Political web design is an important part of every campaign these days. Good political organizers know that forming a message, or deciding on a cause is only the first step toward achieving their goals. There's much more to it.

Once you develop a message, you need to distribute it. It's this step where web design for political organizations really helps. Your time spent on political web page designing will:

1. Distribute your message to many people.

2. Allow people to familiarize themselves with your message.

3. Attract volunteers.

4. Attract donors.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Try to avoid hiring political web page designers--do it yourself

If you need only a simple political website design, you may not need to hire professional political web page designers. Try using one of the free applications before hiring anyone else.

I recommend: Blogspot is an easy way to build an attractive single-page site. However, Wordpress, while slightly more difficult to use, is a more dynamic way to build a multi-page site. If you don't like blogs at all, you can use Ning, a new free group-organizing and social networking application.

Hire a professional political web design agency

If you cannot, or do not want to build your own site using free applications, hire a professional political web page designer, or a political web design company.

I recommend: It's not necessary to hire a web designer with experience in political web page designing, but it certainly helps. Go with a local designer such as Elegant Technologies in Colorado, or a national firm like Political Web Design.

Do attractive and fun political website design

Whether you do your own political website design, or you hire a professional political web design agency, make your site entertaining. People will visit it for the content, but you want them to stay for the fun. Whether it be blogs, videos or even games, create something that works for your message.

I recommend: Check out pages for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for examples of attractive pages. These pages offer great examples of daily changes that you can make to your site.

Write good political website design content

Content is the backbone of web design for political organizations. On top of the attractive and entertaining structure, you need to fill in the content. This is what makes your case, and pitches for your cause. Write it well.

I recommend: Websites for John McCain and Mike Huckabee offer nice examples of personally written, connected copy.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some political webpage designers and political web design agencies will try to fit your campaign or your cause into a template they've used before. However, your message is unique. Make sure you get individual attention and a customized end product.