Is Social Media Right for You? Know your limits!

by Meagan Dorsch

Know your limits: this is the philosophy that I apply to everything I do, whether it’s putting together a media plan or buying a bathing suit.

This is a philosophy I think we in the legislative community should adopt before incorporating social media into our communication plans. Social media is also known as Web 2.0. As I explained to my father, Web 2.0 is not an application you can download onto your laptop. Web 2.0, or social media, are terms referring to several on-line communications tools.

Blogs, podcasts and message boards are some of the hottest social media tools on the market: twittering and tweeting are not far behind! Many companies, including government organizations, are considering whether or not to use these tools as a way to communicate with employees, constituents and the public.

This week, I have been attending the National Association of Government Communications annual conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Several of the sessions being offered have covered social media and have been well attended.

For some government organizations it’s hard to think about using social media to communicate with the public. The CIA probably doesn’t want its employees blogging, but other government agencies have had a lot of success with these tools. Steve Crescenzo of Crescenzo Communications showed us a blog launched by the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) and a podcast produced by the U.S. Census Bureau.

So you may be thinking, “If the TSA has a blog, we should too.” Not the case my friends, know your limits!

Steve Crescenzo warned us you don’t have to use these tools just because they are out there. You should use them if they are:

• Engaging: the purpose of social media is to spark conversation in your on-line community. Be ready to hear feedback from the public both  good and bad.
• Entertaining: blogs started out as on-line diaries. Make sure they are written in the first person and have an element of entertainment. A podcast should sound like an old time radio show.
• And a good fit for your communications plan.

Keeping these three things in mind might help you decide if your organization, business or legislature should incorporate social media or Web 2.0 into your media strategy. If you do, these same three tips will help them be a successful and effective way to communicate with your employees, constituents and the public. And remember, know your limits!

Comments

[Michelle Blackston]

I would love to see state legislators start their own personal blogs about being an elected official. It not only encourages participating in representative government, but it also shows constituents what you're doing. And it's a great way for reporters and others in the media to write stories about the great work coming from statehouses.