Facebook and Twitter
Content
onlinecouncil.com.au
November 2013
Online engagement in local government
Facebook
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Twitter
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The name Facebook is almost synonymous with social networking. Established in 2004 for American college students, the site has quickly grown to become Australia’s most popular social media site. Individuals can establish their own account and share information, photographs and video. Organisations and brands can establish their own pages and often do. The most “liked” pages on Facebook in 2013 are “official” television programs, and pages for alcohol. Almost one third of the top 30 most liked pages are for either snack food or fast food (Marketingmag 2013). Local examples of Facebook pages include Macedon Ranges Emergency Alerts Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ MacedonRangesEmergencyAlerts ), and Healthy Together Mildura’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/HealthyTogetherMildura).
Twitter has grown to count nearly 3% of the entire global population among its active users. They have sent more than 170 billion 140-character messages. Today the service plays such a significant role in American culture that the Library of Congress has assembled a permanent archive of the site back to its first tweet, updated daily. Twitter is often referred to as a micro-blogging site because it allows users to “publish” information up to 140 characters. Unlike Facebook which has privacy settings, these published posts are generally viewable by anyone on the web. Posts can include text, videos, photos, links to web pages or information tags, often called hashtags, that can make information easier to find. Local examples include the City of Great Bendigo’s Twitter account (www.twitter.com/ Greater_Bendigo) and Swan Hill Rural Council’s Twitter account (www.twitter.com/SwanHillCouncil)
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NOTE: Importantly for organisations establishing their own page on Facebook, other users are able to post comments on the page. Clear guidelines for user engagement need to be established as well as internally agreed escalation procedures. Moderation after hours is also important because issues can quickly deteriorate if not addressed promptly.
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NOTE: Best practice use of Twitter is to use it as a way to engage the community or consumers by promoting issues, as well as listening and responding to concerns. Research indicates that key opinion leaders, including journalists, are among the most prolific users of this social media, which often means that what happens online, doesn’t always stay online.
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© Ross Monaghan 2013
Page !1
onlinecouncil.com.au
November 2013
YouTube
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LinkedIn
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YouTube is a popular video sharing site that allows individuals and organisations to upload and broadcast videos to devices such as PCs, smartphones and smartTVs. Videos can include professionally produced content such as television shows or commercials, corporate videos, and even iPhone videos or webcam chats. Local examples include the City of Greater Bendigo’s Youth Online Youtube channel (www.youtube.com/user/YoBendigo), and Gannawarra Shire Council’s Youtube channel (www.youtube.com/user/GannawarraShire)
LinkedIn is a professional social networking site that allows users to detail their work and education history. The site is often viewed as an online resume. It is also used by many as a way of finding contact details of professional contacts as they move from job to job.
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NOTE: LinkedIn has active discussion groups on a range of topics including telecommunications and mobile phones. Organisations have their own page which can make it easy for people to find employees, or past employees of an organisation. Local examples include the Mildura Young Professionals Network (www.tinyurl.com/m2lposa) and Bendigo Small Business Owners ‘NET’workers (www.tinyurl.com/m9soasb).
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NOTE: News organisations report that video and audio content are some of the most visited pages on their websites. Organisations such as SouthWest Airlines in the US combine corporate information and policy videos alongside user-generated video and their own corporate videos. Their videos demonstrate that even mundane and complex information can quickly and easily be made entertaining and accessible through the use of video.
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Organisations also need to be aware of the increasing use of YouTube, and other video channels, on “smart” TVs. Organisations using YouTube (or similar channels) will effectively become their own internet television station.
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© Ross Monaghan 2013
Page !2
onlinecouncil.com.au
November 2013
“We access social media from the first thing in the morning, and throughout the day, with many of us checking our social media as the last thing we do before we go to bed.”
- Sensis 2013.
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Yammer
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Flickr and Instagram
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Yammer is a Facebook-like social networking site that is private to users with a unique email domain, for example @mycouncil.vic.gov.au. This means that private online networks are created for individual organisations. Owned by Microsoft, Yammer is offered free, with a paid version offering greater control of the network. Employees can post information in the form of text, video and audio. They can also upload and share documents, and create private groups. The services have been used by a range of organisations to enhance the flow of communication, as well as to enhance productivity and innovation.
Flickr and Instagram are both photo sharing services. Instagram, however, is primarily used by “amateur” photographers wanting to share photos taken with their smartphones. Photos are usually viewed on smartphones too. Because of the popularity of the site some marketers, particularly in the FMCG sector, have initiated marketing campaigns on the platform. Flickr is favoured by serious amateur photographers and organisations wanting to create their own online photo libraries. Currently no LGAs in the Loddon Mallee region appear to have an account, however you can search for photographs taken in your area by visiting www.flickr.com, and searchinstagram.com.
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NOTE: While not totally secure, Yammer is a relatively safe environment for employees to share non-sensitive data and information, and also to learn how to effectively use and manage social media. Local examples: All LGA will have a network, although they may be inactive, or have never been used. To check, you can sign in at www.yammer.com.
