Project Overview

I collaborated closely with the candidate and their campaign staff to establish a compelling brand identity for the upcoming gubernatorial race. One of the key components of this branding was the creation of a distinctive logo design that would help the candidate stand out in a crowded political landscape. Additionally, I was responsible for devising a content strategy that would effectively communicate the candidate's platform and message to voters.

The Challenge The candidate, had a minimal presence on popular social media platforms, making it challenging to reach a wide audience. As a newcomer to politics, the candidate lacked name recognition among voters, donors, and media outlets. He also has the same name as a popular Australian football player, so I had to create a strategy that would help the website stand out in all search engines.

Research and Development: After researching successful campaign websites of gubernatorial candidates across the country, I designed a prototype of the candidate's website based on the common design themes, sitemap, and overall user experience seen on those websites. From there, I designed and developed the candidate's website, making it user-friendly, visually appealing, and informative. The website became the central hub for all campaign activities.


WordPress Theme Customization: A significant aspect of this project involved the creation of a custom WordPress theme. This theme was tailored to accommodate an e-commerce store for campaign merchandise and fundraising. If donors preferred not to make purchases from the campaign's store, I implemented a secure payment gateway to facilitate easy and secure online donations. This integration allowed the campaign to collect contributions efficiently and transparently.

Content Marketing: In addition to the design and development aspects, I took on the role of content design and content management. I strategized, curated, and produced the content that would populate the website, ensuring that it aligned with the candidate's messaging and resonated with the voters' desires. I also made blog posts addressing state-specific issues, proposed solutions, and the candidate's vision were published on the website. These articles provided valuable information for voters and showcased the candidate's expertise. This opened opportunities for guest blogging features from other websites for the candidate. 


SEO Strategy: Furthermore, I was responsible for optimizing the website for SEO to improve its visibility and attract a broader audience. This involved in-depth keyword research and the creation of topic clusters to enhance the content's relevance to what voters are looking for in a candidate. I optimized the website by implementing an SEO strategy that focused on creating user-focused content (CTAs, website copy, metadata, etc.) to bridge the gap between his policy and what voters are looking for. This strategy improved the website’s ranking on search engine results (SERPs), landing number one in ranking when searching the candidate's name compared to his aforementioned namesake in Australia.

Email Marketing: I implemented an email marketing strategy to keep supporters informed about campaign developments, upcoming events, and donation opportunities.
I also introduced a weekly email newsletter. I would have a weekly conversation about the progress he’s made within the week. From there I would use the information to create content highlighting the candidate's journey through staff visits to local town halls, interactions with news outlets, and participation in community events. The newsletter provided a personal, behind-the-scenes look at the campaign's progress.


Results: During the website's beta stage, without the benefit of social media or link building, the website received over 10,000 unique visits in its first week. The implemented email marketing efforts and streamlined donation process led to a substantial increase in campaign donations, with contributions pouring in from donors across Louisiana and Mississippi.
Last, the high-impact SEO techniques and content strategy I implemented resulted in the website's number-one ranking in Google's search engine, an 80% increase in organic traffic, and a 36% increase in campaign donations.