The latest C&E “Technology Bytes” column hit the virtual newsstands a few days back, and our focus this time is a current media obsession: will Biden run? If he does, he’ll start out months behind Clinton and Sanders when it comes to campaign infrastructure — things like money, staff and volunteers.
He’ll also start with a big deficit online:
But Biden would also face a significant climb online. Clinton and Bernie Sanders already sport close to 1.3 million followers apiece on Facebook, and those numbers grow every day. Still, Biden’s real digital challenge would be building an email list. A social following can explode overnight […] but list-building takes time.
Digital politics creates an interesting dynamic for late-jumping candidates. If they catch fire, people will flock to them on social media. Many supporters will join the email list, and some will give money right away. But creating the infrastructure to build on that momentum takes time — as does CULTIVATING that base of online donors and volunteers. A dual-edged sword for someone who wants to dive in shortly before primaries.
Read the article for more details and insights, as well as for news on the Democratic data front. More on the latter soon.
– cpd
Photo: “Mountaineers in High Tatry mountains winter” by Wikimol, courtesy of Wikipedia.
