Obama Volunteers Answer Call Through Social Networking

In my last post I discussed how Barack Obama has successfully used email marketing to raise staggering campaign contributions. Today, The Boston Globe ran a story detailing how the Obama campaign continues to transform politics through its use of technology--this time through social networking. The campaign takes the use of the Internet to new levels by allowing masses of volunteers to self-organize, and communicate amongst themselves through my.barack.obama.com. Again, it's the power of conversation and interaction among supporters that is the key to inciting this level of action and support--not top-down messaging.

The Globe article highlights how Obama's social networking site not only appeals to, and works for the demographic we expect--the young, tech-savvy constituents--but has captured supporters of all ages and genders from college students, to grandmothers, to members of the pipefitters local. In fact, one of the first to sign up for an account was a 50-year-old woman from Columbus. The reach of my.barack.obama.com spreads from cities to backwaters. The network produced a rally of 15,000 in Boise, and assembled 500 volunteers in 24 hours in Ohio. There are contests for volunteers willing to work the phones. The top 10 "call makers" will meet the candidate in person. If this isn't a new-marketing-incited phenomenon, I don't know what is.

Throughout the article your read phrases like this from Barack supporters:

"I've never been involved in the political campaign before...with all these tools available to use, it allowed me to get involved."

"We would not exist if it were not for that tool."

"It's real grass roots."

What really comes across, however, is how the social networking opportunity slaked the thirst many supporters had to take part in what they see as meaningful civic engagement. Without my.barack.obama.com, much of this energy and excitement, which has nicely translated into messages of hope and change, would have remained frustrated and invisible. Says one Obama supporter, "With the organizational tools Barack's campaign is giving us, we, the people, can change history." It's sure looking that way.

Here's the link to The Globe article.