Los Angeles Co. Mobile Outreach

29th Annual
National Conference
Savannah, GA
2013 Professional Practices Program
MOBILE OUTREACH
Los Angeles County, CA
Submitted by:
Dean C. Logan
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
12400 Imperial Highway
Norwalk, CA 90650
(562) 462-2716
dlogan@rrcc.lacounty.gov
www.lavote.net
Los Angeles County-2013
MOBILE OUTREACH
ABSTRACT OF THE PROGRAM
The use of the internet to gather information about elections and voting has been well
documented and is now an essential practice for most if not all election officials. However, the
increase of cell phone use and mobile access to the internet presents new opportunities to
engage and inform potential and registered voters. Reaching the voting population through online
and mobile outreach efforts can be cost effective and most importantly a more engaging way to
attract a new generation of voters. During the 2012 Presidential Election, the Los Angeles
County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) partnered with two prominent multicultural
radio stations to launch an online mobile campaign to promote voter registration and the use of
the RR/CC’s website (www.lavote.net) to access information about the election. This program
was a first of its kind campaign for the Department.
The campaign ran from October 8, 2012 through Election Day, November 6, 2012. The radio
partners included two of the top rated stations in the Los Angeles market: Power 106 (KPWR) and
Super Estrella 107.1 (KYSE). The campaign focused particularly on a digital strategy leveraging
the stations’ online and social media elements. In addition to radio advertisements, a strategic
focus was placed on developing a mobile outreach component for the campaign. The strategy
sought to connect with listeners who access the stations digitally over their mobile phones.
Furthermore, the objective was to provide users the opportunity to register online and also
facilitate online access to election information via from their devices.
The campaign used traditional mobile banner ads for those viewing the stations’ websites on their
mobile phone as well as an innovative “text back” feature where the listener sends texts for a
chance to win a prize and the stations’ response back was a mobile advertisement with RR/CC
hyperlinks. These mobile banner ads encouraged visitors to register to vote, locate their polling
place and/or look up their sample ballot; each of the mobile ads and “text back artwork” was
hyperlinked to the corresponding RR/CC web page. Similar strategies were used via the stations’
social media sites.
THE PROBLEM/NEED FOR THE PROGRAM
The RR/CC serves the Country’s largest electoral jurisdiction with nearly 4.6 million registered
voters and a total population of over 10 million. These impressive numbers present real
challenges to broad-based RR/CC voter information and engagement efforts. Additionally, there
is an emerging generation of voters who have embraced technology for gathering information and
interacting with their community. Effectively reaching out to this population required an
understanding of how voters access information and revamping how the RR/CC conducts
outreach efforts. Although displays at local community events or running television ads will
always be an effective tool for direct voter information and engagement, the RR/CC may miss an
increasing segment of the population eligible to vote by not using mobile technology.
Studies show, among American adults, mobile phones have become a widely used device with
increasing numbers now accessing the internet via their phones. According to the Pew Internet &
American Life Project, in 2012, 88% of registered voters own a mobile phone. More importantly,
in 2013, 55% of adults reported accessing the internet using their mobile phone. The growing
number of mobile phone users accessing the internet presents a significant opportunity to engage
and inform voters through a popular and accessible platform.
The RR/CC recognizes that failure to adapt to the ever changing environment and
technologically-driven dynamics of voters’ interaction may well contribute to a dramatic decline in
voter participation and engagement.
Page 1 of 2
Los Angeles County-2013
MOBILE OUTREACH
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM
Reaching vast communities of voters on a limited budget takes strategy, knowledge, and at times
exploring unchartered waters. More importantly, effective campaigns need to be relevant and seek
voters where they are. The RR/CC used a small budget to invest in a media campaign and
partnered with several local media companies including two local radio stations, Power 106 and
Super Estrella 107.1. The partnership focused on a ground breaking mobile outreach program for
the November 6, 2012 General Election.
The Mobile Outreach program was the first of its kind where a government agency reached out to
young generation of voters “speaking their own language”, utilizing innovative communication
approaches, and empowerment practices by using mobile technology and strategic advertising.
THE RESULTS/SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM
The implementation of the Mobile Outreach program drove response rates more than 30 times
higher than the national average for such ads with Power 106. The national average click-through
rate for ads is around 0.08%, while the Mobile Outreach program with Power 106 generated a
3.8% click-through rate. The RR/CC website statistics reflected increasing activity as well; visits to
the RR/CC’s website spiked approximately 600% during the implementation period of the Mobile
Outreach program.
