Using social media to manage your reputation An introduction for local authorities

Why social media matters The internet is the primary source of news Local newspapers no longer central to local news Faddish social media activity doesn’t demonstrate value for money

The internet is the primary source of news

Local newspapers no longer central to local news

Faddish social media activity doesn’t demonstrate value for money

When it matters Day to day, improving your online profile Getting public information to residents Crisis management . . . . NOW

Day to day, improving your online profile

Getting public information to residents

Crisis management

. . . . NOW

How Newscounter will help Tools to protect and promote your council online What you need to know Where you should be and what to avoid Measure the value of online activity Taking things further . . . Giving you the skills

Tools to protect and promote your council online

What you need to know

Where you should be and what to avoid

Measure the value of online activity

Taking things further

The tools you need online Monitoring capability Your own website Keyword analysis Targeted, relevant content Incoming hyperlinks Plain English

Monitoring capability

Your own website

Keyword analysis

Targeted, relevant content

Incoming hyperlinks

Plain English

1. Monitoring capability Speed Assessment Manageability

Speed

Assessment

Manageability

2. Your own website No 5* hotels in desert One Click Rule Google indexing ‘ On page’ search engine optimisation Hidden SEO

No 5* hotels in desert

One Click Rule

Google indexing

‘ On page’ search engine optimisation

Hidden SEO

Eg. On page SEO

Eg. Hidden SEO

3. Keyword analysis Reaching out not pulling in What question do you answer? Growth of 2 and 3 word search Top 3 critical Top 10 legacy matters

Reaching out not pulling in

What question do you answer?

Growth of 2 and 3 word search

Top 3 critical

Top 10 legacy matters

4. Targeted, relevant content

5. Incoming hyperlinks Providing useful information Accessible format – PDF caution Easy to link to Proactively using other sites Developing reciprocal links

Providing useful information

Accessible format – PDF caution

Easy to link to

Proactively using other sites

Developing reciprocal links

6. Plain English

OR

Now you’ve got the tools How do you use them?

What you need to know Your key audiences How to analyse the importance of a website How to engage with websites reporting the council How to promote your own content

Your key audiences

How to analyse the importance of a website

How to engage with websites reporting the council

How to promote your own content

1. Your key audiences Newscounter prepares a bespoke directory for each council Local blogs Local news sites National political blogs Issue-specific sites Local government sites

2. How to analyse the importance of a website Take the URL Type link:exampleurl.com into a search engine Look at the number of results Compare this site’s result to your own site and the local newspaper homepage

Take the URL

Type link:exampleurl.com into a search engine

Look at the number of results

Compare this site’s result to your own site and the local newspaper homepage

3. How to engage with websites The comments section Email Reciprocal links Banner or keyword advertising

The comments section

Email

Reciprocal links

Banner or keyword advertising

4. How to promote your content Search related stories Links on relevant sites Multimedia content Use internal stakeholders online networks Social networking – with caution

Search related stories

Links on relevant sites

Multimedia content

Use internal stakeholders online networks

Social networking – with caution

You’ve got the knowledge Where should the council have a presence?

Where to be seen Search engines are critical Press release distribution sites sometimes Squidgo can help SEO Slideshare also useful YouTube where possible (Flickr where relevant) VideoJug for public information Twitter only for big breaking news Take a look at monitter.com Facebook and MySpace on specific issues

Search engines are critical

Press release distribution sites sometimes

Squidgo can help SEO

Slideshare also useful

YouTube where possible

(Flickr where relevant)

VideoJug for public information

Twitter only for big breaking news

Take a look at monitter.com

Facebook and MySpace on specific issues

1. Search engines 75%+ web use starts with search 2 and 3 keyword search growth Watch for negative stories in top 10 100+ factors in algorithm Age and officialdom Titles and keywords Links RSS

75%+ web use starts with search

2 and 3 keyword search growth

Watch for negative stories in top 10

100+ factors in algorithm

Age and officialdom

Titles and keywords

Links

RSS

2. YouTube Video is more engaging Move beyond ‘corporate speak’ Good usability Sharing sites = no downloading Embed in your pages Reduce server costs Monitor demographics Create your own channel Can support SEO strategy Prevents ID theft Doesn’t require frequent content

Video is more engaging

Move beyond ‘corporate speak’

Good usability

Sharing sites = no downloading

Embed in your pages

Reduce server costs

Monitor demographics

Create your own channel

Can support SEO strategy

Prevents ID theft

Doesn’t require frequent content

3. Twitter Massive UK growth but still early adopters Older, better educated, cleverer, female 140 character limit Plays a role in breaking news Monitor in realtime in crisis Post your reaction using shortened URLs Not relevant for business as usual

Massive UK growth but still early adopters

Older, better educated, cleverer, female

140 character limit

Plays a role in breaking news

Monitor in realtime in crisis

Post your reaction using shortened URLs

Not relevant for business as usual

4. Facebook and Myspace The difference Facebook – older, better educated Myspace – younger, music Brand presence rarely successful Facebook Groups support media campaigns Need to build on existing memberships Location specificity a problem Check internal policies status updates Photos ID theft

The difference

Facebook – older, better educated

Myspace – younger, music

Brand presence rarely successful

Facebook Groups support media campaigns

Need to build on existing memberships

Location specificity a problem

Check internal policies

status updates

Photos

ID theft

Where to avoid Unimportant attack blogs News aggregation sites add little Don’t worry about Digg Delicious useful not essential Social networking sites for brand building Most forums / chatrooms

Unimportant attack blogs

News aggregation sites add little

Don’t worry about Digg

Delicious useful not essential

Social networking sites for brand building

Most forums / chatrooms

You’re in the right places How do you measure success?

What to measure Website visits from search engine Visits to specific pages Number of sites linking to you Clickthroughs from comments Number of sites reporting council stories Bias (promoter, neutral, detractor) Views and networks on social networking sites

Website visits from search engine

Visits to specific pages

Number of sites linking to you

Clickthroughs from comments

Number of sites reporting council stories

Bias (promoter, neutral, detractor)

Views and networks on social networking sites

Summary: checklist of the basics Monitoring Analysing relevant websites Good copy SEO Relevant links Social networking for specific issues Twitter for national stories YouTube for engaging content

Monitoring

Analysing relevant websites

Good copy

SEO

Relevant links

Social networking for specific issues

Twitter for national stories

YouTube for engaging content

Now you’ve done the essentials Take it a step further

Developing your online presence Blogging RSS feeds Fixmystreet

Blogging

RSS feeds

Fixmystreet

The benefits of blogging Search engines Building a community Engaging in a community Developing a personality

Search engines

Building a community

Engaging in a community

Developing a personality

RSS feeds Google weight on RSS subscribers Helps journalists and bloggers get ‘realtime’ info Good for usability Email alerts an alternative option

Google weight on RSS subscribers

Helps journalists and bloggers get ‘realtime’ info

Good for usability

Email alerts an alternative option

Fixmystreet Site for residents to report problems Automated emails go to council Residents report updates Source for good news stories and stats

Site for residents to report problems

Automated emails go to council

Residents report updates

Source for good news stories and stats