Leveraging Social Media for Government Communication

A Phased Approach

What is Social Media? A fundamental shift of the one-to-many

paradigm of traditional media.

Tools that allow the integration of technology, telecommunications, and social interaction

The speed of interaction is much greater than that of traditional media.

Examples of Social Media ToolsTwitter•Users can send each other 140 character updates or “Tweets”•Users can restrict the recipients of the messages or send information to everyone following.

Facebook•Free social networking site•Allows users to share content: text, links, pictures, videos

Why is Social Media Important? Connect directly to citizens.

The speed of Social Media is vastly superior to traditional media.

Receive relevant and immediate feedback on program activities.

Phased Approach Phase I: Use social media as a direct to citizen

publication channel.

Phase II: Interact with citizens, responding to questions.

Phase III: Proactively monitor for issues regarding department and connect with users directing to appropriate resources.

Phase I: Broadcasting Existing communications departments set up

accounts on free services and begin broadcasting. No software is necessary, the technology is web-based.

Many American and, now, some Canadian Federal agencies are using Social Media in this phase: Twitter: @pmharper, @whitehouse, @cdc, and

@phac_gc and @aspc_gc Facebook: Whitehouse

Phase II: Interaction Users often ask simple questions about

government services, or complain about specific problems.

Phase II would consist of directing users to appropriate resources and pro-actively solving client problems turning negative situations into positive public relations.

Phase III: Monitor and Interact Continue broadcasting, and interacting as

begun in Phases I and II

Monitor for keywords (the agency name, specific resources or guides produced by the agency, general keywords related to the agency) and pro-actively contact the user to diffuse the situation and resolve their problem.

Why use Social Media? Technology is changing rapidly, and with it the

mechanism for dissemination of information.

As American President Barack Obama said when launching a suite of Social Media tools for the Whitehouse: “We need to reform our government so that it is

more efficient, more transparent, and more creative,” then he pledged to “reach beyond the halls of government to engage the public”