Love it or loathe it social media is here to stay. If your organisation hasn’t found a way to make the most of yet, then 2019 is your year.
Not only will using social well give your institution more credibility and cultural relevance, it will also help build a rapport with public, and even drive revenue.
But how do you know which platform or which tools will get your message out there?
Below are seven social media tactics for government of tactics you can use to optimise your social media comms.
It’s never been more important to know how to use social media, so make 2019 the year your organisations learns to master it | @JSTweetsDigital Click To Tweet1. Real time news bulletins
Using Twitter and Facebook as a means of delivering of news bulletins can be invaluable to your organisation, particularly if it concerns keeping the public safe. That’s why An Garda Siochana and the Dublin Fire Brigade endorse using it regularly. They not only warn people against potential dangers, but also ask for the public’s help in solving crimes or reporting fires.
If you’re organisation operates in real time like this, you should consider ways to use your Twitter or Facebook feed to engage with the public live.
2. Crisis management like inclement weather events
Of course, some events can sometimes escalate into a full-blown crisis where the public needs to be kept abreast of the situation over longer periods of time. A good example of this would be Storm Emma from last year which affected the operations of many public-sector organisations from Met Eireann to Iarnród Eireann. So, whether your role is to manage the timeline of a crisis or reassure the public that they can still use your services; Twitter, Facebook and even Instagram can be invaluable here.
Social media has become an integral part of communications around real time news and events. It’s now essential as a two-way vehicle to help keep the public safe and for the public to report time-critical incidents to authorities | @JSTweetsDigitalClick To Tweet
3. Education and participation
Apart from news, social media can also be a tremendous source of fun and engagement. If your organisation runs lot of public events, using Facebook Events as way of promoting and inviting participation can ensure you always get a crowd. So, whether you’re an arts body, a museum or you’re running a public interest initiative, be sure to consider this tool for all your public events.
4. Stream town-hall or council meetings, and PR launches
Another great tool is Facebook Live. This can be used by all sorts of Government and Public bodies to host many events. Things like a town hall or council meetings, or of course a PR launch event. It’s a good way for the public to get behind the scenes. It also allows followers to keep track of an event they were unable to attend.
Social media allows the public to attend, participate in, watch and comment on public-interest events and meetings up and down the country | @JStweetsDigitalClick To Tweet5. Public Service campaigns
Often of course, your message needs to be broadcast over a longer period of time as part of a public service campaign. Here, you can use all or any of the social platforms to help get your message across. The HSE, Safe Food, and the RSA are just some of the organisations who’ve utilised this power. Using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and more to successfully deliver their campaigns.
6. Recruit staff
But it’s not just the general public you’re communicating with. Your social media can also talk to your own staff, and be used as a vehicle to recruit more too. Facebook and Instagram can promote the benefits of working for your organisation in an inviting, behind-the-scenes way. While LinkedIn can be used to promote your organisation’s thought leadership through articles, its main strength is as an active recruitment tool for new staff.
Whether you’re running a big budget public service campaign or looking to hire new staff, social media has become an essential part of your advertising mix | @JSTweetsDigitalClick To Tweet
7. Build a better rapport with the public
Finally, no matter what it is you’re trying to achieve, there’s always time to post fun, engaging, or down-to-earth content. Think of your social media channels as epitomising your organisation’s personality. It’s busy developing long-term conversations with the public. Winning the public over to your side helps build their trust. It also makes your government body more relevant and trustworthy whenever you’ve got an important message to share.
Above all more specific objectives, social media is a tool to build more a rapport with your public. This helps make your organisation relevant and builds trust with them for all your future campaigns | @JSTweetsDigitalClick To Tweet
How do I get started?
These are just some of the main ways to use social media effectively. We hope it has inspired you to take another look at how you are using social media.
If you need help on how best to use these tactics, or would like more information in general. We’d be only too delighted to help.
JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP
I DONT CARE IF ANYONEN SEES ME HACKS ME KEEP STEALING MY PHONE, KEEP HACKING ME AND OTHERS YOU CANT HIDE