WASHINGTON, DC: Responding to claims that they have been slow to join the Internet revolution, House Republicans have revamped their Web site, www.GOP.gov.
WASHINGTON, DC: Responding to claims that they have been slow to
join the Internet revolution, House Republicans have revamped their Web
site, www.GOP.gov.
The site, which now incorporates many of the expected hi-tech bells and
whistles, promotes the party as well as individual representatives.
But the real plus from a PR perspective is that visitors can create
their own user profile, then receive tailor-made updates on specific
issues.
’This is a whole new way for members to reach a national audience,’ said
House Republican Conference (HRC) press secretary James Smith.
The party plans to promote the site relentlessly, encouraging GOP
leadership to hype it during national media appearances. Approximately
100 district directors for GOP reps attended a briefing last week where
they were urged to promote the Web site back home.
Seeking to simplify site management for technophobic press secretaries,
the HRC has hired Microsoft to ease the posting of news releases. Under
the new system, GOP press secretaries need only enter a
password-protected area and paste the text of a release. A system
allowing members to phone in audio releases is also being developed.
