Social media and local government

Local governmentand social media

Simon WakemanHead of Marketing

Medway Council

Medway

why?

• satisfaction – communicating well

• more effective consultation

• competition

• May 2008 – online survey

• 82 responses from 61 councils

• 13.8% of councils responded

research

0%

10%

20%

30%

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: 82 communicators in 61 local authorities surveyed May 2008

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Forums / bulletin boards Email marketing Text messaging

Regularly Occasionally Rarely

Which tools does your organisation currently use in its communications?

Source: 82 communicators in 61 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: 82 communicators in 61 local authorities surveyed May 2008

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%Po

dcas

ts

Blog

s

Vide

o sh

arin

gwe

bsite

s

Socia

lne

twor

king

Wiki

s

Socia

lbo

okm

arkin

g

Imag

e sha

ring

webs

ites

Virtu

al wo

rlds

Not used but plan to in next 6 months

Social media tools not used but plan to use in next six months

Source: 82 communicators in 61 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

 • 360-400 downloads per show

• positive face to face feedback

• limited direct responses• experience of new

communications tool

results

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Have used /plan to use

Don't plan touse

Not aware oftool

Social networking in council communications

Use by councils

Source: 82 communicators in 61 local authorities surveyed May 2008

Social networking in council communications

Source: 82 communicators in 61 local authorities - May 2008/ Ofcom Media Literacy Audit – December 2007

Use by councils Use by residents

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Have used /plan to use

Don't plan touse

Not aware oftool

 • which sites

• where to access• uses for social networks

• worries and concerns

what Medway’s young people say

 • promotion / advertising

• building an interest group• dialogue and consultation

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

0%10%20%30%40%50%

60%70%80%90%

100%

Virtu

al wo

rlds

Imag

e sha

ring

webs

ites

Socia

lbo

okm

arkin

g

Wiki

s

Vide

o sh

arin

gwe

bsite

s

Socia

lne

twor

king

Podc

asts

Blog

s

Not so far and don't plan to

Source: 82 communicators in 61 local authorities surveyed May 2008

 • low awareness of potential

uses• lack of personal use

• blocking access – firewalls and policies

• support from IT departments

barriers to use

 • listen

• acknowledge• create

• share…

get stuck in

 • learn the ropes

• get the organisation– culture and silos

• risks vs benefits• demand it from your council

closing thoughts

[email protected]@simonwakeman.com

+44 (0) 7771 701902

twitter: simonwakemanwww.simonwakeman.com/dpgsm-manchester

any questions