Designing a social media strategy to fulfill your agency's mission

Abstract

Social media applications have become acceptable communication and interaction channels in the public sector. Driven by online behavior of citizens, available social networking platforms, and the governments' need to become more participatory, transparent, and collaborative, public managers must design a social media strategy that helps to fulfill the mission of their organization.Social media applications have become acceptable communication and interaction channels in the public sector. Driven by online behavior of citizens, available social networking platforms, and the governments' need to become more participatory, transparent, and collaborative, public managers must design a social media strategy that helps to fulfill the mission of their organization. Social media applications have become the newest wave of e-government and are making government Web sites more interactive and engaging. Tools such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and photo- and video-sharing sites have become accepted communication channels in the public sector. The most important driver for social media use in the public sector should be the existing organizational mission and communication strategy of the agency. The organizational goals and objectives drive the extent and types of social media tools an agency should add to the already existing communication channels.