Local Authority and social Media (City of Ghent)

Local Government &

Social MediaBart Rosseau – strategic communications

Context…

… of government communication

Why should we use it?

What makes it difficult to use it?

Communicate what?

Government communication is about POLICYcommunicated by different actors

The process : Why ? Where ? How?

The product : What ? When ?

The most defining aspect :We have to communicate/react even before the formal decision, so the decision-making itself is part of the public arena

Who is “the government”?

Decision making process :

1. Agendasetting - Public/Politicians/Stakeholders

• problem definition • public awareness

2. Preparation – Administration/Politicianshow where what when who

3. Formal Decision - Politicians

4. Implementation - Administration

5. Evaluation – Public/Politicians/Administration

Use of social media is relevant for every step, but when is it most relevant coming from the government?

Who speaks when?

A broad range

A sample of subjects:

(top items www.gent.be – 15/02/2010)

- Klimaatbudget : sensibilisation about a greener city

- Starting a commission about the retrieval of a Kokoscha Painting

- Free tickets Flanders Horse Expo

- Jeugdboekenweek

- Applying for a grant for environmental organisations

- Ghent city hosts the international Quality Congress

- Open letter to public transport compagnie about routing frequency

WITH ONE VOICE?

Why use social media?

- Being there where the people are

- a personal approach? - gauging public opinion? - segmentation?

- A new audience?

- Additional to existing channels

- Have some control: anybody can start something about Ghentbe the first to say it

Who is sending the message? A company profile?

Our experiences so far… Facebook & Linked-in

Core: leisure!!!!(cultural, tourism, …)

• Musea (SMAK, MSK, Huis van Alijn)• Events (Gentse Feesten, WinWinbeurs, Jazz in ‘t park)• Campaigns (SWAP pas, Gentse Ondernemer, ….)

Exception :

Gent over Morgen: experiment with Facebook, Youtube, Gentblogt

- jan-mar 2009- public discussion about long term vision (Gent 2020) - challenge: keep a positive atmosphere

- informal character was reason to use social media - more creativity- avoid intimidating aspect of talking to ‘the government’

Online credibility?

Our experiences so far…

- Challenge: how to maintain a consistent online corporate identity

- It can be the right tool: using it wrong does more harm then not using it

added value? tone of voice!!!

- Not all aspects of government communication

Is the public ready for Government 2.0?

Conclusion?

We’re not trendsetters. We don’t need to be.

www.gent.beGentinfo : 09 210 10 10