Government Executives Discuss Strategies for Routinely Updating Social Media Accounts

When former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger opened his Facebook and Twitter accounts, his star power triggered state and local imitators across the country. Government officials saw the social media platforms as a hip way of informing citizens where they already were — on the Web. Administrations ordered individual agencies to start their own accounts, sometimes to the chagrin of those tasked with maintaining them.

A few years have passed since the phenomenon began, and the question of how useful these endeavors have been depends on one’s definition of authentic social networking. Many agencies are using Facebook and Twitter as venues for one-way, press-release style communications. But others insist that true social networking must consist of two-way communication. Each approach presents its own challenges. Debates about whether governments should even bother with social media are ongoing in many state and local agencies, especially since staff reductions have increased employee workloads in many jurisdictions.

The Michigan Department of Community Health found Facebook and Twitter to be useful forums for posting updates during 2009’s H1N1 virus outbreak. However, the process became stressful when citizens posted alarmist, contradictory claims about the crisis.

“Everybody was freaking out,” said Kurt Weiss, public information officer for the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. “We had all of these messages going out on Facebook, and it was very difficult to keep a consistent message.”

Go to Government Technology to read more about the challenges of keeping social media accounts refreshed.