Presentation by Scott Burns at the 3CMA Regional Conference in Bloomington, MN (March 2012). Focuses on integrating email as fundamental to government website and communications.

1. GovDelivery
Government Website Trends: Why Email is
Fundamental
Scott Burns
March 30, 2012
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2. Maximizes direct connections with
Knowledge network across all the public through digital
levels of Government communications.
• Prominent in the U.S. and • More than 500 public sector
International organizations manage their digital
communications though GovDelivery
• 50,000+ Members
• More than one billion messages
• Specialized Communities with are sent quarterly by government
6 different topics: i.e. agencies through GovDelivery
Communications and Technology
• 30,000 people sign up every day
through GovDelivery to receive digital
messages from the government
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3. Effective Digital Communication
Get the Word Out.
• Build a real and permanent audience
− Quickly and easily inform the public
− Reach across multiple channels
• Personalize
− Allow citizen/stakeholder to choose the information
they want to receive and how often
− Deliver information at the relevant time directly to
citizen/stakeholder
• Engage
− Track results and interest over time
− Drive mission critical value for your organization through increased
communications
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4. If Facebook was a country...
Population: 850 million
It would be the world’s 3rd largest country
Bigger than North and South America combined
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5. If Twitter was a country...
Population: 200 million
It would be bigger than Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan
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6. If Email was a country. . .
It Covers Continents
It would be an empire: 2.9 Billion users
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7. Channels overlap, but vary in reach and purpose…
Social Media
• Engage with information
• Socialize information with friends, get recommendations Outreach
• Work together to solve problems channels drive
citizens to
SMS/Text/Mobile engagement
• Send/receive geo-specific info tools, and
• Reach immediately
sometimes tools
• Connect in personal space
and channels
overlap.
Email
• Reach broadest audience through top channel (90%+ of
online time spent reading or sending email)
• Disseminate info to personal destination
• Benefit from archive and content flexibility
• Use channel accepted / preferred for institutional
communication
• Easily share with friends and family
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8. Use Website to Build Audience
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9. Contextual sign-ups on your website
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10. Top 11 Shared Updates of 2011
• Offering generic email updates is not enough
• Citizens want specific information that’s relevant to them:
− Small business tax credits
− Keeping state parks open
− Public safety alerts in your city
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11. “Upsell” Content and Collaborate to Increase Reach
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12. Impact of Working Together to Reach More People
• 114,247 new subscribers in first half of 2011
• Accounts using the network got 47% of new
subscribers from the GovDelivery Network
17 Texas Agencies
use GovDelivery
1.5M total subscribers
• The Governor of TX gets over 90% of new
subscribers from the GovDelivery Network
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13. Integrate and Cross Promote Channels
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14. Integrate and Cross Promote Channels
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15. Ask Users What They Want
I love the CDC e-mails!!!!!!!!!!
I don't have to hunt for information. It comes automatically to me. I am
confident that I am aware of the latest information. Continue with this
process. It is great!
-R.N. Manager, Occupational Health
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16. Success Metrics for Digital Communication
• Qualitative
− What is your organization’s mission and does increasing public outreach support it?
− What feedback are you receiving from key stakeholders on how they use the
information you send?
− Is the information you are providing of value to the citizen from a transparency
standpoint?
• Quantitative
− Are you building an audience you can reach effectively?
o Number of people signed up to receive your direct communications
o Number of critical topics on which you can reach people
− Are your messages effective?
o % of users reacting to content you send
o Click-throughs, opens, comments, votes, etc.
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17. Contact
Scott Burns – CEO & co-Founder
Scott.burns@govdelivery.com
@smburns
(651) 726-7303
Website: www.govdelivery.com
Blog: www.reachthepublic.com
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