Transcript The evolution of government communications

Chances are you are already using
many channels to get information to
citizens…
[Direct Mail]
[Public Meetings]
[Signage]
[News Media]
[Newsletters]
[Websites]
[Gov’t Access
Channels]
SOCIAL MEDIA offers
new channels for getting
information out…
…and getting information in
New Opportunities
[Reach people
where they are]
[Engage new
audiences]
[Two-way
communication]
[Text messages, too]
What is social media?
[According to Wikipedia]
Social media is media designed to be
disseminated through social interaction, created
using highly accessible and scalable publishing
techniques. Social media uses Internet and webbased technologies to transform broadcast media
monologues (one to many) into social media
dialogues (many to many).
[For today’s discussion]
Internet-based
 Free or nearly free
 Easy to access
 Dynamic
 Living, breathing conversation with
potentially lots of people
 Fun

BLOGS
http://twitter.com/
http://www.facebook.com/
http://www.facebook.com/Warrenparks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3e5BT22DZY
http://vimeo.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mercergov/
http://photobucket.com/
http://wordpress.org/
http://mercerislandblogger.w
ordpress.com/
BLOGS
Getting started
DO practice using social media on your
own, keeping in mind that even in your
private life, you are still a public
employee
 DO seek out people in your organization
who are enthusiastic and innovative
 DO get the support of your legal
department and organizational leaders

Getting started
DO spend a little time thinking about
your audience and what you want to
accomplish
 DO talk to other organizations and look
for other examples
 DO map out your current communication
channels and how social media can be
integrated

Getting started
DO consider how two-way
communications will be managed
 DO make a case for how communication
supports (and in many cases is essential
to) your organization’s mission and
priorities

[What Outreach Can Do]






Teaches citizens about preparing for
disasters
Alerts citizens about safety issues
Encourages citizens to attend classes and
programs
Invites citizens to attend public events and
celebrations
Helps citizens save money through energy
and water conservation
Educates citizens about social concerns
such as youth drug and alcohol abuse
Getting started
DON’T get discouraged – social media
can be scary to people
 DON’T think for one minute that social
media is going away and won’t impact
your organization someday
 DO jump in as soon as you can
