This election cycle has proven, in many ways, the power of web organizing. From plugged-in (or battery powered) voters donating their Facebook statuses in honor of their favorite candidate to the Obama campaign’s success with micro donations, politicians and non-profits found new and effective ways to get out the vote and personalize web experiences for millions of Americans.

So now, a week after the election, with all the organizing, campaigning, advertising and funny/scary/illuminating viral video-sharing behind us, we can step back and ask - what’s next? How can non-profits harness the energy generated throughout the campaign and continue to engage supporters without the glitz and glamour of an impending presidential election? Has the online advocacy landscape changed as a result of the election?

A glimpse at a handful of post-election blogs provides some answers.

The ACLU unveiled their new advocacy site aimed at reminding Obama of his campaign promise to close Guantanamo, and asking him to do it on Day 1 of his administration. They’ve paired up with award-winning filmmaker Robert Greenwald to incorporate video featuring Colin Powell, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden.

They also posted a flurry of entries reacting to the outcome of various ballot initiatives - check out their 3 couples - 3 minutes video response to California’s Prop 8 passage, which repealed the rights of same-sex couples to marry there.

The American Federation of Teachers is using its web presence to invite folks to share what they think Obama’s top priorities should be and showcase videos of union members on issues from No Child Left Behind to healthcare for all and the Iraq War.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) used its blog to celebrate and break down their contribution to the election person-by-person and dollar-by-dollar.

They’ve also posted a video clip of Obama talking about an historic AFSCME strike - the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike. The post encourages readers to engage in community organizing that will help the next administration realize its promises.

American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) published an in-depth look at the election’s implications for aging services, including long term care and the use of technology to increase the efficiency of health services.

American Farmland Trust is taking this time to ask supporters to join their presidential transition team by voting for the top farm and food priorities for 2009.

Planned Parenthood celebrated Obama’s win on their blog, proclaiming “Yes We Did!” They highlight their worldwide reach in a post about Kenya’s declaration of a national holiday in response to Obama’s win. The blog also provides commentary on the role of Latino voters in last week’s election.

Scientists are also using the web to talk about what the Obama presidency means for their field:

The American Physical Society (APS) is directing homepage traffic to Obama’s answers to seven questions on the most pressing problems Americans face in science and technology, and the Union of Concerned Scientists wants web visitors to know that they expect a major shift on climate change policies with the new administration.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 13th, 2008 at 6:49 am and is filed under Marketing, Our Clients. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.