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© Ross Monaghan 2013
Page !3
November 2013
Online engagement in local government
!
!
The name Facebook is almost synonymous with social networking. Established in 2004 for American college students, the site has quickly grown to become Australia’s most popular social media site. Individuals can establish their own account and share information, photographs and video. Organisations and brands can establish their own pages and often do. The most “liked” pages on Facebook in 2013 are “official” television programs, and pages for alcohol. Almost one third of the top 30 most liked pages are for either snack food or fast food (Marketingmag 2013). Local examples of Facebook pages include Macedon Ranges Emergency Alerts Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ MacedonRangesEmergencyAlerts ), and Healthy Together Mildura’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/HealthyTogetherMildura).
Twitter has grown to count nearly 3% of the entire global population among its active users. They have sent more than 170 billion 140-character messages. Today the service plays such a significant role in American culture that the Library of Congress has assembled a permanent archive of the site back to its first tweet, updated daily. Twitter is often referred to as a micro-blogging site because it allows users to “publish” information up to 140 characters. Unlike Facebook which has privacy settings, these published posts are generally viewable by anyone on the web. Posts can include text, videos, photos, links to web pages or information tags, often called hashtags, that can make information easier to find. Local examples include the City of Great Bendigo’s Twitter account (www.twitter.com/ Greater_Bendigo) and Swan Hill Rural Council’s Twitter account (www.twitter.com/SwanHillCouncil)
!
NOTE: Importantly for organisations establishing their own page on Facebook, other users are able to post comments on the page. Clear guidelines for user engagement need to be established as well as internally agreed escalation procedures. Moderation after hours is also important because issues can quickly deteriorate if not addressed promptly.
!
NOTE: Best practice use of Twitter is to use it as a way to engage the community or consumers by promoting issues, as well as listening and responding to concerns. Research indicates that key opinion leaders, including journalists, are among the most prolific users of this social media, which often means that what happens online, doesn’t always stay online.
! !
! !
© Ross Monaghan 2013
Page !1
onlinecouncil.com.au
November 2013
YouTube
!
!
YouTube is a popular video sharing site that allows individuals and organisations to upload and broadcast videos to devices such as PCs, smartphones and smartTVs. Videos can include professionally produced content such as television shows or commercials, corporate videos, and even iPhone videos or webcam chats. Local examples include the City of Greater Bendigo’s Youth Online Youtube channel (www.youtube.com/user/YoBendigo), and Gannawarra Shire Council’s Youtube channel (www.youtube.com/user/GannawarraShire)
LinkedIn is a professional social networking site that allows users to detail their work and education history. The site is often viewed as an online resume. It is also used by many as a way of finding contact details of professional contacts as they move from job to job.
!
NOTE: LinkedIn has active discussion groups on a range of topics including telecommunications and mobile phones. Organisations have their own page which can make it easy for people to find employees, or past employees of an organisation. Local examples include the Mildura Young Professionals Network (www.tinyurl.com/m2lposa) and Bendigo Small Business Owners ‘NET’workers (www.tinyurl.com/m9soasb).
!
NOTE: News organisations report that video and audio content are some of the most visited pages on their websites. Organisations such as SouthWest Airlines in the US combine corporate information and policy videos alongside user-generated video and their own corporate videos. Their videos demonstrate that even mundane and complex information can quickly and easily be made entertaining and accessible through the use of video.
! ! ! !
!
Organisations also need to be aware of the increasing use of YouTube, and other video channels, on “smart” TVs. Organisations using YouTube (or similar channels) will effectively become their own internet television station.
! ! !
© Ross Monaghan 2013
Page !2
onlinecouncil.com.au
November 2013
“We access social media from the first thing in the morning, and throughout the day, with many of us checking our social media as the last thing we do before we go to bed.”
- Sensis 2013.
!
Yammer
!
Flickr and Instagram
!
Yammer is a Facebook-like social networking site that is private to users with a unique email domain, for example @mycouncil.vic.gov.au. This means that private online networks are created for individual organisations. Owned by Microsoft, Yammer is offered free, with a paid version offering greater control of the network. Employees can post information in the form of text, video and audio. They can also upload and share documents, and create private groups. The services have been used by a range of organisations to enhance the flow of communication, as well as to enhance productivity and innovation.
Flickr and Instagram are both photo sharing services. Instagram, however, is primarily used by “amateur” photographers wanting to share photos taken with their smartphones. Photos are usually viewed on smartphones too. Because of the popularity of the site some marketers, particularly in the FMCG sector, have initiated marketing campaigns on the platform. Flickr is favoured by serious amateur photographers and organisations wanting to create their own online photo libraries. Currently no LGAs in the Loddon Mallee region appear to have an account, however you can search for photographs taken in your area by visiting www.flickr.com, and searchinstagram.com.
! ! ! !
NOTE: While not totally secure, Yammer is a relatively safe environment for employees to share non-sensitive data and information, and also to learn how to effectively use and manage social media. Local examples: All LGA will have a network, although they may be inactive, or have never been used. To check, you can sign in at www.yammer.com.
! ! !
© Ross Monaghan 2013
Page !3
