Why must candidates be to the point on the Internet versus traditional media?

The answer to this question lies not in political relation, but rather in consumer patience. Jupiter Research released a study conducted from April through June 2006 regarding this very topic. While the study focuses on the retail industry, the same concepts can be applied in relation to web site loading time. The company “recommends that retailers make every effort to keep page rendering to no longer than four seconds. Thirty-three percent of consumers shopping via a broadband connection will wait no more than four seconds for a Web page to render” (Jupiter 5). If anything, this important fact describes the level of impatience of the online consumer. Hence, potential online voters will not allow a candidate to avoid an issue or give an indirect answer.

“The consequences for an online retailer whose site underperforms include diminished goodwill, negative brand perception, and, most important, significant loss in overall sales” (5). Similarly, candidate websites will experience negative image perception and decrease in supporters if they are not to the point in their answers and other information they provide.

Source:
Retail Web Site Performance. Jupiter Research. Akamai Technologies, 2006. 1-16.