Any politician or government official will be able to tell you that politics starts out locally, and with the advances recently made in social media, that makes reaching out as a government official more effective than ever. The truth of the matter is that most people would not be able to tell you the name of their local representative or even councilman if they were to run into them face-to-face, but social media is now putting a name to the face of many local officials.
Local politics is often much more low profile than the presidential elections, as an example, but much of that has to do with a lack of public awareness. The reason that social media is becoming an effective tool for local politicians is because people anywhere and everywhere are plugged into their social media profiles. As a local representative or government official, it is a huge disservice not to take advantage of these social media resources, whether they be in Facebook, Twitter, or any number of other social media websites online.
To begin with, here are the best tips to use as a local politician to create a reputation in your community through social media:
1. Start conversations. Don’t be shy! The easiest way to approach social media as a local government official is to treat all social media communities as if you were networking at a party. Much of government work is in making connections and building relationships, and now you get the opportunity to cast your net even wider through your sphere of influence within a social media circle. Social media allows for direct two-way conversation with government officials who may not have spoken to certain people in another circumstance. If you really want to get the public opinion, start discussing with people on Twitter and Facebook, as well as any other social media community about their public opinions. You may be surprised at how willing people are to discuss politics with you through the safety of social media!
2. Put a face to your name. If you are running for office, supporting a bill, or making any other political changes, people may not know who you are, even if your name is plastered on signs all over the city. In this case, you can use the social media venue of YouTube to create your own channel, where you can talk as a regular person to people interested in your cause. This is something incredibly vital as a politician because people want to feel that you are genuine, friendly, and approachable. By creating videos of your cause, you will reach many more people who may get involved through your YouTube channel.
3. Get people involved. Twitter is a growing phenomenon, and one of the easiest ways to get people involved in your cause is by asking them to retweet. This is the simple click of a button, but it offers massive action in spreading the word about supporting a cause, voting for a government official, or generating a political campaign. It really will work!