities.for.15.to.30.second.

video.ads.While.ads.created.for.broadcast.distribution.can.be.repurposed.in.this.medium..often.effectively..it.is.

advisable.to.consider.creating.videos.more.tailored.to.the.online.environment.In.addition,.online.video.advertising.

is.typically.most.effective.when.paired.with.banner.ads.elsewhere.on.the.same.web.page.as.the.video.Although.

the.per-view.costs.are.higher,.the.added.effectiveness.is.well.worth.the.premium

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.online.video.to:

. .Play.an.increasingly.important.role.in.digital.public.affairs.campaigns

. .Face.more.critical.judgment.over.the.quality.of.the.content.and.its.production.values

. .Represent.a.more.signicant.portion.of.online.advertising.budgets

. .Serve.as.an.important.tool.in.efforts.to.communicate.issues.in.a.more.personal.way.that.makes.stronger.

connections.with.targeted.audiences

.As.the.mobile.space.continues.to.grow,.so.will.the.opportunities.to.take.advantage.of.the.technology.in.digital.public.affairs.projects.


13/17


10


Facebook Takes HoldFacebook.has.now.achieved.a.market.position.and.level.of.stickiness.that.indicates.it.may.well.be.here.to.stay.

over.the.long.term.Social.networking.services.have.been.notoriously.ckle.in.achieving.lasting.popularity,.but.

Facebook.has.done.more.than.its.predecessors.to.achieve.widespread.adoption,.crossing.geographic.and.

demographic.boundaries.to.establish.a.real.foothold.across.America.and.the.world

In.addition,.Facebook.has.successfully.positioned.itself.as.more.than.a.network.by.creating.a.multi-use.platform.

that.allows.communications,.gaming,.information.sharing,.and.more.They.have.also.achieved.substantial.

monetization.of.their.services,.although.much.room.remains.to.grow.in.this.regard

With.an.increasing.percentage.of.the.population.now.established.as.regular.Facebook.users,.public.affairs.

campaigns.must.pay.signicant.attention.to.this.arena.For.digital.grassroots.engagement,.it.provides.powerful.

opportunities.for.spreading.issue.messaging.and.encouraging.meaningful.advocacy.activities

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.Facebook.to:

. .Provide.a.strong.platform.for.highly-targeted.issue.advertising

. .Facilitate.viral.grassroots.activity.through.interactions.between.like-minded.friends

. .Continue.to.grow.in.signicance.for.public.affairs.communicators

. .Offer.new.and.innovative.communications.and.activation.opportunities.as.the.platform.continues.to.develop

facebOOkPOPulatiOn

0-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-100%

Percent.of.state.population.on.Facebook.(Nick.Burcher.Blog,.Facebook.USA.Usage.Statistics.By.State,.

wwwnickburchercom,.Posted.by.Nick.Burcher,.July.8,.2010)


14/17


11


Experimenting with GeolocationServices.like.Foursquare,.Gowalla,.and.Facebook.Places.have.thrust.the.topic.of.geolocation.into.the.forefront.

of.new.media.discussions.in.2010.These.hybrid.web/mobile.technologies.permit.users.to.check.in.at.various.

real.world.locations.and.have.that.information.shared,.either.exclusively.with.friends.on.those.services.or.with.a.

broader.audience.through.connections.to.popular.social.networking.tools.like.Twitter

The.marketing.world.has.begun.to.tap.into.this.trend.of.location.awareness.by.offering.coupons.or.other.perqs.

to.individuals.who.check-in.to.specic.establishments.

