2. 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.
3. Examples of Social Media Tools
Twitter
• 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
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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”
