Now Trending Social Media and Public Works Jill A. Mercurio, P .E. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

“Now Trending…” Social Media and Public Works Jill A. Mercurio, P .E. Public Works Director/City Engineer – City of San Pablo Shanna Bowen President – Integrated Marketing Communications Corporation

Social Media • What is it? And why do I care?? • Communication!

Nut and Bolts • How do you choose what to post? • Who writes it? • Who posts it? • Where do you post it?

What to Post? • It depends… on your purpose…

What to Post? • It depends on your purpose… • Invite

What to Post? • It depends on your purpose… • Invite

What to Post? • It depends on your purpose… • Invite • Document

What to Post? • It depends on your purpose… • Invite • Document

What to Post? • It depends on your purpose… • Invite • Document • Inform constituents

What to Post? • It depends on your purpose… • Invite • Document • Inform constituents

What to Post? • It depends on your purpose… • Invite • Document • Inform constituents

What to Post? • It depends on your purpose… • Invite • Document • Inform constituents • Connect!

Who writes it? • Who do you have? • PWD PIO? • Analyst? Engineer? • City PIO? • Pick your wittiest staff person!

What NOT to Post? • Things to keep in mind… • Keep it pertinent • Ensure accuracy • Don’t be afraid of humor • But know what might be sensitive

Who posts it? • It depends… • Public Works (only) site – someone within the department • City site – someone at the city level • Consultant

Where do you post it? • It depends… … on your audience!

Target Audiences: • Facebook • Status updates • Sharing information from other pages (police/fire/similar entities/news stations) • Event Page

Target Audiences: • Facebook • NextDoor • Narrow audience. Viewership is limited to only those residents in your jurisdictional area, NOT a broad platform • Very visible to the member community. • ‘Controversy’ generating

Target Audiences: • Facebook • NextDoor • Instagram • Younger audience – ~75% of users are aged between 18-24, and 90% are under the age of 35 • Great for sharing up-to-date videos/photos/live streams • Not easy to use for lots of data or links • Many agencies use it, so easy to follow/receive/re-post news and information

Target Audiences: • Facebook • NextDoor • Instagram • Twitter • Great for keeping up to date and disseminating news on the spot • Most popular source for news agencies to provide quick updates • Limited in characters, so stories/info must be short & concise • Information can quickly get overlooked/lost in translation • Can be a time sink

Target Audiences: • Facebook • NextDoor • Instagram • Twitter • YouTube • Excellent storage for video content that you can upload/link to various other platforms when needed

Target Audiences: • Facebook • NextDoor • Instagram • Twitter • YouTube • Snapchat • Not as suitable for Public Agencies etc. videos are short-lived. • Younger demographic: 78% of American internet users between the ages of 18 and 24 used Snapchat in 2018 as compared to 7% of those over 50

What to do when a conversation turns negative… • Address valid questions – positive and negative. • Keep emotions out of it. • Emphasize the facts. • Stay consistent. • Know when to reply and when to ignore.

Set protocol • Have staff take photos of their activities. • Have staff download their photos in a timely manner! • Develop a photo library. • Have standard posts. • Have someone else proof your work!

Getting Started • Facebook • Set a plan • Write ahead • Set up your libraries • Get stock photos • Assign roles – day-to-day, emergency • Make it fun!

Getting Started • Facebook • Set a plan • Write ahead • Set up your libraries • Get stock photos • Assign roles – day-to-day, emergency • Make it fun! Questions?

Contact Information Jill A. Mercurio, P .E. Public Works Director/City Engineer – City of San Pablo jillm@sanpabloca.gov Shanna Bowen President – Integrated Marketing Communications Corporation s.bowen@imc-corp.org