Many.mobile.users.have.signicant.privacy.concerns.about.these.services.and.that.hinders.adoption,.at.least..

to.some.degree.In.addition,.making.effective.use.of.these.tools.requires.a.smartphone.with.GPS..

capability.(although.workarounds.are.possible.for.some.other.devices)

With.such.a.small.percentage.of.the.American.population.using.geolocation.tools,.it.is.not.yet.an.appropriate.

tactics.for.most.digital.public.affairs.campaigns.There.is.considerable.novelty.impact,.however,.which.could.

make.use.of.the.tactic.sensible.for.a.high-tech.focused.campaign.that.might.benet.from.earned.media.coverage.

of.the.tool.itself

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.geolocation.to:

. .Continue.to.increase.adoption.rates.at.a.modest.pace.in.2011

. .Remain.more.of.a.novelty.than.an.effective.public.affairs.tool.for.the.foreseeable.future

. .See.increased.usage.during.the.2012.presidential.campaigns,.which.will.serve.as.a.good.indicator..

of.the.potential.for.this.type.of.tool.in.future.digital.public.affairs.efforts

Benetting from the Tablet RevolutionWith.the.launch.of.the.iPad.in.the.spring.of.2010,.Apple.managed.to.signicantly.accelerate.the.move.toward.

tablet.computing.on.a.broad.scale.While.tablets.have.been.around.for.more.than.a.decade,.they.have.attracted.

interest.largely.from.a.very.small.group.of.early.adopters.Most.early.incarnations.were.heavy,.clumsy,.and.lacked.

extensive.software.support.to.take.full.advantage.of.the.tablet.promise

Today,.the.iPad.has.become.a.frequently-spotted.device.among.business.travelers.and.other.tech-savvy.

individuals.In.addition,.most.computer.hardware.manufacturers.are.now.racing.to.deliver.their.own.devices..

to.the.marketplace.and.capitalize.on.the.market.development.that.Apple.has.led

The.absolute.number.of.tablets.in.the.hands.of.Americans.still.remains.pretty.low,.so.digital.public.affairs.

campaigns.need.not.focus.on.creating.tablet-friendly.applications.for.use.by.the.masses

However,.tablet.applications.could.be.particularly.useful.in.public.affairs.campaigns.as.tools.used.by.active.

supporters.and.staff,.especially.personnel.in.the.eld.Tablet.applications.would.work.well.for.managing.

grassroots.activities,.for.instance.

Looking.ahead,.we.expect.tablets.to:

. .Power.on-site.letterdesk.efforts

. .Serve.as.excellent.tools.at.events.for.gathering.petition.signatures.or.signing.up.supporters

. .See.extensive.use.in.2012.presidential.campaigns,.leading.the.way.for.increased.use.in.public.affairs.efforts..

in.coming.years

. .Enjoy.a.strong.rate.of.consumer.adoption.as.signicant.marketing.dollars.are.placed.behind.the.sales.efforts..

of.major.hardware.producers


15/17


12


WhattOWatchin 2011

Impact of the Political ClimateThe.political.landscape.shifted.signicantly.on.Election.Day.2010.and.this.will.have.important.implications.for.

digital.public.affairs.moving.forward.In.addition.to.the.obvious.shift.in.issue.focus.that.should.be.anticipated,.

there.are.important.tactical.considerations.to.these.changes

The.shift.in.leadership.roles.of.the.respective.parties.at.various.levels.of.government.will.lead.to.changes..

in.how.they.use.technology.to.communicate.As.Republicans.come.to.power.in.many.ofces,.they.will.seek.to.make.a.mark.by.deploying.new.innovations.that.reect.increased.resources.At.the.same.time,.Democrats.who.

have.shifted.to.opposition.status.will.likely.work.overtime.to.nd.new.approaches.to.digital.communications

The.changed.partisan.balance.will.impact.social.media.conversations,.putting.conservatives.increasingly.on.

defense.while.providing.liberals.with.a.newfound.opportunity.to.sharpen.their.electronic.pens.Public.affairs.

efforts.that.depend.on.outreach.to.bloggers.and.social.networkers.will.need.to.adjust.their.messaging.and.

approaches.appropriately

Some.questions.that.will.be.answered.in.2011.include:

. .What.communications.innovations.will.we.see.from.the.two.parties.as.they.adjust.to.their.new.status?

