Woking Borough Council – Social Media Training Andy Denner – Marketing and Communications Manager, WBC Charlie Vavasour – Managing Director, Quantum PR.

Woking Borough Council – Social Media Training

Andy Denner – Marketing and Communications Manager, WBC

Charlie Vavasour – Managing Director, Quantum PR

Rebecca Morgan – Account Executive, Quantum PR

Social media at WBC

• Introduction and background

• Corporate social media activity

• The Council’s social media protocol

What is social media?

“a collective term used to describe easy ways to create and publish on the internet.”

• Transforming the way that companies do business and individuals interact with each other.

• Providing a voice for those who weren’t well heard before.

• Social media will change the way that councillors and councils interact with local people.

What is social media?

Many people talk about the tools: Twitter. YouTube. Blogging.

The important thing to remember about social media is that it’s social - It’s about communication.

It’s about putting the transformative power of the printing press into the hands of the people.

Now anyone can publish and share their views, and engage in conversation with others about those views.

The characteristics (and challenges) of social media• Speed: rise and acceptance of ‘citizen journalism’

• Democratic

• Informal, subjective, lack of authority and quality

• Anonymity of creator – no holds barred

• Context out of your hands

• ‘Club’ feeling

• Free to access

• Addictive

Why bother with social media?

• Not engaging now represents a far greater risk than engaging.

• Citizens will still use these networks to talk about us, whether we add our voice to the conversation or not.

• Citizens will expect their council to engage with them on their terms, via their channels, and to be openly available online.

• It is becoming increasingly clear that if councils don’t use these tools, the

citizens will do it for them, and bypass the council entirely.

Why Councillors should engage:

• It boosts the number of people you can reach, including local press— stories now break through Twitter: everything from G20 violence to Amy Winehouse’s death.• Unlike traditional media/leaflets, it allows

for two-way conversation.• Allows you to connect with a different type

of resident.• Twitter can become a one-stop shop for the

news and views you are interested in.

Why Councillors should engage:

• Campaigns can go viral and grow exponentially.• Help bring your community together and

combat extremism• The conversations are already happening

without you

The tools of social media

• Many different ways to engage – and more

coming along

• Not all relevant for councillors

• Quick run through of best known platforms

Blogs

• An online journal• Diary format in reverse chronological order• Key software providers: Blogger, WordPress• Major player: Guido Fawkes “campaigning

journalist against political sleaze and hypocrisy”

Twitter

• A micro blogging service that can be accessed via text, the web or SMS.• 140 characters, including links• Single idea V reflective nature of blogs

“Twitter helps me keep in touch with what others locally are thinking and seeing. Broadcasting is one thing, but listening is more useful!”

Councillor Tim Prater, Folkestone Town Council

Facebook

Facebook

Facebook

‘A social utility that helps people communicate more efficiently with their friends, family and co workers’ – Facebook

• To stay in touch with friends and family• To organise and publicise events• To comment on posts that other people have put on their walls• To send messages• To have private 1-2-1 online chats• To link with other social media accounts –

such as blog and Twitter

Beware – things that you thought were private may end up being in public

Broadcast Yourself - YouTube

• Video sharing platform• Varied subject matter• Easy to upload and manage – very reliable

Image sharing – Flickr

• Share images• Removes need for mobile memory/back up• Organised by albums• Comments/ratings• Online editing• 6,000 uploads per minute

LinkedIn

• Professional network• Business opportunities• Jobs• Sharing advice and experience

Social bookmarking

Content recommendations via bookmarking or taggingKey players: Digg, StubleUpon, Reddit

Other platforms:

• Foursquare - a location-based social networking website for mobile devices, such as smartphones• Instagram -an online photo-sharing and social networking service that enables its users to take pictures, apply digital filters to them, and share them

Social bookmarking

• Pinterest - A content sharing service that allows members to "pin" images, videos and other objects to their pinboard. • Last FM builds – holds a detailed profile of each user's musical taste by recording details of the tracks the user listens to, either from Internet radio stations, or the user's computer or many portable music devices• G+ - is a multilingual social networking and is the second largest social networking site in the world, having surpassed Twitter in January 2013

In simple terms

Which platform works best for a local Councillor?

