Social media in local government

Local governmentand social media

Simon WakemanHead of Marketing and PR

Medway Council

Medway

why?

• keeping people happy

• being commercial

• listening to residents

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: 71 communicators in 47 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: 71 communicators in 47 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: 71 communicators in 47 local authorities surveyed May 2008

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Podc

asts

Blo

gs

Vid

eo sha

ring

web

site

s

Soci

alne

twor

king

Wik

is

Soci

albo

okm

arki

ng

Imag

e sh

arin

gw

ebsite

s

Virt

ual w

orld

s

Not used but plan to in next 6 months

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

Source: 71 communicators in 47 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

our kit

• 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%

Hav

e us

ed /

plan

to u

se

Don

't pl

an to

use

Not

aw

are

ofto

ol

Social networking in council communications

Source: 71 communicators in 47 local authorities surveyed May 2008

Use by councils

Social networking in council communications

Source: 71 communicators in 47 local authorities surveyed May 2008 /Ofcom Media Literacy Audit – December 2007

Use by councils Use by residents

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

16-2

4

25-3

4

35-4

4

45-5

4

55-6

4

65+

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Hav

e us

ed /

plan

to u

se

Don

't pl

an to

use

Not

aw

are

ofto

ol

• promotion / advertising

• building an interest group

• conversations

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

Base: 71 communicators in 47 local authorities surveyed May 2008

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Virt

ual w

orld

s

Imag

e sh

arin

gw

ebsite

s

Soci

albo

okm

arki

ng

Wik

is

Vid

eo sha

ring

web

site

s

Soci

alne

twor

king

Podc

asts

Blo

gs

Not so far and don't plan to

• low awareness of potential uses

• lack of personal use

• firewalls

• IT departments

barriers to use

• learn the ropes

• get the organisation ready

• risks vs benefits

• social media is not a panacea

closing thoughts

simon.wakeman@medway.gov.uk

+44 (0) 7771 701902

www.simonwakeman.com/dpgsm

any questions