. .How.will.the.conservative.and.liberal.blogosphere.change.as.a.result.of.the.new.political.climate?

. .What.changes.will.we.see.from.professional.media.as.a.reaction.to.the.2010.election.results?

. .With.changes.likely.in.the.leadership.of.many.of.the.campaign.arms.of.both.parties,.how.will.the.specic.individuals.chosen.set.the.tone.for.the.tools.their.groups.employ?

. .Which.third.party.organizations,.on.both.sides,.will.rise.out.of.the.ashes.of.the.2010.election.to.play.important.

roles.in.digital.conversations?

. .How.will.the.new.issue.landscape.impact.the.nature.of.digital.public.affairs.campaigns.that.are.mounted?

. .What.role.will.the.Tea.Party.movement.play.in.shaping.online.conversations.about.issues.and.what.tools.will.

they.use.to.do.it?

2012 Presidential CampaignsIt.is.often.said.that.the.pornography.industry.serves.as.a.bellwether.for.approaching.innovations.in.online.media.

and.marketing.For.digital.public.affairs,.many.of.the.tools.and.tactics.that.appear.in.issue.campaigns.have.been.

rst.tried.and.tested.by.major.political.campaigns,.especially.those.of.presidential.candidates

Presidential.campaigns.typically.have.larger.communications.budgets.than.do.most.public.affairs.efforts.In.

addition,.the.urgency.of.time.and.the.binary.outcome.(win/lose.vs.potential.compromise.in.public.affairs).force.

more.risk-taking.that.leads.to.greater.innovation

As.the.presidential.campaigns.of.both.parties.begin.to.ramp.up.during.the.course.of.2011,.we.anticipate.a.new.

wave.of.innovation.Much.of.it.may.be.centered.on.some.of.the.topics.discussed.elsewhere.in.this.report,.but.it.is.

likely.that.other.strategies.we.have.not.conceived.will.play.an.important.role

In.recent.years,.we.have.already.seen.presidential.campaigns.and.political.parties.seeking.to.transform.traditional.

behind-the-scenes.efforts..like.phone-banking,.GOTV,.and.fundraising..into.web-friendly.activities.that.turn.

supporters.into.manpower.By.permitting.these.tactics.to.be.deployed.in.the.comfort.of.the.advocates.home.

rather.than.at.campaign.headquarters,.it.makes.the.effort.more.accessible.At.the.same.time,.questions.of.

oversight.and.the.lost.impact.of.the.community.of.supporters.in-person.remain


16/17


13


Presidential.candidates,.especially.those.on.the..Republican.side,.will.be.seeking.to.nd.ways.to.organize.and.

activate.supporters.and.clearly.differentiate.themselves.from.their.opponents.as.2011.advances.Many.of.these.

tactics.will.take.place.on.the.digital.side.of.the.ledger,.as.it.can.be.more.cost-effective.to.scale.online.operations.

than.traditional.eld.activities.Both.have.signicant.startup.costs,.but.the.incremental.cost.of.increasing.the.size.

of.the.online.supporter.base.is.considerably.less.than.the.infrastructure.required.for.events.and.other..

in-person.activities

Some.questions.that.will.be.answered.in.2011.and.into.2012.include:

. .What.innovations.will.Republican.candidates.bring.to.the.table.in.an.effort.to.differentiate.themselves..from.the.competition?

. .Will.President.Obamas.campaign.continue.to.innovate.in.the.digital.space.to.the.same.extent.it.did.in.2008.or.

will.it.rely.on.incremental.improvement.only?

. .How.fast.will.digital.public.affairs.programs.begin.to.replicate.tactics.seen.on.the.campaign.trail?

. .Will.presidential.campaigns.give.digital.communications.its.own.seat.at.the.leadership.table.or.will.it.be.

relegated.to.second-tier.status,.as.often.has.been.the.case.in.the.past?


17/17

Documents

Digital Public Affairs Outlook 2011