• Simplicity to set up and use - Twitter• Many councillors are already using Twitter. • Instant communication with your followers• Keep abreast of any organisation or individual you’re interested in

Visit: www.tweetyhall.com, which features councillors’ use of social media to support local engagement.

The pitfalls to watch out for

Publishing to the web is still publishing – what you’ve ‘said’ on the web is written down and its permanent.

• Libel• Copyright • Data Protection • Bias and pre-determination • Electoral periods

The Members’ code of conduct

Beware ‘blurred identities’ where you have a social media account where you comment both as a Councillor and as an individual.  For example a Facebook account where you’ve posted about a great night out (personal) and another time explained the Council position on pothole repair (Councillor).  It is worth assuming that any online activity can be linked to your official role.

The Members’ code of conduct

You will need to be particularly aware of the following sections of the Code:  • Treat others with respect. Avoid personal

attacks and disrespectful, rude or offensive comments.

• Comply with equality laws. Take care in publishing anything that might be considered sexist, racist, ageist, homophobic or anti-faith. • Refrain from publishing anything you have

received in confidence. • Ensure you don’t bring the council, or your

councillor role, into disrepute.

Getting started

•  www.twitter.com

• Memorable handle

• Concise, persuasive bio

• Carefully selected graphics

• Follow influencers

What should I be saying?

• Ask around Other councillors may already be using social media. Find out what they’re doing and how they got started. • Look to your party• Tell people what you are doing• What’s trending in Woking?

Activity level

• How many tweets is the right amount of tweets?

“The trouble with Twitter, the instantness of it – too many twits might make a twat.”—David Cameron

Good examples of tweets

• “Preparing 4 Older People's Council mtg which has been spearheading #Brighton & Hove's WHO Age-Friendly city status http://bit.ly/n0Vvs1”—Cllr Geoffrey Bowden, Brighton and Hove City Council• “Eaten all your chocolate eggs already? Dont forget to recycle the boxes! http://ow.ly/joGMv  #Woking”—Woking Borough Council’s corporate account• “@brightonfringe employs more than 4k people this year and will yield more than £10m for local economy. Proof that arts the cake not the icing”—Cllr Bill Randall, Brighton and Hove City Council

Good examples of tweets

• “@WokingNews I'll be speaking at the meeting on Monday 11th at 8pm in Byfleet Village Hall on this application, happy to take any questions”—Cllr Ashley Bowes, Woking Borough Council

Bad examples of tweets• “I’m a #LibDem because, when I tried to commit suicide yrs ago and botched it, the Lib Dems would be the right people to understand my failure.” —Cllr Neil Taggart, Leeds City Council

• “Do you have equivalent quotes from abused women saying why they don't need a divorce or slaves happy on the plantation, Massah?”— Cllr David Berry, East Lothian Council

• “Islam is a cancer that needs to be cured with radiation.”— Cllr Eric Kitson, Worcestershire County Council

Bad examples of tweets• “15 hours in council today very hard hitting day and the usual collection of retards in the public gallery spoiling it for real people.”— Cllr John Fareham, Hull City Council

• “Road resurfacing Shepham Lane, Polegate 8th–12th April 2013 from its junction with the Pevensey Road to 20 metres south of Glynleigh Drive” —Cllr Stephen Shing, East Sussex County Council

Bad examples of tweets

—Cllr Christopher Hawtree, Brighton and Hove City Council

Bad examples of tweets

“Shock me @crashcraddock1 talking s*** about ipl jealous p***k. Get a real job. All you do is bag people. #getalife”—Australian cricketer, David Warner

Bad examples of tweets

“Why is Lord McAlpine trending? *innocent face*”—Sally Bercow

How to increase your followers• Follow and engage• Listen and respond• Bring traffic to your Twitter account• Circulate traffic from other sites• Hashtags— streams of conversation

Netiquette• Make your commenting policy clear  • Allow disagreement • Think before you publish• Beware the irony• Don’t be creepy!• Avoid arguments with vexatious and extraneous

Top tips and review• Tweetdeck – pre-schedule tweets• Think before you tweet

If you wouldn’t put it on a postcard or wouldn’t like it on the front pages of the local press, don’t post it.