Should you add political candidates to your client list?

Today at the SEO Clubhouse, Lisa Thomason writes about political campaigns taking notice of search marketing. She provides some great data on paid search for the 2006 campaign. However, I couldn’t help but notice that the three presidential candidates who have employed search and interactive marketing campaigns over the past 10 years LOST their races.

Also, while it’s idealistic to think of donating your services to a candidate you believe in – it’s not realistic. Here’s what you need to consider if you’re an SEO thinking about dabbling in politics:

• Get paid. Campaign finance laws are strict. It’s best to be paid for your services, if only to avoid scandal. Additionally, thousands of campaign dollars go to consultants. While political consultants get a bad rap, they’re no different than other consultants. They are valuable to candidates because of their expertise in winning elections. SEO is no different. Save your pro bono work for non profits and charities.
  
  
• Understand the Demographics. The older you are, the more likely you are to vote. You can spend a lot of time and money engaging in social media campaigns, but at the end of the day, your college students and 20-somethings are not the ones voting. They may make your pre-election conversion rates look impressive, but your candidate only cares about the ultimate conversion rate – a win or loss in November.
  
  
• Do you have the need for speed? Politics moves FAST. Very fast. You have to respond to news when it happens – before it happens if you’re really good. Paid search and interactive marketing are going to be far more effective than organic search, especially with Google’s attempts to halt Googlebombing.
  
  
• Set Realistic Expectations. Unless you want to get into lobbying, don’t build your business around political clients. There are lulls in between campaign seasons and the money stops flowing. When you do have political clients, however, it will consume a large portion of your time. The amount of (passionate) work to be done is immense. Your “regular” clients will suffer unless you temporarily staff up.
  

Politics is not for the faint of heart. I was reminded of this last night while watching the classic film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, starring James Stewart. In the film, Stewart plays an honest citizen who is appointed to replace a Senator who has passed away. When he gets to Washington, his idealistic perception of government is quickly washed away when he is framed for attempting to pass a bill that would attract federal dollars to land that he owned. He didn’t really own the land. He wanted to start a boys camp for poverty-stricken children, but the land he wanted was also sought after by other, more powerful Senators.

The victorious ending to the story, however, is unlike what really happens in Washington. I know. Before my SEO career, I worked in politics on a state and national level. It can get nasty. Very nasty. Each firm or consultant will have to decide for themselves whether or not to enter the political fray, but just remember what Albert Einstein once said: "Politics is more difficult than physics."