Last week, among all the hype around Miley Cyrus and a hoax about a girl setting herself on fire by accident while twerking, there was a possible threat of war in a place called Syria. And among that commotion a comment was made by President Al-Assad, alluding to rumours gleaned from social media.
He said: “We’re not social media administration or government. We are the government that deals with reality.” And that got me to thinking.
As a custodian of one of Flow’s clients’ social media accounts, we deal with real-world issues every day. And I wondered if our thousands of followers agreed with Assad’s separation of the virtual and real.
More and more, municipalities are using online tools to connect with residents through informational websites. The advent of social media provides a forum for exchange between residents and government, and residents and residents. This form of communication makes it seem democratic as it encourages citizen engagement, which is seen as a way of shifting power away from policy.
By using online platforms there is instant proliferation of ideas and events, and we can address current issues by means of citizen media, utilising others to tell your story. It also allows citizens who are not socially active to become so.
Using social media for civic engagement is also said to reduce costs, as there is no need for physical meeting locations. Having a Twitter town hall is more effective than having a physical one if there are sufficient users, or enough interest.
Most importantly, the brand is seen as delivering services and communicating vital information, especially in emergency situations where the co-ordination of resources is vital.
I’ve been managing the City of Cape Town social media account, among other key content work for Flow, since September 2012, and in that time we have seen the social media platforms grow exponentially. Today Cape Town has the greatest following in terms of users compared to other municipalities in South Africa, something that has taken time and dedication.
I decided to compile a list of the things I’ve learnt from managing an account so very different from our usual and varied clients, and from different conversations I’ve had over the past year.
Things I’ve learnt from local government communications (namely, websites and social media):
1. Pretty does make a difference. Looks are important, or are as important as information, the design and navigation of the website. Government websites have a tendency to be an online version of its municipal buildings: boring, plain and convoluted, with no solid directions to where one can access information or services easily. If your website is easy to navigate, clean and gets to the heart of the issues, then visitors will return.
2. Listen, respond and follow up. Having a social media presence means active engagement. Despite many government departments having communications centres or contact centres, users are still turning to social media as a means to request services. Social media bridges the communications and contact centres, which requires a deep synergy.
3. Establishing an online or social platform is not always easy in a government environment due to archaic thinking, fear of the unknown or the simple volatility of engaging in a public environment. The trick is getting government to understand that social media is not a technology, but rather a new way of communicating with stakeholders.
4. Government social media content is similar to banking and insurance. Not “sexy”, but knowing where, when and how makes life easier. It’s about the facts, the services provided and possible solutions to grievances. It’s about putting the user into contact with the correct problem-solver. It is also best to keep in mind that the voice of the brand should also convey this. Keep it simple, keep it open, but remember that it’s still corporate. No smiley faces, no slang and definitely no arguing with trolls.
5. When managing online communities, it is advisable to make a clear distinction between politics and governance. The aim is not to promote any party objectives; that is the role of council. Our role as managers is civil service. We serve our clients (residents) first, and only.
Should government be more social? Is interacting with your stakeholders via online platforms more real than “reality”? Does engaging with citizens not help mould policy? Perhaps Assad should consider this before dismissing it so easily.