Using Web 2.0 Technologies for Community Communications

What is Web 2.0? enhance creativityinformation sharing collaboration among users  Web 2.0 is a term describing the trend in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aims to enhance creativity, information sharing, and, most notably, collaboration among users. YouTube Video

Communications Shift Fundamental Shift of Power

Communications Shift How does this apply?  Citizens expect to interact with you differently  Other industries are adapting based on these changes  You should too

What happened? Impact of global economy  Knowledge-based  Education counts, degrees matter  Technology allows people to work anywhere; they are choosing the cities  Mobile population  “Place” attracts people  Young people choose where to live first, then look for work  World-wide competition for talent

Globalization  ½ the World’s population is urban.  Urban areas are gaining an estimated 60 million people a year.  By 2020 the benefits of globalization won’t be global.

We know... Millennials matter  Ages  Most mobile group  Largest population group after Boomers  “Urban Tribes” live and move together from place to place (Paul Schutt, Issue Media Group)  Seek interesting, unique places to “stumble into fun” – cafes, arts and culture, bike paths, and informal “third places”

Communication Trends  90% of all internet users use  Teens & Millennials prefer IM and/or Texts  Constant state of partial attention. (TLDNR)

Millennials & Communication How do they prefer to communicate?  37% by text messaging  26% by  19% by Social Networking IM  11% by IM  11% by Social Networking

What is Out There?  Understanding what’s available  Social Networking  Videos/Pictures  Blogs  Twitter  What’s in your “Community”?  Flickr  Facebook  Youtube  Blogs

Examples  Adrian   Cedar Springs  Facebook Facebook   Holland  Facebook Facebook   Ypsilanti  Ypsilanti Youth Empowered to Act Ypsilanti Youth Empowered to Act  Ypsilanti Citizen Ypsilanti Citizen  The League  Facebook Facebook  Inside 208 Inside 208

Opportunities  A website is not enough  No more information dumps  Do your homework  Create a conversation Bi-directional communication

Effective Communication  Provide Value  Regular  Real (honest, authentic, feels like communication)  Transparent  Action-oriented

Measure EVERYTHING  How effective are your communications?  How many unique web visitors do you get a month? Communications/Web Measurement Tools  Informz  iContact  Google Analytics

Get Started Now  Tools are less expensive Facebook, YouTube, Flickr = Free  Technology flattens communities  Events are easily organized and publicized