Which Social Media Apps Should Government Agencies Be Active?
Social media platforms are a dime a dozen - Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, Twitter, and the list goes on and on. There are many social media app options for government agencies to exhaust their time and money; however, not all social media platforms yield a positive return on investment for government agencies. Therefore, identifying what social media platforms a government agency should prioritize is essential to a successful social media strategy for public sector organizations.
Which social media platforms are best for government agencies?
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive from government communicators and leaders is, “What’s the best social media platform for our agency to be active?”
Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple answer to this question. Many variables must be analyzed to determine what social media app would yield optimal results for government agencies. No two government agencies are the same in terms of mission, needs, goals, resource availability, and team capabilities. Understanding the nuances that exist between the different platforms, and how these variables relate to social media success, can help government agencies optimize their social media presence for modern audiences.
To assist with the government social media strategy development process, here are a few reflections:
Think about the user base.
There is extensive variety in terms of what social media app is preferred by members of the population. While Facebook and YouTube are the most popular social media apps in the United States, there are extensive differences observed in social media use that aligns with demographic information, including, but not limited to: age, ethnicity/race, geographic location, education level, and gender.
Here are a few examples of demographic-related variations related to social media app popularity:
Generation Z users favor BeReal and Tik Tok over established social media apps.
WhatsApp is very popular among Hispanic Americans.
Baby Boomers’ top five favorite social media platforms are (listed in order of most popular to least popular): Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
YouTube is less popular among social media users living below the poverty line.
Rural residents have a higher usage of Pinterest than urban or suburban residents.
LinkedIn is more popular among college-educated social media users.
When evaluating what social media apps would be most effective for a government agency, it’s important to think about the current demographics of the population the agency serves and identify which social media are most popular across this demographic.
Think about content capabilities.
What capabilities does the organization’s communications and marketing team, or contracted partner, have in terms of content development? Can you create high-quality videos to be shared across YouTube? Can you create short video-based stories to be posted on Snapchat and Instagram? What about written content? Does your team have the capability to consistently develop accurate and engaging long-form writing, such as blogs or white papers? If so, sharing this type of long-form content on a short-form content-based app, such as Tik Tok, won’t be effective. Instead, long-form written content would be better suited for LinkedIn or Facebook.
Think about regulations.
Government agencies face unique challenges when it comes to social media, including the potential for additional regulations and policies regarding social media they can and can’t be on. The federal government’s recent ban of Tik Tok on government-issued devices, followed by many states initiating similar bans, has eliminated this app from the potential list of social media channels for public sector entities. While Tik Tok is extremely popular among Gen Zers (born 1997-2012), many government agencies cannot utilize this social media platform in any way moving forward. To effectively reach Gen Zers, government agencies will have to utilize different social media platforms, such as YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram.
Think about effectiveness.
Once social media platforms have been identified that align with the government agency’s target audience demographics, content capabilities, and fall within public sector regulations, government agencies can identify which social media platforms are best suited for the organization. It’s best practice to identify 3-5 social media platforms that are likely to yield a positive return for the organization, rather than try to maintain a presence on ten different social media apps.
After several weeks of posting and engaging on these identified social media apps, government agencies should evaluate performance on the basis of content types, posting times, and platforms. We recommend organizations conduct a thorough Social Media Performance Assessment. This type of assessment can tell you what is working and what is not. Developing quality social media content can require many resources. Government agencies must ensure the platforms they are investing in are helping them reach the communities they are trying to serve.
Here are a few key steps in a social media performance assessment:
Analyze engagement metrics: Look at social media metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and click-through rates to see how well your content is resonating with your audience. Think about what type of social media metrics really matter to your organization and prioritize these. Some social media metrics are just “vanity metrics” - social media data that doesn’t really impact organizational performance.
Track website traffic: Use tools like Google Analytics to track how much traffic is coming to your website from your social media accounts. Which platforms refer the most website traffic? What type of social media content seems to convert the most social media users to site visitors?
Monitor brand mentions: Use social listening tools to track mentions of your organization and see what people are saying online about your organization. Brandwatch and Talkwalker are two cost-effective tools that integrate with Hootsuite to track these types of social media mentions.
Conduct surveys and polls: Social media can be a great way to solicit feedback from your target audience. Consider asking your organization’s social media followers what type of content they like and what they’d like to see more of on social media.
Calculate the return on investment (ROI): Measure and compare the cost of creating and distributing social media content to the benefits of the content (revenue, sign-ups, etc.). Successful social media can require many resources, and government agencies are entrusted by the public to be responsible stewards of these resources.
Think about the future.
The only thing constant about social media is that it’s constantly changing. The marketing gimmicks that worked last year are unlikely to work this year. The social media content that engaged college students ten years ago is unlikely to engage college students today. Government agencies must work to identify the best social media platforms for their agency to be on before they can develop or utilize an effective government social media strategy. Informed government leaders will recognize that social media app popularity has the potential to change, as do app features, content capabilities, and government regulations. Staying on top of social media trends and updates is important to ensure a government agency’s social media strategy is positioned for future success.
Government Social Media - Next Steps:
Local, state, and federal government agencies should prioritize the development of a social media strategy specific to their organization and the communities served. When utilized effectively, social media can be a great way for government agencies to strengthen community relations and restore public trust. While developing a customized social media strategy for a government agency takes time and research, the investment is well worth the effort in terms of results.
If your organization would like assistance developing and implementing an effective government social media strategy, contact Becker Digital for a free consultation. We have extensive experience supporting government agency communications and outreach efforts.
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