1. Leveraging Social Media for
Government Communication
A Phased Approach

2. What is Social Media?
A fundamental shift of the one-to-many paradigm of

traditional media.
Tools that allow the integration of

technology, telecommunications, and social
interaction
The speed of interaction is much greater than that of

traditional media.

3. Examples of Social Media Tools
Twitter
• Users can send each other 140 character
updates or “Tweets”
• Users can restrict the recipients of the
messages or send information to everyone
following.
Facebook
• Free social networking site
• Allows users to share content:
text, links, pictures, videos

4. Why is Social Media Important?
Connect directly to citizens.

The speed of Social Media is vastly superior to

traditional media.
Receive relevant and immediate feedback on

program activities.

5. Phased Approach
Phase I: Use social media as a direct to citizen

publication channel.
Phase II: Interact with citizens, responding to

questions.
Phase III: Proactively monitor for issues regarding

department and connect with users directing to
appropriate resources.

6. Phase I: Broadcasting
Existing communications departments set up

accounts on free services and begin broadcasting.
No software is necessary, the technology is web-
based.
Many American and, now, some Canadian Federal

agencies are using Social Media in this phase:
Twitter: @pmharper, @whitehouse, @cdc, and

@phac_gc and @aspc_gc
Facebook: Whitehouse


7. Phase II: Interaction
Users often ask simple questions about government

services, or complain about specific problems.
Phase II would consist of directing users to

appropriate resources and pro-actively solving client
problems turning negative situations into positive
public relations.

8. Phase III: Monitor and Interact
Continue broadcasting, and interacting as begun in

Phases I and II
Monitor for keywords (the agency name, specific

resources or guides produced by the
agency, general keywords related to the agency) and
pro-actively contact the user to diffuse the situation
and resolve their problem.

9. Why use Social Media?
Technology is changing rapidly, and with it the

mechanism for dissemination of information.
As American President Barack Obama said when

launching a suite of Social Media tools for the
Whitehouse:
“We need to reform our government so that it is more

efficient, more transparent, and more creative,” then he
pledged to “reach beyond the halls of government to
engage the public”