using social media to tell your county’s story · humanize your brand-sometimes people forget...
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USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO TELL YOUR COUNTY’S STORY
Maxine HerrMorton County Public Information Officer
Mary SengerBurleigh/Emmons CountiesEmergency Manager
Angela ErnstCass County Sheriff’s OfficeExecutive Assistant
KrisAnn Norby-JahnerVogel Law FirmAttorney
CONNECT WITH THE PUBLIC & FOSTER CONVERSATIONS
NDHP #WhereAreTheyWednesday-Posts don’t have to be complicated. -This post is a conversation starter, allowing the public to connect with your agency.
CONNECT WITH THE PUBLIC & HUMANIZE YOUR BRAND
Sgt. Jesse Grabow- MN State Patrol-#WhereAreWeWednesday
-#TBT
-Sgt. Grabow connects with the public by consistently posting content on Twitter that is interesting & engaging.
HUMANIZE YOUR BRAND-Sometimes people forget there are real people behind the agency/government office.
-Social media gives you the opportunity to show the audience that you are human too.
CRIME PREVENTIONLaw enforcement requests the assistance from the public with identifying suspects.
CRIME PREVENTIONWANTED CRIMINALSLaw enforcement requesting the assistance from the public:-#FelonyFriday-Seeking information and/or identifying suspects.Using Humor-Best “WANTED” poster! -Who wouldn’t want their “WANTED” poster to look like a glamour shot?-In 16 minutes, this post was shared 35 times.-8 hours later, it was shared 155 times, had 222 likes and 48 comments.-One concern about posting this photo: Who owns the rights to the photo? Does this violate copyright laws?
EMERGENCY ALERTSHorace, ND Standoff: Telling your own story.
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONHorace, ND Standoff- Social Media can be an effective way to disseminate safety information to ensure the public is informed before, during and after emergencies.
ROAD REPORTS/WEATHER UPDATESInforming the public regarding possible delays or routes to avoid can help ease frustrations and support public safety.
PUBLIC MEETINGS-LIVE FOOTAGETake your traditional public meeting up a notch using social media:
-Using tools like Facebook Live shows the citizens that you aim to connect with them in locations outside the walls of government buildings.
BUILDING TRUST -Social media gives you the opportunity to be more transparent.
-When you open yourself up, the public will trust you more.
HIRING/RECRUITMENT
EFFECTIVE WAYS TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA
Embrace the visual:Posts with only text regarding Vector Control, Solid Waste Agendas and meeting notes won’t receive a large amount of views/reach.If you were scrolling on your personal social media page, which post would catch your interest? The text only post about Solid Waste or the Vector Control post including visual graphics?
PUBLISHING PRESS RELEASES-Headlines matter: Writing great content with a good title.-Short descriptions are ideal with social media, but are not always possible when sending out a press release.-Including an image/graphic/logo will increase the views capturing users’ interests on platforms where you are competing for their attention.
SHARING AT THE RIGHT TIMEDon’t overlook this simple concept. You need to know the times your users/audience will be online, looking at your posts.
-This data is from the CCSO insight page. Please note, the data shows the Pacific time zone, not the Central time zone.
CONTENT CALENDAR-Be prepared.
-Plan your social media content in advance.
-October: Domestic violence awareness monthBully awareness monthBreast cancer awareness monthLGBT crime prevention monthHalloween safetyMental illness awareness weekCyber security monthSchool bus safety weekCoffee with a cop dayTeachers’ dayBosses DayClergy appreciation dayYouth confidence dayMake a difference day
As a government employee, it is our job to ensure we bridge the gap between the public and government.
Social media is today’s version of a coffee shop. Shifting our thinking to new ways of reaching the public by using social media is an effective way to disseminate information, be transparent, build trust and engage with the public.
BURLEIGH COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENTMary H. Senger
Emergency Manager
Burleigh CountyWebsite: burleighco.com
burleighem
burleighem
OUR MESSAGE• What is happening
• What we’re doing
• What we want you to do
OUR LARGEST DISASTER
Note: January-April generated 5,694,755 “hits”, May-July generated 18,617,759 “hits”.
