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Call it innovation, call it self-preservation, call it a traffic scheme, but the Baltimore Sun, one of the leading papers covering Maryland politics, has made the decision to offer a blog to every legally registered candidate running for office in the state of Maryland. The offer is bi-partisan and covers both Federal and state candidates. The paper’s site states the following: The Baltimore Sun is offering free blogs to political candidates in key races this year. It is up to the candidate to decide whether to accept the blog invitation and to decide how often to post on the blog. The Baltimore Sun does not edit any candidate’s blog, and it is not responsible for any content posted by the candidate or the candidate’s representatives here. - Amplify Public Affairs

Call it innovation, call it self-preservation, call it a traffic scheme, but the Baltimore Sun, one of the leading papers covering Maryland politics, has made the decision to offer a blog to every legally registered candidate running for office in the state of Maryland. The offer is bi-partisan and covers both Federal and state candidates. The paper’s site states the following: The Baltimore Sun is offering free blogs to political candidates in key races this year. It is up to the candidate to decide whether to accept the blog invitation and to decide how often to post on the blog. The Baltimore Sun does not edit any candidate’s blog, and it is not responsible for any content posted by the candidate or the candidate’s representatives here. - Amplify Public Affairs

Does online advertising affect voters’ perception of a political candidate? When combined with television ads, it does — at least, according to research conducted by Google, Centro and Global Strategy Group, who tested the effects of political TV in a California statewide race with and without online support: “Likely Democratic primary voters who were exposed to both television and online advertising viewed Chris Kelly more favorably than voters who were exposed to television advertising only.” - Amplify Public Affairs

Does online advertising affect voters’ perception of a political candidate? When combined with television ads, it does — at least, according to research conducted by Google, Centro and Global Strategy Group, who tested the effects of political TV in a California statewide race with and without online support: “Likely Democratic primary voters who were exposed to both television and online advertising viewed Chris Kelly more favorably than voters who were exposed to television advertising only.” - Amplify Public Affairs

With about a million unique users who log in every month, Second Life is hardly dead; what’s more, several hundred thousand new accounts are still reportedly created monthly. The problem is few stay, and those who do rarely spend much money on Linden Dollars (the world’s virtual currency) or buy SL land (the company’s main revenue source.) Fortunately, there’s a number of fixes with a reliable track record that could improve this, and which the company could implement relatively easily and cheaply. - Amplify Public Affairs

With about a million unique users who log in every month, Second Life is hardly dead; what’s more, several hundred thousand new accounts are still reportedly created monthly. The problem is few stay, and those who do rarely spend much money on Linden Dollars (the world’s virtual currency) or buy SL land (the company’s main revenue source.) Fortunately, there’s a number of fixes with a reliable track record that could improve this, and which the company could implement relatively easily and cheaply. - Amplify Public Affairs

Sometime this spring, Republicans turned against unemployment. In Nevada, Sharron Angle (R), the candidate facing incumbent Sen. Harry Reid (D), told local reporters, “You can make more money on unemployment than you can going down and getting one of those jobs that is an honest job.” (Untrue.) Angle also called the unemployed “spoiled.” Rand Paul, a candidate for a Kentucky Senate seat, made similar statements, and politicians in Washington followed suit. Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said on C-SPAN that extending unemployment would discourage “individuals that are out there to actually go out and go through the interviews.” But unlike most comments from politicians, these criticisms did not diffuse into the generic noise of political chatter. They began reverberating in what might be termed the unemployed netroots — a system of highly trafficked, influential blogs and sites connecting the jobless and updating them about ins and outs of Congress’ work on unemployment issues. - Amplify Public Affairs

Sometime this spring, Republicans turned against unemployment. In Nevada, Sharron Angle (R), the candidate facing incumbent Sen. Harry Reid (D), told local reporters, “You can make more money on unemployment than you can going down and getting one of those jobs that is an honest job.” (Untrue.) Angle also called the unemployed “spoiled.” Rand Paul, a candidate for a Kentucky Senate seat, made similar statements, and politicians in Washington followed suit. Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said on C-SPAN that extending unemployment would discourage “individuals that are out there to actually go out and go through the interviews.” But unlike most comments from politicians, these criticisms did not diffuse into the generic noise of political chatter. They began reverberating in what might be termed the unemployed netroots — a system of highly trafficked, influential blogs and sites connecting the jobless and updating them about ins and outs of Congress’ work on unemployment issues. - Amplify Public Affairs

