Socialdemokratiet
A living website for a living party
A significant part of the political debate and local political engagement has increasingly shifted from physical meetings in assembly halls and community centers to social and digital media. The party soldier is no longer just characterized by being the one balancing on a ladder up a lamppost on the first day of the election campaign or standing half-frozen in the pedestrian street handing out roses. In fact, the typical core voter is rarely a member of the party, and that is why it requires new tools and new methods to engage tomorrow's voters – even though Socialdemokratiet remains the country's largest party in terms of members and voter support.
This realization has prompted Socialdemokratiet to bolster its digital presence – starting with a new website that will be the focal point for digital communication from Socialdemokratiet and serve as 'a living website for a living party'.
From a reference work to a political source of inspiration
The new website was meant to be more than just a reference guide where visitors could find the address of local branches or the names of members of the main board, as it had been one of the primary purposes of the previous website. Socialdemokratiet wanted to embrace a broader approach and use the web platform as a political source of inspiration.
On Socialdemokratiet.dk, there is, among other things, a menu item called "Our Vision." In the world of party politics, it might have been called "Our Policies" in the past. Similarly, the menu item "Get Involved" would probably have been "Become a Member" in classical politics. These are just two small, concrete examples of how the website should be more than just a reference work for voters and members. The website should present core messages, create engagement, and form a movement based on beliefs. It should be a platform with messages that visitors can feel are relevant and meaningful.
One of the ideas behind the new website is to produce much more content – it could be related to current debates, campaigns, key issues, or similar topics. Visitors should be driven to Socialdemokratiet.dk, typically through other channels, to find exciting content. Perhaps this will encourage the reader to explore and read about other topics, sign up for the newsletter, or feel compelled to return and read about another subject later. The keywords are inspiration and engagement. There are many involving steps before a person may decide to become a member of the party.
The menu item "Our Vision" is the place on the website where one would go to see if they can identify with Socialdemokratiet's beliefs and key issues when considering where to cast their vote or even contemplating membership. This is where we need to be sharp in presenting our policies and hopefully win you over on a particular cause that resonates with you.
And that's why we need to drive a lot of traffic to the website from other channels.
The digital rose
Read more about how we help with digital design
We want to inspire people, show them what our key issues are, and give them the opportunity to engage at a level they feel comfortable with. It can be anything from delving into a topic, reading more about our policies, attending events in the local branch, or becoming a member. Here, Socialdemokratiet.dk should be the digital anchor for all these possibilities. People should be able to navigate easily and seek inspiration – and I think we succeed in that.
The platform is called Umbraco
Umbraco