In total, the three week mobile campaign generated nearly 200,000 impressions delivered to the
mobile community through mobile ads and “text back” communications. The final results of traffic
to www.lavote.net also spiked to record levels with nearly 300,000 visitors to the site in the week
leading up to Election Day (October 30 – November 6). These results had a significant impact on
voter registration in the last few weeks leading up to the election, in particular with voter
registration among 18 to 29 year olds. Of the approximately 200,000 online voter registration
transactions received leading up to the close of registration, 59 percent of all new registrants were
between the ages of 18 and 29.
For the first time in Los Angeles County’s history this
demographic now makes up a majority of registered voters.
The success of the Mobile Outreach program relied heavily on the RR/CC’s thorough
understanding of the targeted population, preferences and behavior patterns. Young generations
of voters are technology-savvy individuals who communicate and receive information primarily via
the internet through their smartphones. While proving return on investment for media campaigns
may not always be quantifiable, the RR/CC’s Mobile Outreach program measured success with
actual numbers from the RR/CC website and the radio station’s digital click-through rates.
Additionally, measured success was based on how the community responded by registering to
vote and accessing election information (e.g., location of polling places, voter registration status)
to help them cast their vote.
RR/CC’s partnership with Power 106 and Super Estrella 107.1 radio stations and the introduction
of agile communication approaches through the use of technology proved to be a model of
collaborative efforts and strategic practices. The RR/CC experienced great success in adapting
to the endlessly evolving environment and dynamics of the communities we serve. As a result of
our 2012 mobile outreach success, the RR/CC is currently developing a full mobile
communications strategy that will include a mobile application development.
Page 2 of 2
Goal: Drive young adults 18-34 (particularly in the
Latino and African American communities) to register to
vote at LAVote.net and vote on Election Day.
Highlights:
•
Total estimated impressions in your target demographic:
4,784,942
•
Mobile banner click through rates were more than 4x the
national average!
•
National Average: 0.08%
•
Campaign Average: 3.8%
•
Two live integrations of the LAVote.net web site during
Rikki’s “Neighborhood News” segments on Election Day
•
Facebook Posts had an average of 65 “likes” and 12
comments in the first day of posting
Campaign Impressions
Media Elements:
On-Air “Top of the Hour” Mentions
On-Line Banners
Social Media
Gross Impressions:
8,904,000
20,553
4,900
Website Pre-Rolls
31,190
Concert Mobile Marketing
49,191
On-Site Promotion
On-Air Radio Commercials
On-Line Streaming Commercials
Total Impressions:
3,500
318,000
30,059
9,361,393
Main Campaign Digital Results 10/8-11/6
Line Item
Rad-KPWR-Homepage 300x250 Bottom
Rad-KPWR-Homepage 300x250 Top
Rad-KPWR-Homepage 728x90 Gutter
Rad-KPWR-ROS 300x250 Bottom
Rad-KPWR-ROS 300x250 Top
Rad-KPWR-ROS 728x90 Gutter
Rad-KPWR-Mobile 320x50 Iphone
Rad-KPWR-Mobile 320x50 Android
Rad-KPWR-Mobile Website
Rad-KPWR-Mobile Website Sponsorship
Rad-KPWR-Mobile Android Sponsorship
Rad-KPWR-Mobile Iphone Sponsorship
SMS Bounceback
Streaming Impressions (30s w synched banner)
Facebook Post
Facebook Post
Facebook Post
Twitter Post
Twitter Post
Twitter Post
Twitter Post
Totals
Total Goal
Impressions Served
Clicks
CTR
Start Date
Finish Date
10,000
10,000
20,000
45,000
45,000
44,000
35,000
10,000
2,500
NA
NA
NA
80,000
300,000
130,000
130,000
130,000
85,000
85,000
85,000
85,000
3,957
13,565
19,798
47,114
47,068
46,039
18,737
5,327
6,918
13,367
8,335
16,837
80,000
300,101
154,322
154,322
154,322
89,671
89,671
89,671
89,671
1
27
9
34
66
33
360
307
28
30
30
23
NA
0
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
0.03%
0.20%
0.05%
0.07%
0.14%
0.07%
1.92%
5.76%
0.40%
0.22%
0.36%
0.14%
NA
0.00%
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
11/6/2012
11/6/2012
11/6/2012
11/6/2012
11/6/2012
11/6/2012
11/6/2012
11/6/2012
11/6/2012
11/6/2012
11/6/2012
11/6/2012
10/8/2012
10/8/2012
10/10/2012
10/18/2012
11/2/2012
10/10/2012
10/17/2012
11/2/2012
11/5/2012
11/3/2012
11/3/2012
11/3/2012
11/3/2012
11/3/2012
11/3/2012
11/3/2012
11/3/2012
11/3/2012
11/3/2012
11/3/2012
11/3/2012
11/6/2012
11/6/2012
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
1,331,500
1,448,813
948
0.07%
9/25/2012
11/3/2012