Councillors and social media

What social media is and how to use it

Cllrs 10 - LGIUIngrid Koehler4 February 2010

What is social media

Is it a collection of tools?

As common as gossip

As revolutionary as the printing press

Don’t be fooled by the tools

Social media is social

It’s a new way of connecting

How are some councillors using it?

How are some councils using it?

How are citizens using it?

Wrench2 by Julia Manzerova on Flickr

Your most important social media tool

Blogging

• Free platforms such as Blogger and Wordpress

• Almost as easy as word processing

• Really, really easy blogging via services like Posterous (just email)

Microblogging

• As much a listening tool as a broadcasting

• Maybe a bit geeky?• Important because

nodes of community conversation often use it.

• Great source of intel

Facebook

• More councillors use Facebook than any other social network (I think)

• Difficult to control the medium

• Excellent for organising campaigns

• Go split personality!

Multi-media

• Rarely used as sole social media channel

• Brilliant for showcasing local people, events and projects

Sources of support

• www.civicsurf.org.uk a resource for blogging councillors

• www.ideasocial.wetpaint.com draft guide to social media for councillors

• www.socialbysocial.com a primer for harnessing social media for social good

• www.communities.idea.gov.uk IDeA’s communities of practice network

Contact me

Email: ingrid.koehler@idea.gov.ukBlog: www.ideapolicy.wordpress.comwww.twitter.com/ingridk