Campaign and Public-Information Websites
BlackWolf for Montana – Campaign Website
Designed and developed the official campaign website for Mike Black Wolf for U.S. Senate. The project included a custom Next.js website with a Sanity CMS, issues and updates management, secure hosting, Google Workspace integration, and a scalable foundation to support an active political campaign.
Context
Client or organization background
Michael Black Wolf is a candidate for U.S. Senate representing Montana. His campaign needed a professional digital platform to communicate values, policy positions, and calls to action — while remaining flexible enough for campaign staff to manage without developer support.
The situation
The challenge
The campaign needed more than a static website. They required a platform that could clearly communicate values and policy positions, be updated quickly by staff without developer involvement, handle increased traffic and media attention, and remain secure and reliable throughout the full campaign cycle.
Speed of delivery was also critical — the campaign needed infrastructure operational immediately.
Success criteria
Project goals
- Clearly communicate Mike Black Wolf's values and policy positions to Montana voters
- Allow campaign staff to update content, issues, and announcements without touching code
- Deliver site and email infrastructure quickly to support immediate outreach
- Ensure security, stability, and scalability as the campaign gained momentum
Recommended approach
Strategy
A modern CMS-driven architecture was chosen to separate content from presentation — allowing the campaign to update messaging freely while keeping the site stable under the hood.
Infrastructure (email accounts, access controls) was delivered first so the campaign could begin operating before the full website launched. A structured Issues content type gave the campaign a durable system for managing evolving policy positions.
InnoNative responsibilities
Scope and services delivered
- Web Design
- Web Development
- CMS Implementation
- SEO Strategy
- Google Workspace Setup
- Campaign Infrastructure
Experience design
Design and user-experience decisions
The site was designed with accessibility and clarity as primary goals — featuring mobile-first responsive layouts, readable typography with strong contrast, and a clean navigation hierarchy.
The homepage was structured as a central hub combining introductory messaging, issue highlights, and prominent donation and volunteer calls to action.
Implementation
Technical solution
The website was built with a server-rendered Next.js frontend optimized for performance and SEO, with Sanity CMS powering structured content updates.
Secure hosting with SSL, hardened CMS access controls, and controlled publishing workflows ensured reliability. Vercel provided the hosting infrastructure with fast global delivery.
Communication
Content and messaging work
A dedicated Issues system was built with each policy position having its own page and shareable URL, updating dynamically across issue listings site-wide.
A News and Updates section supports campaign announcements, events, and press-style updates — all managed through the CMS in chronological order.
Capabilities
Key features
- CMS-driven Issues management system with individual pages per issue
- News and campaign updates section
- CMS-managed homepage messaging and calls to action
- Donation and Volunteer CTAs
- Server-rendered SEO-optimized pages
- Controlled CMS publishing workflow
Connected systems
Integrations
- Google Workspace
- Google Drive
- Google Calendar
How the work moved
Delivery process
Infrastructure was delivered in parallel with the website build — Google Workspace email accounts and shared collaboration tools were configured first, giving the campaign immediate operational capability. The website followed with a structured rollout prioritizing CMS setup, then homepage, then issues and updates sections.
Handoff
Launch deliverables
- Fully functional campaign website at blackwolfformontana.com
- Sanity CMS studio with structured content types
- Issues management system
- News and updates section
- Google Workspace email and collaboration setup
Supported outcomes
Results and project impact
The campaign received a fully functional CMS-driven website with the ability to manage messaging internally without technical friction. A secure and scalable foundation was ready for increased visibility and traffic. Early delivery of email and website infrastructure enabled the campaign to begin outreach immediately. The structured content system allows messaging, priorities, and strategies to evolve as the campaign develops.
After launch
Current status and ongoing support
The site remains live and active throughout the campaign cycle. CMS workflows allow the campaign team to independently manage all content updates, new issue pages, and announcements without developer involvement.
Project Overview
The Black Wolf for Montana website was built to support an active U.S. Senate campaign with clear messaging, fast updates, and a secure technical foundation that could scale as the campaign gained momentum.
