Social networks in local government Akademie ČTK Jiří Majstr

Programme  Brief introduction  Social media cookbook  Facebook  Twitter and Twitter tools  Which media for what

Social media / mobile web  Revolutionary  From pulpit to conversation  From table to pocket or handbag  Some people (seniors) can be left behind

Social networks  New – technologies, not people

Social media - an enemy?  Problems  Manipulation  You do not own / control  No negotiation with owners  Today on – tomorrow off  Never meant for local gov

Social media myths  Only for technical geeks  It is about tools  It is only young who use SM  Only fools use social media  Big waste of time  Too hard  Very easy  Too risky  Need to hire a professional  Replacement for traditional work

Social networks – why?  It is free, easy, fast  Extends reach:  Facebook in CR (10 mln people)  3 mln Facebook members  4.8 mln people vote  550 million people around world  Image

Facebook – Czech Republic  :  users  Age  50 pct yrs  (Source:

Social networks - worldwide Zdroj:

Social media – for Loc Gov

Social networks – Dos Don´ts  Strength of sharing  Dos  As part of a project  Interconnected web/ soc media presence  Team, rules, objective  Don´ts  As a separate effort

Social networks – Issues?  Don’t think too big  Bandwidth  Staff time (spam/comments)  Private / official  Frequent change of rules  Sharing good practice

Social media – How  Daily feed – stagnation discourages  Be useful  Ask – make conversation  Accept criticism  Mixed media  Connect to people with connections – following  Think about mobile - hyperlinks

Social media – for Loc Gov  Which social network  Wiki  Events  Location based  Twitter  Facebook  YouTube  Interconnections!

Facebook – plug-ins

Facebook - Why?  Advantage:  Strength of „likes“  Support for events, projects  Image  Real time feedback  Disadvantage  Strength of dislikes  Fact  Opponents use it too

Twitter – why?  140 characters – limitation or advantage?  How long do you write 140 chars?  How long do you read 140 chars?  Global news / clipping service  Speed  Networks watch your subject(s) for you

Twitter – tools  Search.twitter.com  Twittergrader.com  Friendfeed.com  Tweetdeck 

TweetDeck

Social media – use  Twitter, Facebook, Wiki – local election results service  Wiki – council information, history, tourism promotion  YouTube – council meetings – Facebook, Twitter  YouTube – policing issues, children safety  YouTube – fire safety  Facebook, Twitter – event promotion – YouTube  Community maps – services / problems / new facilities  Facebook – community projects

Social media – summary  If Facebook were state 3rd largest  YouTube 2nd largest search engine  60 mln posts daily on FCB  Wiki 15 mln entries  Social media in every mobile phone  People trust friends  Listening part of communication  People discuss public policy issues  Do we want to be part of this debate?

Social media – old issue  „Half of Twitter is composed of people who have something to say and say it brilliantly the other half have nothing to say and keep saying it.“

Thank you Contact Jiří Majstr phone: Facebook: Twitter: