Social Media and Florida's Cities

Quality CitiesA PUBL ICAT ION OF THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF C IT IES � JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

Also Inside2012 Legislative Action AgendaFlorida City Government Week

Update on FLC President Pat Bates’ Priority: “FLC University”See page 10

28 Florida League of Cities

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ities in Florida have already caught on to the QR code trend by using the inexpensive marketing method to create a buzz about city programs and events.

Chad Quinn, public information and media specialist for the City of Tamarac, said he started seeing QR codes in many different places and wondered how his city could use them.

“I’m always looking for free ways to spice up communications and keep up with technology and what’s happening in marketing, Quinn said. “I started to do some research and realized Tamarac could use QR codes effectively and with no additional cost to the city. Once I realized how easy it was to do, we rolled them out in January 2011 in the city’s quarterly publication.”

Now the City of Tamarac uses QR codes regularly in print and on stickers around the city in places such as the recreation center, com-munity center, dog park, skate park and aquatic center.

“People can scan the code and explore even more about the place they’re visiting. We use large stickers on doors and fences with QR codes that go to the respective website. The stickers cost practically nothing, and I’ve truly gotten a great response from residents,” Quinn said. “Most of the population has a smart phone and this has really enhanced our image and communications efforts and has contributed

All Over Florida, Many Cities Already Putting QR Codes to Work

by Mandy StarkFlorida League of Cities

30 Florida League of Cities

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and the home page. Remember, the easier you make it for residents to find the page for online payments, the more likely it is that the city gets paid and the less time staff has to spend administering the program. This is a great way to reduce costs and traffic at city facilities.

3. Don’t Sell AdsThe cost of maintaining a website might tempt some cities

to recoup the money by selling ads to local advertisers or search engine companies. This is a mistake. Citizens expect a government website to provide quick and easy information without being hassled by ads.

If ads get in the way of their finding information, they will react negatively and lose trust in the city’s ability to provide easy-to-find information. Furthermore, an advertising pro-gram requires a lot of additional work for staff.

4. Update RegularlyNothing will kill the public’s usage of a city website faster

than finding it stocked with old and useless information. A government website needs to be actively maintained and groomed on a regular basis. Before creating time-intensive features such as calendars, agendas, news feeds and blogs, make sure your staff can keep them regularly updated. If residents don’t trust the information on the website, they won’t return. This, in turn, might lead to increased calls and foot traffic at city hall, which can decrease operational efficiency and increase costs.

The power of the Web is that it can be instantly updated, so make sure to harness that power by keeping your website fresh.

5. Ensure Accessibility on Mobile DevicesIf your city is redesigning its website, keep mobile devices

in mind. People increasingly use phones and other devices to access the Web. If the city’s website is not accessible or legible on these devices, it will negatively affect some people’s perception of the city, especially that of younger residents.

As the adoption of mobile devices grows, maintaining a mobile-friendly government website will become increas-ingly important.

ConclusionAs you think about your municipal website, remember

that it should be an integral part of your city’s operations and communications strategy. Your website is a reflection of your city. It needs to be updated, modern and well-kept, just like your town square.

Tim Verras is director of marketing for Sophicity, a Georgia-based municipal IT consulting firm. This article is reprinted with permission. For more information, visit http://sophicity.com/.

QR Codes – Continued from Page 28

to educating our residents even more about what the city has to offer.”

The City of Temple Terrace has also embraced QR codes. Communications Officer Michael Dunn knew the technol-ogy would be a great fit for the city. “We saw an article about QR codes in a magazine and we quickly decided that we were ready to move forward. Now City Hall, the Family Recreation Complex, the main library and main office of the chamber of commerce have signs featuring QR codes,” Dunn said. “What we felt was revolutionary is that while anybody can go to our city’s website, the QR code takes you beyond the front page – you can find hours of opera-tion, agendas and much more.” Dunn said Temple Terrace’s residents enjoy learning more about the municipal locations. He even said that the city may expand its QR code program. “We’ve scratched the surface and are exploring even more opportunities,” Dunn said.

The City of Sanibel Recreation Center is using QR codes to reach out to those who may be more interested in classes and all that the recreation center has to offer. The city created a sticker that is on the recreation center’s front door. The QR code links to the center’s schedule, hours and weekly information. The city also plans to use a QR code sticker at its Lighthouse Beach, and will link the QR code to unique environmental information.

The City of Largo’s Parks, Recreation and Arts Depart-ment has taken advantage of QR codes in many ways. “The QR code signs are especially handy in parks that aren’t staffed,” Joan Byrne, director of recreation, parks and arts, said. “The QR codes take a person directly to relevant infor-mation. When you’re in a park, scanning a QR code takes an interested user directly to a piece of information such as shelter rental prices or to details about a special event they’re attending. It doesn’t just take them to the general website – obviously they are attracted to a particular area of interest, so we want the QR codes to take them right there. For it to be effective it has to give them more of what they’ve expressed an interest in.” Byrne said that the city also promotes special cultural and arts events through QR codes, but makes sure to use them strategically. “We don’t use a QR code every single time – we pick and choose to keep the great effect. One great option we’ve used is creating QR codes to share information about certain performances or events by linking to a featured artists or performer’s actual website where there are samples of music. It really entices our audience to find out more, buy tickets and then come to the event in person.”

Mandy Stark is communications specialist for the Florida League of Cities.