June 19, 2014

Social Media Done Right

What is the right way to use social media as a brand? I don't think there is a one size fits all answer to that question. However, I think there are some key elements that are necessary for successful social media campaigns and long term community building.

  • Provide information that is meaningful and valuable to your audience.
  • Engage with your audience in real-time about relevant topics and information.
Sounds simple, right?

It's easier in theory than in practice. And, in government, it can be particularly challenging.

Today, I saw a great example of social media really done right by a government agency. This afternoon, a bear ventured onto the campus of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. (For those unfamiliar with the Washington, DC metro area, Bethesda is a suburb just north of the city - and definitely not a place that bears frequently visit.) Within a short period of time, this was all over the news, and the bear had a couple Twitter accounts, including @NIH_Bear.

Throughout the afternoon the authorities, include the Maryland Natural Resources Police (@MDNRPolice on Twitter) worked to get the bear captured and relocated to a more rural, wildlife-friendly location. During that time, @MDNRPolice had an ongoing conversation with the crazy @NIH_Bear Twitter user. The conversation was quick, funny, and smart. It was great to see a government agency engaging with their community in real-time in a relevant way.


And, they took the opportunity to teach people a little bit of information about their state's work to preserve wildlife:

This is a great example of social media done right.

I gave them kudos on Twitter and they had the best response:



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