Restoring Public Trust through Social Media

Citizen trust in government agencies and officials is at a historic low. According to Pew Research, less than 20 percent of surveyed Americans reported trusting the federal government to do what is right “most of the time.” This widespread lack of trust in the public sector includes government agencies, appointees, employees, and officials. Additionally, the general attitudes of mistrust are reported to extend to federal, state, and local government sectors. While public trust has remained in a decline for the past fifty years, the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have accelerated the decline. Many of the organizations that Americans formerly looked to for accurate information and support no longer are regarded as trustworthy institutions. 

Widespread Effects of Declining Public Trust in Government Agencies

According to the Aspen Institute, the declining levels of trust in American government systems may be attributed to multiple events, including government ineffectiveness and inefficiency, globalization, economic downturns, increased polarization, and the rise in mis- and disinformation. Unfortunately, the nationwide consequences of widespread mistrust of the public sector had wide-reaching implications, such as economic instability, public health crises, military recruitment failures, national security concerns, and increasing polarization among our diverse communities. Lack of trust in government agencies may also result in an inability of government agencies to recruit Millennial and Generation Z talent. 

The Lack of Public Trust Limits Government Agency Effectiveness

Federal, state, and local government agencies must work to restore public trust. Community trust in organizations is imperative for sustainability, but also vital for effective crisis response. A public lack of trust in government agencies can result in citizens not utilizing government agency resources and programs. An example of this is the refusal by some citizens to receive the COVID-19 vaccine even though government agencies at all levels were recommending vaccination. In the case of viral pandemics, this failure to vaccinate put entire communities at risk of contracting the virus, death, and overburdening healthcare infrastructure. A recent study revealed that countries with higher levels of public trust in government agencies had lower rates of COVID-19 infection rates and fatalities.

Social Media’s Potential Role in Restoring Public Trust in Government Agencies

Developing community relationships and building trust in a government agency doesn't happen overnight - it’s the result of consistent communications and demonstrated impact. In 2022, a survey by Partnership for Public Service revealed that Americans wanted the federal government to be more accountable, more efficient with resources, more transparent, and more responsive to public input. Social media’s unique communications capabilities and potential for widespread reach provide government agencies an opportunity to improve across these identified verticals. Through strategic usage of multiple social media platforms, government agencies can solicit and respond to citizen input, increase transparency and accountability, and demonstrate organizational impact as it relates to the diverse communities government agencies were founded to serve. 

Here are a few tips for government agencies utilizing social media to restore public trust:

Recognize that restoring trust requires a long-term approach. 

Rebuilding trust in an organization doesn’t happen overnight; instead, it often requires a lengthy, consistent process that demonstrates government competence and commitment to the community. Government agencies can utilize social media to communicate the organization’s mission, engage the public, and respond to community concerns. While this isn’t something that can be achieved overnight, restoring public trust can have multi-generational impacts. 

Consider the user experience both on- and offline. 

Government agencies should not silo their communications and outreach into “traditional” and “digital” initiatives. An effective trust-building strategy will take a more integrated approach that leverages both mediums for the overall objective. According to Brookings, government agencies should utilize technology to “proactively educate, engage, and enliven the citizenry.” When social media is integrated into the government agency’s overall outreach strategy, this digital presence can be complementary to more traditional communications and programs. 

Prioritize public engagement on social media.

Social media works best when it’s viewed as more of a community than a communications tool. Government agencies can leverage their online presence to connect with the communities they serve, and provide the public opportunities to engage with public officials. Social media engagement isn’t just clicks and “Likes.” Truly effective social media engagement is sparking positive action, crowdsourcing information, and engaging in two-way conversations through comments, messages, etc. People respond well to organizations that engage them in problem-solving processes. Government agencies can leverage social media to solicit feedback from the public on community matters and concerns. This could be something formal such as an online survey, or even a chat on social media. This type of co-participation provides citizens with a sense of equity in both the community and the solution. 

Demonstrate the government agency’s mission and measurable impact. 

What does the government agency actually do? Why was it founded? Why does it continue to receive funding? How does the government agency directly impact the lives of the people it serves? Citizens trust organizations that actually make a difference - a difference in their lives, the lives of their neighbors, and their community. All too often, public sector organizations do a good job at making a difference in the community, they just fail to communicate this impact to the people they serve in a clear and accessible way. Digital communications such as social media, blogs, e-newsletters, and websites provide excellent channels for government agencies to share their work with the public. 

Additional social media support for government agencies:

If your organization is looking for a creative partner to provide marketing consulting and management services, contact Becker Digital. We specialize in going beyond the screen and engaging diverse communities in a meaningful way. All of our work is customized to the organizational client’s needs.

Contact us to schedule a complimentary call and learn more about how marketing strategy can enhance your organization’s mission.

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