Learning from Obama: A Comprehensive Guide to His Groundbreaking 2008 Online Presidential Campaign

[Original title: "Learning from Obama: Lessons for Online Communicators in 2009 and Beyond"]

Barack Obama defined online political success in 2008: his campaign used the internet with unprecedented skill to raise hundreds of millions of dollars, recruit and mobilize millions of volunteers, and turn out enough voters to win the presidency by a decisive margin. "Learning from Obama" is THE definitive guide to how he succeeded online and is required reading in university classes and digital consulting firms around the world.

With individual chapters investigating crucial aspects of his online communications juggernaut in depth, the book covers strategy, campaign structure and technology, online outreach and recruiting, field organizing, voter/volunteer moblization and of course online fundraising.

"Learning from Obama" cuts through the hype and places the individual online tools used by the Obama campaign and its supporters in context, including internet video, social networking outreach, online advertising and the MyBarackObama.com activist toolkit. With a final chapter that looks toward the future of internet politics, "Learning from Obama" serves as both a history lesson and as a guide for future online activists and other online communicators. As the 2012 campaign ramps up, it's also an essential background for anyone interested in how digital tools will play in this year's election.