Email is an incredible tool for many things, but it’s also not  a very good vehicle to communicate much of what most folks tend to use it for. And on top of that, we all just get so darned many! Reading email is more often a nuisance than an opportunity to many (most?) recipients. And that’s a particular shame because email is still considered the primary outreach channel for most organizations. In fact, it’s not just a shame, it’s an outright “problem” if your job is to engage both current and potential supporters in your cause. (And note: if you work for a cause, then it IS your job to engage current and potential supporters.) And then there’s another problem, particularly for emails that come from nonprofits or political causes: not only do people get too many, almost all of them sound and feel exactly the same. - Amplify Public Affairs

Email is an incredible tool for many things, but it’s also not  a very good vehicle to communicate much of what most folks tend to use it for. And on top of that, we all just get so darned many! Reading email is more often a nuisance than an opportunity to many (most?) recipients. And that’s a particular shame because email is still considered the primary outreach channel for most organizations. In fact, it’s not just a shame, it’s an outright “problem” if your job is to engage both current and potential supporters in your cause. (And note: if you work for a cause, then it IS your job to engage current and potential supporters.) And then there’s another problem, particularly for emails that come from nonprofits or political causes: not only do people get too many, almost all of them sound and feel exactly the same. - Amplify Public Affairs

To date, you only had to worry about Google for your SEO efforts. With 70% of searches powered by Google results, and the other 30% scattered across multiple engines, it was pointless to concern yourself with other results. From a PPC perspective, Google was the main focus as well as it controlled much of the pay per click traffic through its Google.com results, syndicated results on other search engines, and AdSense. However, yesterday, this all began to change, and the most important economy on the web is taking a new shape. Microsoft announced on its advertiser blog that it has begun to test the delivery of Bing organic results to Yahoo’s search results. Microsoft also said that it started to syndicate its paid PPC listings to Yahoo search as well. Microsoft went on to comment that some its advertisers may see an increase in traffic as a result of the added distribution. - Amplify Public Affairs

Hometown Garage, along with the major industry trade group ASA opposes the so called Right to Repair Act. We do not have a problem accessing trouble codes or vehicle systems. The information is available, for a price of course, and this Bill will not change that. This bill has been spearheaded by the discount auto part chains. They deny claims that the information they will get from the bill will make it easier for them to make knock of parts overseas and that they are funding it to help the independent shops. All I can tell you for sure is we don’t have a problem, so follow the money and reach your own decision. We urge you to oppose this legislation and let your Representatives and Senators know you oppose it. You can find more information about the bill and a simple way to email your legislators at http://capwiz.com/asashop... - Amplify Public Affairs

To date, you only had to worry about Google for your SEO efforts. With 70% of searches powered by Google results, and the other 30% scattered across multiple engines, it was pointless to concern yourself with other results. From a PPC perspective, Google was the main focus as well as it controlled much of the pay per click traffic through its Google.com results, syndicated results on other search engines, and AdSense. However, yesterday, this all began to change, and the most important economy on the web is taking a new shape. Microsoft announced on its advertiser blog that it has begun to test the delivery of Bing organic results to Yahoo’s search results. Microsoft also said that it started to syndicate its paid PPC listings to Yahoo search as well. Microsoft went on to comment that some its advertisers may see an increase in traffic as a result of the added distribution. - Amplify Public Affairs

Hometown Garage, along with the major industry trade group ASA opposes the so called Right to Repair Act. We do not have a problem accessing trouble codes or vehicle systems. The information is available, for a price of course, and this Bill will not change that. This bill has been spearheaded by the discount auto part chains. They deny claims that the information they will get from the bill will make it easier for them to make knock of parts overseas and that they are funding it to help the independent shops. All I can tell you for sure is we don’t have a problem, so follow the money and reach your own decision. We urge you to oppose this legislation and let your Representatives and Senators know you oppose it. You can find more information about the bill and a simple way to email your legislators at http://capwiz.com/asashop... - Amplify Public Affairs

