Local Governments 2.0 & 3.0July 14, 2011 – MTPA Conference

Social Media and Your Community

Making Social Media Work for You

My background Examples Social Media Tips Q & A

My Background:

Reporter – 18 years, Greenville, Howell, Flint (Alpena, Cass City)– City Hall, County Gov’t, Village, Twp,

Schools, Crime, Courts, Roads, Millages

– Community Content Coordinator

Public relations manager: Flint CVB

Michigan Municipal League: Director of Communications, November 2009

What’s this Web 2.0 & 3.0 stuff?

You may hear a lot of people talk about Web 2.0, 3.0 and even 4.0. So what do these mean? There’s varying definitions, but the easiest way is to look at each number as an upgrade of sorts over the other. General definitions:

Web 1.0: Social media in it’s infancy, such as the web browser Netscape and Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

Web 2.0: Websites that allow users to do more than just retrieve information, it’s more interactive, such as blogging, podcasting, social networking. Wikis etc...

Web 3.0: Personalization of the web, where “the computer is generating new information” rather than humans. Web 3.0 will allow the user to sit back and let the Internet do all the work for them.

Web 4.0: The future where data, the human mind and machines can interact symbiotically. It’s a thought in progress. Not there yet.

Social Media Revolution Video

Is social media just a fad?

Nope, it’s the biggest shift since the industrial revolution:– 96% Millennials have joined a social network– Facebook tops Google for weekly U.S. traffic– 24 of the 25 largest newspapers are experiencing record circulation declines– Barack Obama – social media large part of his success, hard pressed to find

someone running for any office now without a Facebook page

Years to reach 50 million users:

Radio = 38 years

TV = 13 years

Internet = 4 years

iPOD = 3 years

Facebook = 200 million in under 12 months

Facebook: Why do it?

“We don’t have a choice on whether we DO social media, the question is how well we DO it.”

- Eric Qualman, socialnomics09

If Facebook were a country it would be the 3rd largest: 1. China, 2. India, 3. Facebook, 4. U.S.

Fastest growing segment on Facebook is women ages 55 to 65

“If you don’t promote your community through social media someone else will.”

- Matt Bach, just now

Why Do Social Media?

Cheap

Easy to Use

Offers Two-Way

Communication, give

and take (good and bad)

Effective at spreading

news beyond its first audience to larger audience

Decline of traditional media is an opportunity for us/you

Example: Community Excellence Awards

Use Traditional AND Social Media

Use Your Websites

How to Start?

Step One: Set up Google alerts with your name, city, etc.

Step Two: Form a plan

- Just don’t do it because everyone else is

- Identify a problem, issue or concern you want to address and then use social media

to fix it.

Example: Michigan Municipal League’s motto is Better Communities. Better Communities. MML wants to be “one clear voice for Michigan communities.” Social media is a great tool to achieve that.

How to Start?

The League is in all the major social media areas – Facebook, Twitter, flickr, YouTube.

Flint Michigan Facebook Page

Enjoy Birmingham FB: Excellent!

Your Social Media Options

There are many social media options – so many in fact it’s easy to get frustrated or feel overwhelmed. Prioritize and pick one or two and then do those well.

Suggestions

Start simple:

Blog – what’s a blog?

Twitter page

Facebook page

Blogging – Auburn Hills

Blogging – County Commissioner

Blogging – MML’s Inside 208

Twitter – Mayor Dayne Walling

Twitter – MML CEO Dan Gilmartin

Twitter – Paw Paw Village Manager

MDOT: Traffic updates

Twitter tips:

A strong Twitter page will…

Be interactive, with numerous “@dpgilmartin” and hash tags “#” sending people to key words

Frequent posts, 5 to 10 a day

Draw like-minded groups and people as followers of your page

Have variety of information, not just about how great you are, also include informational and fun items, i.e. did you know longest road is in xyz

Twitter hash tag: #roads

What’s a hash tag?: # - key words that people use to tie topics together on Twitter.

Twitter hash tag: #traffic

Facebook:

A strong Facebook page will…

Be accessible, allow fans to post photos, comments, links and content

Post video, photos, link to other favorite pages, i.e. local businesses, foundations and nonprofit FB pages should be listed under your favorites

Encourage feedback, ask questions, open setting

Example: Social media/facebook good example: Flint Institute of Music: In celebration of hitting the 1,000 fan mark on our facebook page, the Flint Institute of Music will be giving away a voucher for two tickets to the FSO Classical Concert …

Facebook: Linden Mayor Lossing

Facebook: Dayne Walling

U.P. FB page, 57,000, Fan photos

Huntington Woods: Has an official-looking FB page

I Love Dexter, Michigan FB Page

Facebook: Greenville, Michigan

Facebook: Howell Main St., Chamber

Social media leader: Zeeland

Social Media Tips: Summary

Set up Google alerts to monitor what is said about you and your community

Form a plan

Use social media to your advantage, i.e. Facebook and “Let’s Save Michigan” campaign; “Legislative Link and LOOP” email reports.

Get training: Recognize your weaknesses and get help, whether it’s how to do a video for YouTube or redoing your website to make it more interactive.

Get help: Don’t necessarily do it alone, get volunteers or supporters to help out.

Questions & Answers??

Q&A