Burleigh County Website (January-July, 2011)
2011 MISSOURI RIVER FLOOD
TELL THE “STORY”
Share and “tag” Share
pictures to tell the story and keep people out of the area.
Insert your own video
Show security patrol
TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION
REMEMBER?
HAVE SOME FUN!
THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA
July 21, 2017 Tornado Activity
MORTON COUNTY & MORTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICEMaxine Herr
Public Information Officer
SHOWCASING LARGE PROJECTS
In cooperation with the MCSO’s drone operator, we were able to give multiple views of the most impressive part of the bridge construction.
With a few video clips and photos, we were able to
provide the progress of this
significant roadway project -
from concept to completion!
When the project was completed, we showed the final product.
Always circle-back and give updates on projects that you’ve posted about in the past.
EDUCATING THE PUBLICTO HELP EASE FEARS AND AVOID A FALSE NARRATIVE
“WHERE’S TIM TODAY” SERIES GAVE VISIBILITY TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT
NEED PUBLIC INPUT? APPROACH IT DIFFERENTLY!
DON’T BE AFRAID TO SHOW A SENSE OF HUMOR
MY GO-TO TOOLS
Facebook Pages
TweetDeck
MEME GENERATORS
MEMEDADKAPWINGFILMORAIMGFLIP
WHERE TO FIND CONTENT‘Like’ other government pages – in state and out-of-state –that are doing social media well. Their posts will give you great ideas or applicable content to share.For humorous posts – follow pages that have been shared (ie Nature and Science, I Love Farming, I stole this from another page)Join Facebook groups to get ideas and feedback (Prairie Communicators or other local NDPC group, Public Safety Information Officers, GSMCON)#GSMCHAT is a bi-weekly Twitter chat for government social media
LEGAL COMPLIANCE IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA LANDSCAPEKrisAnn Norby-JahnerAttorney at LawVogel Law Firm – Bismarck [email protected]
WHAT ARE A COUNTY'S OBLIGATIONS ONLINE?
I. LEGAL COMPLIANCE: Open Records vs. Confidential Information Free Speech
Anti-Discrimination Laws Intellectual Property
II. WORKPLACE POLICIES: Set expectations! Social Media use (personal & for work) during work hours.
1. OPEN RECORDS
DEFINITION All records of a public entity = open to public
(unless exempt or required to be confidential) Must be released upon request E.g., meeting minutes, agendas, meeting notices,
financial records, contracts, personnel files, etc. What about a County’s social media posts and
page? Very likely.
1. OPEN RECORDS
EXEMPTIONS/ CONFIDENTIAL INFO Certain employee personal, medical, employee
assistance records Certain law enforcement, juvenile court or probation
officer information Ongoing complaint and investigation records Attorney work product Reports of child abuse or neglect Student records
PRESERVATION OF OPEN RECORDS
SOCIAL MEDIA Know the preservation limits of the social media account/site your County
uses Consider investing in archiving software Consider making PDF documentation on a regular basis Appoint an Administrator to oversee preservation of social media open
records Ensure a degree of separation between a public employee’s personal
social media and the County social media page (to avoid open record requests into personal social media)
*However, any duplicative information maintained in a separate format can be produced in that alternative.
2. FREE SPEECH
ESTABLISHING A SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT County should immediately decide:
Will we allow public comments? How much?
Essentially, County is deciding whether its Social Media will be:1. Traditional Public Forum (allowing comments)2. Government Communication (no comments, just
information posted)
2. FREE SPEECH
SOCIAL MEDIA = PUBLIC FORUM? U.S. Supreme Court has stated = will look to policy or
practice of a governmental entity to determine if entity intended to designate a “non-traditional” forum as a “designated” public forum.
Social media page = non-traditional, but certainly public.
So is it a traditional public forum = aka a space (like a city council chamber, e.g.,) open for public expressive activity? It depends on how County uses it!
