If you are heading a government agency and you are still wondering if you need social media teams or a social media department, then this post is for you. With over 30 million Nigerians actively using the internet, it is imperative that government agencies not only join in the conversations taking place on digital media but influence and shape these conversations.
For government agencies without the right expertise, however, navigating the social media space can get so rough and tricky, that they begin to think that having no social media presence is an option. So, here are four reasons why every government agency needs a trained digital media team.
1. Trained Social Media Teams Help Position Government Agencies Authentically Online
How do you want your agency to be perceived? If your answer is that you want to be seen as responsive to the needs of the citizens, then you need a trained content team.
A trained social media manager understands the right platforms to engage with the people and the kind of high-quality content that positions the government agency as credible and trustworthy.
This knowledge helps create connections through regular public service updates/information and engaging with the citizenry on governance issues that affect them personally on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, a website, or through emails.
2. Trained Social Media Departments Help Government Agencies Respond Better to Negative Feedback
As long as governments exist, there will always be a conflict between the leaders and the led. A trained social media manager will know how to respond to these conflicts which often manifest in negative feedback from the populace.
Without the right mechanism for dealing with such feedback, grievances grow which further increases the trust deficit between government and citizens. The accessibility the authorities create by addressing citizens’ questions, inquiries, and feedback builds the trust that the government agency needs to succeed.
3. Social Media Teams are Discreet with Sensitive Information
Information should always be provided on a need-to-know basis. That a piece of communication is true or factual does not mean it should be in the public space. Well-trained social media managers know what to share and what constitutes sensitive information. They are also able to determine in what dose to distil the information they have and when.
So, when it comes to issues of concern like responding to allegations, public service announcements, reports on projects and spending, promises kept and other sensitive issues that affect the citizens directly, trained digital media managers understand how to be empathetic, and they know the appropriate terminology to use when addressing public concerns, and they understand the impact of the words they use when communicating with people on social media.
Government agencies also need trained social media managers because digital media teams are guided by social media policies that prohibit them from using clients’ information carelessly. This protects the interest of the clients and the public. When government agencies work with trained digital media teams, they can be sure that critical information the team is privy to will be kept confidential and only used as appropriate on the designated social media platforms.
Trained Digital Media Managers Protect Clients’ Accounts
Whether they are engaging in or abstaining from conversations, a trained digital media team is guided by one thought: protecting the client from assault, ridicule, and even hackers.
Political spaces are volatile and so it is not uncommon for government agencies to receive direct attacks from groups or unhappy citizens. In such cases, a trained digital media team knows how to discern which attacks are genuine, which are from trolls, which are threats, and which are about the public misunderstanding communications. They also know the appropriate ways to respond to such attacks or not to respond at all.
They are also careful to keep a clean trail online by observing and maintaining online security protocols/guidelines that prevent hackers from taking over the agency’s accounts.
Train your Content Team Now
A trained digital media team is equipped with the tools and expertise to help your agency maintain a positive online reputation. Your digital media team will know –
- How to help you remain active on social media
- How to help you engage appropriately and consistently with the public and
- What to post on your accounts that aligns with your agency’s values and the people’s needs.
The question is no longer if government agencies need a trained digital media team, it is – what is your agency doing without one? Today’s world is shaped by perceptions that are created through communications. And the seeming ‘gatekeeper-less’ nature of social media makes it a more acceptable medium to the general populace. If you are unsure of how to train or create a digital media team, why not book a consultation with us today for free and let us show you how.