The campaign needed more than a static website — they needed a platform that could:
- clearly communicate values and policy positions
- be updated quickly by staff without developer involvement
- handle increased traffic, donations, and media attention
- remain secure and reliable throughout the campaign cycle
The result was a modern, CMS-driven campaign website backed by a strong technical foundation and simple content workflows for the team.
Goals & Requirements
From the start, the campaign’s priorities were:
- Clarity: Make it easy for voters to understand who Mike Black Wolf is, what he stands for, and why he’s running.
- Flexibility: Allow campaign staff to update content, issues, and announcements without touching code.
- Speed: Deliver the site and email infrastructure quickly so the campaign could begin outreach immediately.
- Stability: Ensure the site would remain secure, fast, and maintainable as the campaign evolved.
Solution
Website Architecture
The website was built using a modern, scalable architecture that separates content from presentation. This allows the campaign to update messaging freely while keeping the site stable under the hood.
Key architectural decisions included:
- A server-rendered frontend optimized for performance and SEO
- A dedicated content management system (CMS) for structured updates
- Clear separation between global site settings, page content, and repeatable content types
This approach ensures long-term maintainability and avoids the fragility of one-off page edits or hardcoded content.
Content Management System (CMS)
A custom CMS was integrated to give the campaign direct control over content updates.
The CMS allows staff to:
- update homepage messaging and calls to action
- manage campaign issues and policy positions
- publish news, events, and campaign updates
- preview changes before publishing them live
Content is structured in a way that keeps updates consistent and prevents accidental layout or design breakage.
Campaign Issues & Messaging
A dedicated Issues system was built to support evolving policy positions.
Each issue:
- has its own page and shareable URL
- can be updated as messaging develops
- automatically appears in issue listings across the site
This structure allows the campaign to refine messaging over time without rebuilding pages or duplicating content.
News, Events & Updates
A News / Updates section was implemented to support:
- campaign announcements
- upcoming events
- press-style updates
Posts are managed directly through the CMS and published in chronological order, giving the campaign a simple way to keep the site fresh and active.
Homepage & Calls to Action
The homepage was designed as a central hub for the campaign, combining:
- clear introductory messaging
- highlighted priorities
- prominent calls to action (Donate / Volunteer)
Key homepage content is CMS-driven, allowing the campaign to adjust messaging as the race progresses without redeploying the site.
Infrastructure & Under-the-Hood Work
In addition to the visible website, significant work went into the underlying infrastructure to support the campaign long-term.
Security & Reliability
- Secure hosting with SSL enabled
- Hardened access controls for the CMS
- Controlled publishing workflows to prevent accidental changes
Performance & SEO
- Optimized page rendering for fast load times
- Search-engine-friendly structure and metadata
- Mobile-first, responsive layout for all devices
Google Workspace Integration
- Campaign email accounts set up through Google Workspace
- Centralized access management for staff
- Shared collaboration tools (Drive, Docs, Calendar)
This infrastructure was delivered early so the campaign could begin operating immediately while the website continued to evolve.
Accessibility & Responsiveness
The site was built with accessibility and usability in mind:
- mobile-friendly layouts
- readable typography and contrast
- clear navigation and content hierarchy
This ensures the site works well for voters across devices and accessibility needs.
Results
The campaign received:
- a fully functional, CMS-driven campaign website
- the ability to manage messaging internally without technical friction
- a secure and scalable foundation ready for increased visibility
- early access to website and email infrastructure to support outreach
Most importantly, the campaign gained a platform that can adapt as priorities, messaging, and engagement strategies evolve.
Key Takeaways
This project highlights the value of building beyond the surface:
- A campaign website is not just pages — it’s infrastructure.
- Structured content and CMS workflows reduce long-term friction.
- Early technical groundwork pays off as a campaign accelerates.
- Clear separation between content and code creates flexibility without sacrificing stability.
Visual details
Project gallery
Selected screens and project materials. Open any image for a larger view.
Your next step
Have a project with similar goals or constraints?
Share the business need, desired outcome, timeline, and expected investment. InnoNative will review the information and recommend a next step when there is a potential fit.