How Big Companies Use Social Media January 22, 2009 | Chicago Ron LaBrec, CDR U.S. Coast Guard Always Ready… and Online: How the U.S. Coast Guard Puts Social Media to Work

UNITED STATES COAST GUARD SOCIAL MEDIA Coast Guard Blog Efforts January 22, 2009 Cmdr. Ron LaBrec Director of Public Affairs

Not the Coast Guard

COAST GUARD BLOG LINKS Coast Guard Home Page www.uscg.mil iCommandant http://www.uscg.mil/comdt/blog/ Training Center Cape May www.uscgbootcamp.com Pacific Northwest http://uscgd13.blogspot.com/ Coast Guard Pay and Personnel Center (internal focus) http://uscgppc.blogspot.com/ Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System http://amveruscg.blogspot.com/ CG Blog.Org (unofficial, non-Coast Guard site) http://www.cgblog.org/

Coast Guard Home Page

www.uscg.mil

iCommandant

http://www.uscg.mil/comdt/blog/

Training Center Cape May

www.uscgbootcamp.com

Pacific Northwest

http://uscgd13.blogspot.com/

Coast Guard Pay and Personnel Center (internal focus)

http://uscgppc.blogspot.com/

Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System

http://amveruscg.blogspot.com/

CG Blog.Org (unofficial, non-Coast Guard site)

http://www.cgblog.org/

QUESTIONS?

NAVIGATING A TURBULANT SEA Getting Started Received full support of Coast Guard Commandant and Vice Commandant IDed negative Coast Guard blogosphere (3): responded as needed to each Initial monitoring and response Breaking Through iCommandant as Introduction / learning tool Cultivated supportive bloggers Issued guidance decentralizing official blog participation/responses Issued guidance on personal blog activity addressing Coast Guard issues Moving Forward Established Senior Management Guidance Group and Working Group Preparing policy on establishment and maintenance of Coast Guard blogs Converting to new more robust monitoring and response system

Getting Started

Received full support of Coast Guard Commandant and Vice Commandant

IDed negative Coast Guard blogosphere (3): responded as needed to each

Initial monitoring and response

Breaking Through

iCommandant as Introduction / learning tool

Cultivated supportive bloggers

Issued guidance decentralizing official blog participation/responses

Issued guidance on personal blog activity addressing Coast Guard issues

Moving Forward

Established Senior Management Guidance Group and Working Group

Preparing policy on establishment and maintenance of Coast Guard blogs

Converting to new more robust monitoring and response system

BLOGGING SUCCESS STORIES Coast Guard Managed Blogs iCommandant often sets the agenda for non-Coast Guard blogs Training Center Cape May blog improved communication with families Pacific Northwest blog broke ground in localized issue blogging Hurricanes Gustav and Ike blogs / imagery sharing sites (YouTube, Flickr) helped inform public New internal blog is expected to greatly improve employee communication Blogs That Follow Coast Guard Issues Engaged with manager of CGBlog.Org and changed tone New posting policies increased employee commenting and balanced information Responded to issues quickly, not allowing them to fester on net

Coast Guard Managed Blogs

iCommandant often sets the agenda for non-Coast Guard blogs

Training Center Cape May blog improved communication with families

Pacific Northwest blog broke ground in localized issue blogging

Hurricanes Gustav and Ike blogs / imagery sharing sites (YouTube, Flickr) helped inform public

New internal blog is expected to greatly improve employee communication

Blogs That Follow Coast Guard Issues

Engaged with manager of CGBlog.Org and changed tone

New posting policies increased employee commenting and balanced information

Responded to issues quickly, not allowing them to fester on net

COAST GUARD AT A GLANCE Federal Government Agency Agency within the Department of Homeland Security Actively supports Department of Defense operations (Title 10) Works closely with various federal, state and local organizations Maritime, Military, Multi-Mission One of Nation’s sea services (Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard) Served in every major conflict since the Revolutionary War Performs 11 statutory missions (Title 14) America’s Maritime Guardian Federal Government’s only first responder Maritime Safety, Security, and Stewardship Engaged around the World

Federal Government Agency

Agency within the Department of Homeland Security

Actively supports Department of Defense operations (Title 10)

Works closely with various federal, state and local organizations

Maritime, Military, Multi-Mission

One of Nation’s sea services (Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard)

Served in every major conflict since the Revolutionary War

Performs 11 statutory missions (Title 14)

America’s Maritime Guardian

Federal Government’s only first responder

Maritime Safety, Security, and Stewardship

Engaged around the World