President Obama's smile is still magic.
An unusual study of 2012 presidential campaign websites finds that those with pictures of smiling candidates get lots of traffic, none more than Obama's.
"Factors that resonated most with the respondents were clear messaging and candidates who smiled on their websites," said the marketing firm EyeTrackShop.
Obama's website was judged the most compelling and attractive by 34 percent of those polled by EyeTrackShop. Rep. Michele Bachmann, who quit the GOP race after the Iowa caucuses, came in second with 17 percent calling hers the best and most liked. She was followed by Mitt Romney at 10 percent, Newt Gingrich at 9 percent, Herman Cain at 8.5 percent and Ron Paul at 8.4 percent.
The worst websites: Rich Santorum and Rick Perry.
The firm has a unique way to show what website users look at. In the case of Obama's campaign webpage, users first lock onto the main picture. Exactly 100 percent of those on his site click the picture and virtually everything else in the top third of his page.
In fact, the design is so effective that 78 percent of those who visit the site remember looking at it. The firm said that half of those who view other sites can't remember it just one minute later.
That was music to the ears of the Obama-Biden digital team.
Digital director Teddy Goff told Whispers, "BarackObama.com is the home office in a broader network of digital assets that includes our Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Tumblr pages. It's the single most important resource not just for folks who want to find out what's happening on the campaign this minute or this hour, but also for undecided voters who want to learn about the president's record and promises kept, and for supporters who want to get more deeply involved through online tools that let them call voters, download volunteer resources, donate, raise money, watch videos, and more."
Reader Comments Read all comments (2)
Ephraim of NY 9:50PM January 24, 2012
Larry of CA 11:17AM January 24, 2012