As might be expected, 21- to 35-year-olds now constitute a majority of all bloggers, making up 53.3 percent of that population, according to analysis by the social media consulting firm Sysomos. Bloggers under 21 come in a distant second at 20.2 percent, with the 36 to 50 bracket close behind at 19.4 percent. Only about 7.1 percent of bloggers are over 51. While age helps define the blogging demographic, gender does not: male and female bloggers are almost equally split. The United States has nearly one-third of all bloggers, with more than four times that of the next country, Britain. - Amplify Public Affairs

When he was a community organizer on Chicago's South Side, President Obama had something in common with the tea parties. Like the conservative activists, Obama worked to build a grassroots movement of individuals who could work together to challenge those in power and bring about change. "Change won't come from the top," he later wrote about the experience. "Change will come from a mobilized grassroots." Obama's recounting of that time in his life in "Dreams from My Father" includes some lessons that apply to all sorts of advocates -- including tea partyers. - Amplify Public Affairs

As might be expected, 21- to 35-year-olds now constitute a majority of all bloggers, making up 53.3 percent of that population, according to analysis by the social media consulting firm Sysomos. Bloggers under 21 come in a distant second at 20.2 percent, with the 36 to 50 bracket close behind at 19.4 percent. Only about 7.1 percent of bloggers are over 51. While age helps define the blogging demographic, gender does not: male and female bloggers are almost equally split. The United States has nearly one-third of all bloggers, with more than four times that of the next country, Britain. - Amplify Public Affairs

When he was a community organizer on Chicago's South Side, President Obama had something in common with the tea parties. Like the conservative activists, Obama worked to build a grassroots movement of individuals who could work together to challenge those in power and bring about change. "Change won't come from the top," he later wrote about the experience. "Change will come from a mobilized grassroots." Obama's recounting of that time in his life in "Dreams from My Father" includes some lessons that apply to all sorts of advocates -- including tea partyers. - Amplify Public Affairs

On Twitter, Cohen, who is 28, and Ross, who is 38, are among the most followed of anyone working for the U.S. government, coming in third and fourth after Barack Obama and John McCain. This didn’t happen by chance. Their Twitter posts have become an integral part of a new State Department effort to bring diplomacy into the digital age, by using widely available technologies to reach out to citizens, companies and other nonstate actors. Ross and Cohen’s style of engagement — perhaps best described as a cross between social-networking culture and foreign-policy arcana — reflects the hybrid nature of this approach. Together, Ross and Cohen have formed an unlikely and unprecedented team in the State Department. They are the public face of a cause with an important-sounding name: 21st-century statecraft. - Amplify Public Affairs

On Twitter, Cohen, who is 28, and Ross, who is 38, are among the most followed of anyone working for the U.S. government, coming in third and fourth after Barack Obama and John McCain. This didn’t happen by chance. Their Twitter posts have become an integral part of a new State Department effort to bring diplomacy into the digital age, by using widely available technologies to reach out to citizens, companies and other nonstate actors. Ross and Cohen’s style of engagement — perhaps best described as a cross between social-networking culture and foreign-policy arcana — reflects the hybrid nature of this approach. Together, Ross and Cohen have formed an unlikely and unprecedented team in the State Department. They are the public face of a cause with an important-sounding name: 21st-century statecraft. - Amplify Public Affairs

The Christmas shopping season may be a good half-year away, but search marketers should be getting into the holiday spirit right now. Experienced online retailers understand the traffic crush and increased conversion rates that come with the convergence of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. Most people who have worked at an internet retailer during this time also have first-hand experience with a level of activity that rivals a shopping mall on Black Friday. With a little preparation, you can not only manage the buying madness that is coming your way, but you can also siphon off much more of the traffic that would have gone to your less-prepared competitors. - Amplify Public Affairs

The Christmas shopping season may be a good half-year away, but search marketers should be getting into the holiday spirit right now. Experienced online retailers understand the traffic crush and increased conversion rates that come with the convergence of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. Most people who have worked at an internet retailer during this time also have first-hand experience with a level of activity that rivals a shopping mall on Black Friday. With a little preparation, you can not only manage the buying madness that is coming your way, but you can also siphon off much more of the traffic that would have gone to your less-prepared competitors. - Amplify Public Affairs

