social media in local government
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Local governmentand social media
Simon WakemanHead of Marketing and PR
Medway Council
Medway
why?
• keeping people happy
• being commercial
• listening to residents
research
0%
10%
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40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Newsreleases
Newspaper/ magazineadvertising
Publicmeetings
Outdooradvertising
Radioadvertising
Directmarketing
TVadvertising
Regularly Occasionally Rarely
Which tools does your organisation currently use in its communications?
Source: 71 communicators in 47 local authorities surveyed May 2008
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
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90%
100%
Forums / bulletin boards Email marketing Text messaging
Regularly Occasionally Rarely
Which tools does your organisation currently use in its communications?
Source: 71 communicators in 47 local authorities surveyed May 2008
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Blogs Podcasts Social networks Wikis Video sharingwebsites
Image sharingwebsites
Socialbookmarking
Virtual worlds
Regularly Occasionally Rarely
Which tools does your organisation currently use in its communications?
Source: 71 communicators in 47 local authorities surveyed May 2008
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Podc
asts
Blo
gs
Vid
eo sha
ring
web
site
s
Soci
alne
twor
king
Wik
is
Soci
albo
okm
arki
ng
Imag
e sh
arin
gw
ebsite
s
Virt
ual w
orld
s
Not used but plan to in next 6 months
Social media tools not used but plan to use in next six months
Source: 71 communicators in 47 local authorities surveyed May 2008
• Create a new two-way communication channel for
young people in Medway
• Get young people actively involved in producing the
podcast
• Help the organisation learn about podcasting as a communications tool
objectives
our kit
• 360-400 downloads per show
• positive face to face feedback
• limited direct responses
• experience of new communications tool
results
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10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Hav
e us
ed /
plan
to u
se
Don
't pl
an to
use
Not
aw
are
ofto
ol
Social networking in council communications
Source: 71 communicators in 47 local authorities surveyed May 2008
Use by councils
Social networking in council communications
Source: 71 communicators in 47 local authorities surveyed May 2008 /Ofcom Media Literacy Audit – December 2007
Use by councils Use by residents
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
16-2
4
25-3
4
35-4
4
45-5
4
55-6
4
65+
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Hav
e us
ed /
plan
to u
se
Don
't pl
an to
use
Not
aw
are
ofto
ol
• promotion / advertising
• building an interest group
• conversations
councils on social networks
Fuse Medway Festival
Social networks in council communications
Social networks in council communications
Social media tools not planned to be used
Base: 71 communicators in 47 local authorities surveyed May 2008
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Virt
ual w
orld
s
Imag
e sh
arin
gw
ebsite
s
Soci
albo
okm
arki
ng
Wik
is
Vid
eo sha
ring
web
site
s
Soci
alne
twor
king
Podc
asts
Blo
gs
Not so far and don't plan to
• low awareness of potential uses
• lack of personal use
• firewalls
• IT departments
barriers to use
• learn the ropes
• get the organisation ready
• risks vs benefits
• social media is not a panacea
closing thoughts
