Pete for America - Pete Buttigieg's Campaign Website for Presidency by Morgan Cooper

Pete for America - Pete Buttigieg's Campaign Website for Presidency
https://peteforamerica.com/

Pete Buttigieg uses many different platforms to spread his message for the 2020 Presidential race. The foundational platform that Pete and many other candidates use to spread their message is a traditional website. Websites serve as a credible way to attract many different audiences and help direct them to their supporting platforms such as social media and broadcast content. A big reason why many presidential candidates have a website is to offer a place for the audience to explore and learn as much as they want on one landing site. The Pete for America website offers a place for people to learn more about his message while also encouraging them to step up and take part in the upcoming election. 

The landing page of Pete for America starts off with a pop up requesting donations for Super Tuesday. There is a graphic showing how much of the needed $13million has been raised and buttons for the user to choose how much they would like to donate. Immediately, the first call to action is for financial support from website visitors. If you chose not to donate, the next call to action on the main landing page is for website visitors to submit their email addresses to receive important information about the election and the campaign. After passing these initial calls to action, visitors can explore messaging and the many ways that they can support the campaign. 

The website initially strikes you as institutional engagement because of the directed calls to action that appear right away. This is intended for audiences that are looking for the simplest way to show support without having to commit to in person events or sharing of information through other social platforms. However, when you continue to look through the website, the campaign takes a turn towards entrepreneurial engagement through the many community engagements that the site offers. Visitors may choose to learn more about taking action, read Pete's ideas for certain political issues, or even organize a road trip to attend the Super Tuesday events. These tactics are aimed towards younger generations wishing to make a bigger impact on the campaign compared to simply donating or joining the mailing list. Older audiences are less likely to commit to these offerings and the younger ones are excited to become a part of a community. 

Some of the innovations of this website include a supporter tool kit where website visitors can pull social media graphics and content to spread on their own platforms as well as a tab called "Ask Pete" where visitors can learn more about the issues he has plans for and narrow down the topics that they wish to see covered. These things are aimed towards younger generations who are looking to create a sort of brand presence on their own platforms while not necessarily committing to events or rallies.  

The missed opportunities of the Pete for America include organization and mixed messaging. The "Issues" section of the website breaks down all of the various topics in a more detailed and educational manner, but it does not offer shortened versions that appeal to multiple audiences. Many of the additional tabs on the website seem to offer the same material in a slightly different way which can be confusing to older generations and cause people to not understand the overall message. Additionally, the entire website is based around trying to get visitors to donate or sign up for emails which creates lost messaging throughout the bigger issues. 

Overall, Pete for America is a great platform for both entrepreneurial and institutional engagement and it provides a place for multiple generations to learn about and join the campaign. The missed opportunities could result in a loss of interest from visitors or it may push them to the social media platforms to learn more about the overall messaging. In general, the site is a solid platform for the campaign and serves as a credible source for all things Pete Buttigieg.

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