Government communications perspective

Anthony SimonHead of Digital CommunicationsNumber 10 and Cabinet Office

@anthonysimon

Digital audit and review

• Thorough audit of digital skills and output across Government communicators.

• Highlighted the need to work ever harder to keep up with the rapid increase of social media and other digital.

• Government is responding by ensuring it has the right structure and staff have the best skills and understanding – led by Digital Communications Action Group.

Digital skills for all

• Key challenge for future is how to enable all government communicators to be able to carry out regular digital tasks.

• We are moving from broadcast to conversation.

• Modern government communicators need to be data analysts, content editors and movement creators.

‘Manifesto for Change’

Three guiding principles•Digital communication in government should be a core skill for all, not a specialist area, by end of 2014. •Communications leaders, Digital Leaders and GDS must work more closely together – a more collaborative approach is needed to get the most out of GOV.UK. and other GDS services.•We mustn’t let a risk-averse culture block innovative and impactful digital comms – attitudes to risk need to be balanced, pragmatic and informed by business need.

‘Manifesto for Change’

Three guiding principles•Digital communication in government should be a core skill for all, not a specialist area, by end of 2014. •Communications leaders, Digital Leaders and GDS must work more closely together – a more collaborative approach is needed to get the most out of GOV.UK. and other GDS services.•We mustn’t let a risk-averse culture block innovative and impactful digital comms – attitudes to risk need to be balanced, pragmatic and informed by business need.

Transition to GOV.UK

Use interest in PM social media to optimise comms

• 2.5 million followers of @Number10gov• 560,000 followers of David Cameron blog on

LinkedIn• 200,000 followers of Number 10 on Facebook

The end of the press release?

• Government isn’t afraid of using social media for major announcements• Helps drive news agenda for ‘traditional media’ • @DefraGovUK is good case study of what can be achieved as they won

CIPR award for best use of social media (proactively engaging about badger cull, horsemeat) .