Euprera Spring Symposium 2010
Local Government &
Social Media
Bart Rosseau – strategic communications, City of Ghent
Context…
… of government communication
Why should we use it?
What makes it difficult to use it?
Communicate what?
Government communication is about POLICYcommunicated by different actors
The process : Why ? Where ? How?
The product : What ? When ?
The most defining aspect :We have to communicate/react even before the formal decision, so the decision-making itself is part of the public arena
Who is “the government”?
Decision making process :
1. Agendasetting - Public/Politicians/Stakeholders
• problem definition • public awareness
2. Preparation – Administration/Politicianshow where what when who
3. Formal Decision - Politicians
4. Implementation - Administration
5. Evaluation – Public/Politicians/Administration
Use of social media is relevant for every step, but when is it most relevant coming from the government?
Who speaks when?
A broad range
A sample of subjects:
(top items www.gent.be – 15/02/2010)
- Klimaatbudget : sensibilisation about a greener city
- Starting a commission about the retrieval of a Kokoscha Painting
- Free tickets Flanders Horse Expo
- Jeugdboekenweek
- Applying for a grant for environmental organisations
- Ghent city hosts the international Quality Congress
- Open letter to public transport compagnie about routing frequency
WITH ONE VOICE?
Why use social media?
- Being there where the people are
- a personal approach? - gauging public opinion? - segmentation?
- A new audience?
- Additional to existing channels
- Have some control: anybody can start something about Ghentbe the first to say it
Who is sending the message? A company profile?
Our experiences so far… Facebook & Linked-in
Core: leisure!!!!(cultural, tourism, …)
• Musea (SMAK, MSK, Huis van Alijn)• Events (Gentse Feesten, WinWinbeurs, Jazz in ‘t park)• Campaigns (SWAP pas, Gentse Ondernemer, ….)
Exception :
Gent over Morgen: experiment with Facebook, Youtube, Gentblogt
- jan-mar 2009- public discussion about long term vision (Gent 2020) - challenge: keep a positive atmosphere
- informal character was reason to use social media - more creativity- avoid intimidating aspect of talking to ‘the government’
Online credibility?
Our experiences so far…
- Challenge: how to maintain a consistent online corporate identity
- It can be the right tool: using it wrong does more harm then not using it
added value? tone of voice!!!
- Not all aspects of government communication
Is the public ready for Government 2.0?
Conclusion?
We’re not trendsetters. We don’t need to be.
www.gent.beGentinfo : 09 210 10 10
references
www.gent.be/gentovermorgenwww.gentblogt.be www.youtube.com/gentovermorgen
Background :http://www.kenniscentrumvlaamsesteden.be/samenwerken/participatie/interessante%20participatietrajecten/gent2020 (dutch)
www.gent.beGentinfo : 09 210 10 10
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