We've Ruined Digital Campaigning

Presidential campaign websites are garbage. In general, online campaigns are trash in 2016. We have turned them into a digital ATM that alienates any normal human being, and tries to make finance directors happy with their work. In short, I try to get off of email lists now. I don't sign up on websites. Back in 2004, I signed up for them all.

Things have changed. Today's Presidential candidates mostly have terrible web pages. Once upon a time, candidates put their position statements out on their websites, or announced major campaign announcements. Today, we get a lot of e-mails asking for money. On average, my Presidential candidate of choice (#ImWithHer) emails two to three times a day asking for a donation. It's annoying, and frankly fruitless- only obsessed supporters who do anyone they ask would ever think of donating based on multiple emails a day.

So far this year, my push to unsubscribe from email lists has worked well on the ones I've done it on. I should do it on all of them though. What we've done to digital campaigning in the campaign profession is shortsighted and not fruitful for the long term. Using email lists as an ATM is cynical and stupid, and will ultimately turn people away over time. We should stop as campaign professionals. None of us want to ruin what we started.