After being bombarded with protests from users, [Activision Blizzard] recently announced it was reversing a decision to make people use their real names when posting comments to its game forums. The episode is a considerable embarrassment for Activision Blizzard, which had previously argued that its proposed policy was needed to cut down on “trolling”—game-speak for the posting of offensive comments online. Like many online communities (including online newspapers' comment forums), those associated with the company’s games, which include the hugely popular World of Warcraft, are prone to this unpleasant behaviour. Activision Blizzard’s bosses were betting that by forcing players to use their true identities in its forums—while letting them continue to use make-believe monikers in game play—they could make “trolls” behave themselves. Instead the move infuriated almost everyone. - Amplify Public Affairs

After being bombarded with protests from users, [Activision Blizzard] recently announced it was reversing a decision to make people use their real names when posting comments to its game forums. The episode is a considerable embarrassment for Activision Blizzard, which had previously argued that its proposed policy was needed to cut down on “trolling”—game-speak for the posting of offensive comments online. Like many online communities (including online newspapers' comment forums), those associated with the company’s games, which include the hugely popular World of Warcraft, are prone to this unpleasant behaviour. Activision Blizzard’s bosses were betting that by forcing players to use their true identities in its forums—while letting them continue to use make-believe monikers in game play—they could make “trolls” behave themselves. Instead the move infuriated almost everyone. - Amplify Public Affairs

This afternoon the Pew Internet and American Life Project released a study on Americans’ mobile device and wireless habits. The full report has many interesting figures, but I’m going to zoom in on just one portion that signals an important trend for nonprofit journalism. Pew asked survey participants whether they had ever made a charitable contribution via text message. A surprising 10 percent of all cell phone users have. When you look at young people, it gets even more interesting: 19 percent of 18 to 29 year olds have made a charitable donation via text. - Amplify Public Affairs

This afternoon the Pew Internet and American Life Project released a study on Americans’ mobile device and wireless habits. The full report has many interesting figures, but I’m going to zoom in on just one portion that signals an important trend for nonprofit journalism. Pew asked survey participants whether they had ever made a charitable contribution via text message. A surprising 10 percent of all cell phone users have. When you look at young people, it gets even more interesting: 19 percent of 18 to 29 year olds have made a charitable donation via text. - Amplify Public Affairs

DeMarco and his allies mobilized nonpartisan advocacy coalitions outside of the usual progressive groups and scored legislative victories over such potent corporate and ideological adversaries as the National Rifle Association, the tobacco lobby and conservative opponents (including Wal-Mart) of health-care expansion. Electing even the best-intentioned president and legislators will never be enough to achieve major policy change. DeMarco's approach demands a parallel, long-term effort to elect people based on their commitment to vote for proposed legislation. That means waging campaigns that force candidates to sign concrete pledges of support for particular bills. This approach often requires more than one election cycle, and it means waiting to lobby legislators until after broad coalitions have been formed and all members have helped shape the legislative objective, so that their commitment is strong, deep and lasting. - Amplify Public Affairs

DeMarco and his allies mobilized nonpartisan advocacy coalitions outside of the usual progressive groups and scored legislative victories over such potent corporate and ideological adversaries as the National Rifle Association, the tobacco lobby and conservative opponents (including Wal-Mart) of health-care expansion. Electing even the best-intentioned president and legislators will never be enough to achieve major policy change. DeMarco's approach demands a parallel, long-term effort to elect people based on their commitment to vote for proposed legislation. That means waging campaigns that force candidates to sign concrete pledges of support for particular bills. This approach often requires more than one election cycle, and it means waiting to lobby legislators until after broad coalitions have been formed and all members have helped shape the legislative objective, so that their commitment is strong, deep and lasting. - Amplify Public Affairs

HealthCare.gov could, done right, improve the quality of life for millions of Americans. HealthCare.gov could make navigating the complexities of modern American life a little more manageable, a little less frightening. HealthCare.gov could, by empowering him or her with clear and transparent information, shift the balance of power a little bit away from the insurance industry and back towards the American citizen. But HealthCare.gov might also have electoral aftereffects, as a constant, living reminder of how the Obama brand politics is making things better for real people. - Amplify Public Affairs

HealthCare.gov could, done right, improve the quality of life for millions of Americans. HealthCare.gov could make navigating the complexities of modern American life a little more manageable, a little less frightening. HealthCare.gov could, by empowering him or her with clear and transparent information, shift the balance of power a little bit away from the insurance industry and back towards the American citizen. But HealthCare.gov might also have electoral aftereffects, as a constant, living reminder of how the Obama brand politics is making things better for real people. - Amplify Public Affairs