How real-time intent data boosts early GOTV efforts

Decades ago, extended families might have walked down to the neighborhood polling place together on Election Day to cast their ballots, often for the very same candidates. But these days, voting patterns and household members’ perspectives are far more scattered.

For one, voters aren’t waiting until Election Day. During the 2022 midterm elections, 57% of all voters cast their ballot by mail or at early in-person voting precincts, according to the Pew Research Center, a trend that’s expected to grow. Whether by mail or in-person, 47 states now allow early voting.

Our households aren’t cookie cutter anymore either. U.S. populations living in multigenerational households have quadrupled since 1971, according to a 2022 Pew report. And sought-after Gen Z voters are more racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation—48% are Hispanic, Black, Asian, or a combination of races, according to a 2020 Pew report.

Due to attitudes, current affairs, and “vibes,” likely voter turnout changes every election cycle, throwing public polling out of whack. Voter preference changes along similar lines. In fact, some 43% of voters were registered as independent in 2023, tying the record high from 2014, according to Gallup.

DYNAMIC REAL-TIME VOTER DATA

With divided households and increasing early and absentee votes, blanketing families with singular messages all the way up to Election Day is no longer an effective approach for campaigns, candidates, and causes.

But luckily there’s data to help detect voters’ intentions and overcome static, noisy polling—early voter data and intent data.

When voters register for an early voting or absentee ballot, that data is publicly available and indicates voter intent. Historically, there’s been no greater indicator of a voter’s desire to cast a ballot than the fact they’ve asked their state to send them one so they can cast their vote on their schedule regardless of travel, work, or life.

What’s more, the rise in early and absentee voters means an influx of new, dynamic real-time voter data that campaigns can cross reference with socio-economic, demographic, partisan, and predictive model data to better inform the direction of print and digital ads, mail, texts, social, and phone calls to influence those voters.

Once early and absentee ballots are cast, though, the market has observed that additional outreach and ad impressions have historically been wasted. Agencies have excluded households from campaigns at the sign someone in the home has voted early. That’s a mistake, since—as we’ve said—households of voters are dynamic. A winning strategy that optimizes campaign budgets will involve targeting each individual within a house at the right time with the right message. Real-time intent data can help do just that.

B2B TOOL FOR TODAY’S CAMPAIGNS

The use of real-time intent data in marketing is nothing new. B2B marketers have long relied on it to personalize messages to different customer segments and build successful omnichannel online and in-person campaigns. Now the data is growing in popularity among advertisers seeking to connect directly with consumers—and voters—too.

Rather than relying on flat-file data that’s often filled with stale and inaccurate information, real-time intent data monitors what individuals are thinking right now. That up-to-date approach is especially critical in today’s political campaigns, allowing candidates and causes to quickly shift and respond to or address news events or viral trends.

When done right, the information is built around individuals’ online interactions with websites and content. For campaigns, it can be combined with other demographic data to build robust current profiles of each potential, new, and frequent voter. That publicly available information includes age, party, gender, political donation history, educational attainment, and voting frequency.

Altogether, this data can build powerful models about individuals and potential voters to determine whether they intend to vote, when they’ll vote, how they’ll vote, what issues are top-of-mind for them, and how best to reach them.

These insights make it easier for campaigns to deliver the right personalized approach, offering accessible and compelling messages and experiences that meet voters where they are in their decision journey. Candidates and causes can truly build the kind of excitement and organic reach that will mean the difference between whether they deliver an acceptance or concession speech on election night.

NO MORE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

For most campaigns, getting to election night also requires a smart and efficient use of resources; fundraising dollars aren’t flowing and volunteers are far from plentiful. Real-time intent signals make that easier. Without it, campaigns stand to waste money and volunteer hours and miss out on potentially critical support as they paper mailboxes with fliers long after residents have voted or never reach a receptive potential new supporter.

Real-time intent signals coupled with demographic and behavioral insights can ensure that those opportunities aren’t missed and candidates and causes don’t stop advertising to a household until each member is reached and before they have cast a ballot. When and how we vote is changing. Real-time intent data will help campaigns keep up.

Original URL (FastCompany): https://www.fastcompany.com/91198959/how-real-time-intent-data-boosts-early-gotv-efforts