Five tips on using social media metrics
Before you start, define the communication objectives and desired results for your social media platform and that you are using the right tool for your purpose.
-
1. Before you start, define the communication objectives and desired results for your social media platform and that you are using the right tool for your purpose. Do not just use new media because it is the cool thing to do and use it to scatter information.
-
2. Go beyond output measures (e.g., page views and number of followers/likers) to real program metrics connecting online to offline behavior and actions (e.g., percentage increases in event attendance and program registrations; increase in project support or votes; drives to specific web pages; reduction in specific type calls to your 311).
-
3. Consider four areas to measure: exposure, engagement, influence and action.
-
4. In addition to standard return on investment and metrics such as cost per unique visitor, focus on impact and value measures. If you are intending to drive discussion, track comment-to-post ratios. Analyze the effectiveness of your content by examining the percent of new followers/likers.
-
5. Now that you know what you want to track, consider options available through the social media tool itself, some citizen relationship management systems, and a range of free and commercial analytics services. Remember, governments are not focused on brand monitoring and sales tracking. Rather, they should focus on increasing resident engagement, government accountability, and responsive and cost-efficient communication channels.
- Read the main story, “Behind the curve,” to learn how business intelligence from Web 2.0 applications can deliver strategic information if local governments use the information they collect effectively.
Most Recent
-
For the public sector, security and compliance are just good business
State and local officials in charge of distributing public funds understand that security and compliance must be a top priority, but it can feel like a challenge to be fully prepared for audits. First, government organizations face a significant challenge in securing cyber infrastructure and protecting the personal data of their constituents from malicious actors. […]
-
City-county fleet managers: Do your homework to determine if your jurisdiction should add EVs and hybrids
Does it make sense for local government managers to add electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrids to their fleets? “Each governmental body needs to evaluate that for themselves,” says Satish Jayaram, vice president of eMobility at ABM. His firm provides people and services, including EV charging solutions, to about 20 sectors in the U.S., such as […]
-
Why successful cloud migration extends beyond technology
The most recent cloud survey from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) found that 60 percent of state IT organizations have incorporated the cloud into their operations, with more than 88 percent planning to expedite their cloud adoption in 2024. As the demand for digital government services increases, the cloud has become […]
-
How one city is proactively managing AI use—and what local governments can learn from it
AI (artificial intelligence) had a big year last year. A topic once reserved for tech circles, it became a frequent news headline and a regular dinner table conversation piece. Governments across the world began shaping policies for AI. In the U.S., President Joe Biden enacted his executive order in October, which created several initiatives to […]