Slides from Colin Delany's 2023 Netroots Nation presentation examining creative digital advertising options for political campaigns and nonprofit organizations. From fundraising to GOTV, this training covered important ways digital advertising is changing advocacy and politics. For in-depth trainings that go beyond the raw slides, check out the video collection at Epolitics.com: https://www.epolitics.com/2023/09/07/how-campaigns-advocacy-orgs-can-advertise-their-way-to-victory-digitally/

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CREATIVE DIGITAL & SOCIAL
ADVERTISING FOR POLITICS &
ADVOCACY
July 14, 2023
Colin Delany
Epolitics.com
@epolitics

2. 20+ Years in Digital Politics
Internet Strategy Consultant
Political Advocate
Founder/Editor of Epolitics.com
Ebook Author
Plays Bass in a Rock & Roll Band
@epolitics
Colin Delany

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Colin Delany
Digital advertising strategy
Advertising placement
Organizational digital strategy
Digital program audits
Email strategy/list-building
Social media strategy
Digital project planning & execution

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POLITICS IN TEXAS…

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WHY ADVERTISE ONLINE?

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WHY ADVERTISE ONLINE?

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GOALS
Engagement
Persuasion
Mobilization
Click-throughs
Social sharing
List-building
Advocacy actions
Political pressure

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GOALS

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EXAMPLE: HOMETOWN PROJECT

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EXAMPLE: HOMETOWN PROJECT
• Targeted content for each legislative district
• Voter-file targeted
• Facebook & programmatic video ads
• Some ads targeted more broadly, to catch
people the data models might miss
• 4.5 million impressions in 50-odd districts
• 1.4 cents per voter contact

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PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING

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STREAMING aka CTV/OTT

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FACEBOOK ADVERTISING
Almost any content can
become a promoted
post
Boost button
Ad Manager interface
Targeting & budget

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TARGETING
• Geotargeting
• Interest targeting
• Demographic targeting
• Custom audience targeting
• Voter-file targeting
• Targeting based on behavior

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RETARGETING (FACEBOOK PIXEL)

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TESTING

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TESTING

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LARGE-SCALE MICROTARGETING

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CUSTOM AUDIENCES
Targeting an email or mobile list, or a list of Facebook IDs,
with Facebook ads
EXAMPLE FROM 2014:
Two groups of campaign donors/supporters
Group A: email + [Facebook ad] + second email
Group B: email + [no ad] + second email
What do you think happened?

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SUPPORTING FIELD ORGANIZERS

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LOOKALIKE TARGETING

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LIST-BUILDING

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LEAD-GENERATION ADS

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RECRUITING ADS = BEACHHEAD

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RAPID RESPONSE

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GRASSTOPS RECRUITING

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LINKEDIN TARGETING

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INFLUENCERS/MICROINFLUNCERS
• Organic – can go
super-local
• Paid recruiting
platforms
• Amplifying influencers
Thanks to:
• Amy Hines-Shaikh, Wild Cat
Consulting
• Micah Morris - Main Street
One

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AMPLIFY LOCAL INFLUENCERS

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PROMOTED TWEETS
Target:
• People who follow a
particular feed
• People who use a
keyword or hashtag
• A list of specific users
• Geographic area (ex.
Capitol Hill zip codes)

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PROMOTED TWEETS
Uses:
• Targeting decisionmakers
• Targeting employees/customers of a business
• Targeting legislative staff
• Targeting reporters
• Promoting content
• Hashtags

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BANNER/VIDEO ADS

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BANNER/VIDEO ADS
AI?

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MEDIA TAKEOVERS

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EXAMPLE: ILLUSION OF UBIQUITY

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EXAMPLE: ILLUSION OF UBIQUITY

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LONG-TERM PERSUASION

39. THANK YOU!
Colin Delany
Epolitics.com
cpd@epolitics.com
+1 202 422 4682
@epolitics