How to use social networks to engage with citizens

By using social networks, mobile apps and mash-ups, and building cloud computing sites, governments around the globe have begun forging a compelling and affordable model for interacting with their constituents.

This growing need to interact is not surprising. With 45 million people registered on Twitter and 400 million on Facebook, social networking tools allow governments to reach out to large groups quickly and efficiently.

Millions more worldwide own mobile phones, with studies showing that those in the developing world are more likely to own mobile phones than they are to wear shoes.

The demand for communicating in such a way will only grow over time, as studies show that those under the age of 34 prefer engaging with governments online. These new communication models also offer governments such benefits as lowering the cost per engagement; offering a forum for bringing citizens together; posting messages that the public is likely to see on a regular basis; and providing a clearer understanding of who is talking and what they are saying.

To maximise their use of social media, governments must:

• Use data about citizens that is readily available from social media sites to serve them better – not to watch over them.

• Use the channels to create a dialogue with their citizens, rather than as a megaphone to blast their message.

• Use the different channels together to maximise their interaction with the public.

• Know which channels are most important to reaching their audience and/or have a clear case of why they should come to them.

• Use the proper tone in communicating with the public.

• Make sure they have a capable communicator articulating their messages.

• Know what constitutes success, whether it is in quantitative or qualitative terms.

• Have a plan and know what they want to accomplish.

• Listen to what is being said and act on what is heard.

The days when you only spoke to the government to find answers on when to file your taxes or how to contest a parking fine are gone. Armed with new tools, governments now interact with their citizens in ways that allow them to learn what the public is interested in and what they’re doing, and better respond to what they have to say.

Kelly Dempski is senior director of the Multichannel Group at Accenture Labs