PubCon South Dallas

Social Media in the Public Sector

Presented by: Mike ChapmanApogee Campaigns

Social Media in the Public Sector

This session will be an in-depth discussion on utilizing social media, SEM and SEO to influence public opinion on issues critical to corporations, government, and large membership based organizations.

About Me• Over 25 years of public affairs experience beginning on Capitol Hill in

Washington D.C. on the legislative and campaign staffs of a senior Member of Congress and as legislative director for a current member of the U.S. Senate.

• Congressional lobbyist for the National Association of Realtors and the American Medical Association; worked with members of both major political parties on behalf of two of the largest and most active Political Action Committees and grassroots organizations and with political campaigns on all levels.

• Texas State University, as a government affairs and development specialist and as a legislative and communications consultant for a number of private sector clients, utilizing the most current technologies in social media and word-of-mouth marketing and traditional public affairs strategies to achieve winning legislative and policy initiatives.

• Co-founder of the Social Media Club International NGO and the Austin Social Media Club in 2007; intimately involved in developing state of the art social media marketing campaigns and working with both public and private sector clients to enhance their online presence and effectively utilize social media technologies to achieve policy and business goals and objectives.

Urban Myth

• The Myth: Barack Obama was elected President of the United States by using social media.

Truth

• Online technologies, including social media and especially social networking

• Integrated into the overall campaign strategy and execution, including communications, volunteer activities and fundraising.

Obama Campaign

In The Audacity to Win Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe writes that he made the social media manager co-equal to the other traditional communications directors - A first in Presidential campaigns.

The Rise of Social Media in Politics

• Bill Clinton had a secret – the MSM wouldn’t touch it for fear of being sued.

• Word of Mouth in D.C. was way ahead of the media

• Matt Drudge had nothing to lose and went online

Drudge Report

Dean and McCain

Powerline and Dan Rather

Kerry went 1.0

• Command and Control• Given the opportunity to work with

Dean’s internet team and rejected it

2008

• Edwards – Office in Second Life• Paul – Money Bombs• McCain and Hillary put their

twenty-something daughters in charge

• Obama elevates and integrates

2009 - #TCOT and the Tea Party

2010 -United Kingdom

Early Adopters Led the Way

• Chat Rooms• Fighting the Power• Bloggers• Texting

But it’s not about the tools

• It’s about the Strategies and effectively utilizing the tools and technologies to carry out the strategies and tactics

Elected Officials

• Elections (getting elected and re-elected) is the business that politicians are in.

Nature of Political Campaigns

• Strict Deadlines• Limited Budgets• Second place = losing

What Drives Campaigns?• Money• Media• Votes• Politicians are in the business of

getting elected (or appointed.) • All public policy results from this

process either directly or indirectly.

Votes

• Votes represent the actions of real people who are motivated enough to take time out of their lives on a Tuesday in November, a Saturday in May, or other election days….to choose who runs the governmental entities they finance.

Social Media and Search

• Allow politicians and, yes, interest groups, to go where the voters gather their information in forming their opinions.

Earned Media

• Traditional – newspapers, magazines, radio, television

• Social – blogs, retweets

Social and Search

Paid Media

• Traditional – newspapers, magazines, radio, television

• Search – google ads, facebooks ads

Influencing Elected Officials

• Money• Media • Votes – Constituents…especially

those with a voice, who contribute, and who regularly participate

Constituent Mail• In the old days (10 years ago) snail

mail would greatly impact how a Congressman votes on an issue.

• 100 (unique) letters would get attention

• 1,000 could sway the Member of Congress

Post 9/11 and Anthrax

• Snail mail can take months for delivery

• Members of Congress rely on email and other digital forms of communication

“Google It”

• Staff are young and depend on search engines for research

• Social media, SEM, SEO can greatly impact how the briefing memos to the elected officials are written including constituent input

The Tools• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) • SEO Campaign Management• Online Reputation Management• Online Advocacy Programs• Mobile Search Marketing• Paid Search Advertising• Website Optimization and Conversion• Ad Exchange Management• Online Media Planning and Buying• Social Media, Search Marketing & Training• Online Fundraising

Integration

• Traditional• Social• Search

The Future•Micro-targeting•Fragmentation•Flash Mobs•Causes•Mobile

How to Influence Public Policy

• Do your homework• Know if an elected official can

reconcile your position with their constituents and supporters

• Ask for support effectively

Information Is Power

• Still as true as always• Word of mouth is credible• Speed and Timing are key today

Use Online Communities

• Word-of-mouth and public affairs are old acquaintances

• Use online communities to carry the message

• Spot influential members and get to know them

• Use digital tools to measure impact

Why 2.0 Works in Public Affairs

• People are opinionated, they will go wherever they can read, listen, watch and give immediate input in real-time or close to it

• People are relational and will gather in groups of like-minded people

• Politicians will respond to both of the above

About Apogee Campaigns

• WINNING social media and search engine marketing campaigns focused on government and public affairs programs for corporations, professional and trade associations, select political candidates, causes and campaigns

• Proven techniques, powerful online tools & technologies, and a deep expertise in statistical evaluation to generate solid, measurable results at every stage of the social media and search engine marketing process

• High return on investment solutions for public affairs efforts and associated media, fundraising and organizational challenges

Thank You!

• @MikeChapman on Twitter• Mike.Chapman on Facebook• http://budurl.com/Chapman• ApogeeCampaigns@Gmail.com