2. FREE SPEECH
SOCIAL MEDIA = WHAT WILL WE BE? Designated or Limited Public Forum
Comments allowed on some posts or for a specific period of time creates a “designated” or “limited” public forum
Comments allowed on specific posts & limits to certain topics (restrictions must be content-neutral) = designated public forum
Comments allowed for specific period of time on any topic = limited public forum
Traditional Public Forum Open public commenting on all topics and at all times =
traditional public forum akin to courthouse steps
2. FREE SPEECH
CAN WE (OR SHOULD WE) DELETE PUBLIC COMMENTS? Need to be VERY CAREFUL! First Amendment – Free Speech applies In limited forum = deletion “must not discriminate
against speech based on vice point and must be reasonable in light of forum’s purpose.”
In traditional forum = deletion must be based on a “compelling state interest” (a high standard)
2. FREE SPEECH
WATCH FOR QUORUMS! Walking quorums may be created via Twitter,
Facebook posts, Instagram comments, etc. if council members engage in a manner so that a “meeting” occurs.
3. ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWS
FREE SPEECH ALLOWED, BUT…. Do NOT need to allow your County social media
forums to allow for the violation of other laws. Employees are protected from
discrimination/retaliation based on protected class statuses (e.g., race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, etc.)
Threats of violence, assault, harassment, etc. can (and should be) monitored.
4. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS
TRADE SECRETS Info (1) maintained in confidence,
(2) has commercial value from not being generally known, and (3) not readily ascertainable by proper means.
Essentially…the more detailed the info & difficult to obtain = trade secret.
Very little info in a County would be considered a “Trade Secret.”
4. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS
COPYRIGHTS No registration required. Use of work + © = enough to
protect the work. Examples = image, song, design, html, etc. Social Media Use = need owner’s consent – otherwise,
copyright infringement. **County could be liable even if County did not commit
the infringement IF it benefits from infringement (e.g., employee used copyrighted material to bring in new service or benefit to County).
4. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS
TRADEMARKS Usually registered with USPTO. Word, phrase, symbol, or
design that is identifiable & distinguishable. Could be any original work of authority in any medium (image, song, design, html)
Therefore….Cannot use trademark on social media in any manner that could cause confusion or dilute the famous mark.
Example = your new County slogan cannot be “Just Do It.”
4. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY –
HOW CAN A COUNTY ENSURE COMPLIANCE? Get permission from content owner. Only use imagery (from example) that has
proper attribution to author. Use free images (pixabay, unsplash, pexels,
stock.xhng, morguefile, stock free images) Keep posts simple (and without copyrighted material)
WHAT ARE A COUNTY'S OBLIGATIONS ONLINE?
II. SETTING WORKPLACE & PUBLIC USE POLICIES: Set expectations! Social Media use on behalf of the County Social Media use that is personal Ensuring Productivity Ensuring Limitations and Boundaries are clear
POLICY ON SOCIAL MEDIA USE FOR COUNTY
SET EXPECTATIONS: Identify Administrators (at least 2!) Ensure login/passwords available in Administrator absence Ensure all posts represent COUNTY (not personal positions) Consider limitations on Postings:
Only public information? (meetings, agenda, minutes, announcements, etc.?
Links to Resources? Local businesses or the Chamber? ANYONE allowed to initiate a post? Only admins?
POLICY ON SOCIAL MEDIA USE FOR COUNTY
OTHER EXPECTATIONS: County owns the account, the content, and the followers. Administrator Duties:
Monitor proper use. Ensure proper back-up of the site and postings (e.g., know how
long social media site stores postings, make PDF back-ups, use back-up software, etc.)
Watch “cybersquatting” (another media account made in the County’s name)
POLICY ON SOCIAL MEDIA USE THAT IS PERSONAL
SET EXPECTATIONS: Personal use during work time allowed? Clear statements:
Discrimination & Harassment prohibited Posting on behalf of County on personal page = NO GO Contacting media on behalf of County = NO GO
POLICY ON SOCIAL MEDIA USE THAT IS PERSONAL
SET GUIDELINES: Employee is responsible for personal postings Should consider risks and rewards
Unlawful conduct may lead to discipline/discharge Knowing and follow work rules
Be respectful Be honest and accurate
Understand legal obligations (open records, intellectual property, etc.)
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS