Public opinion: Your blogs

Local authorities and social media – what’s next?

Since my job is to show clients how to use words effectively in press releases, reports and on websites, anything which suggests councils are using the power of the written word on social media platforms will grab my attention.

I recently spotted two reports by the Society of Information Technology Management (Socitm) on social media and councils. Together they make interesting reading for anyone keeping an eye on how councils communicate with local residents.

'Social media: why ICT management should lead their organisations to embrace it' summarises the answers given by local authority IT managers when asked about their council’s social media policies. The findings are revealing.

The Socitm site claims: 'About 67% [of councils] have a total ban on use, enforced either through policy or by a software block. Others allow use out of office... or over the lunch period - suggesting that they see these tools as purely social and not having any business benefit. In contrast, according to Computer Weekly, some 80% of private sector organisations do not block access.'

Security worries top the list of reasons given for restricting access, 'with possible exposure to viruses, malware and spyware chief causes for concern'.

Other concerns include 'time wasting by council staff, risk of reputational damage, systems and data compromise and increases in bandwidth requirements'.

These are all genuine concerns and each is dealt with in the report. More positively, 'the report says social media may help address looming budget issues faced by public service organisations, by providing economical ways of engaging citizens, delivering services, and by empowering and supporting employees.'

The second report offers a perfect illustration of how the link up between social media and local authorities can work in practice.

Drawing on research conducted in January during what is referred to as 'the snow crisis', Socitm says councils are starting to use social media such as Facebook and Twitter to keep in touch with residents and businesses during emergency periods.

'Twitter gritters' are a welcome development and an opportunity for councils to reflect on how the experience of the recent bitter winter period could help them keep in touch more generally through social media.

It remains to be seen whether they will grasp this particular nettle or not. I hope so, because social media channels are only really effective when activity levels are high. The most read bloggers and social media experts are prolific writers who ensure they always have something to say. They know that failure to post a blog or Facebook/Twitter entry for a few days suggests they can’t be bothered or have nothing to say. Either way, their visitors soon get the message and go elsewhere for their information.

There are two ways local authorities can prevent this from happening. First, they should give staff training on how to use social media in a constructive way. Second, they should incorporate social media into their communications plans for emergency and non-emergency periods.

These measures could encourage responsible use of social media, lessen the risk of time wasting or reputational damage, and stop other organisations filling the information vacuum with alternative messages which conflict with those councils are trying to get out into the public domain.