Public services and social media can be a perfect match, but public services have been slow to adopt social media. Social media allows two-way communication with citizens and building online communities, but public services often struggle with what regular content to share. During crises, social media has proven invaluable for sharing real-time information when official communication lines fail. However, public services are often absent from social media otherwise. While some Belgian public services like transport companies and police have social media presences, their strategies and content are often limited. For social media to reach its potential, public services need long-term strategies and content plans to sustain ongoing conversations, not just be present during emergencies.

1. PUBLIC SERVICES
& SOCIAL MEDIA
A perfect match or a growing relationship?
12 December 2011

2. Agenda
1 The advent of Social Media: rise of the communities
2 Social Media in a communication plan: where does it belong?
3 Communities? What about public services
4 Social Media offers public services during crisis,
but who is behind it?
5 Public Services on Social Media: what can of presence today?

3. The advent of Social
Media:
RISE OF THE COMMUNITIES
1

4. Before 1989:
companies CONTROLLED their communication closely via PR &
Marketing
1989
The Internet
Now,
EVERYBODY can share their experiences and their
(dis)satisfaction. It can’t be controlled anymore.

5. What happened during
the last 10 years?
A Consumer Revolution

6. 2002
2003
2003

7. 2005
2006
2007
>3bn pictures
2011 by 2009

8. 1999
Bought by
Google
2003
2007
2003

9. Word of mouth is now global. Everyone has
an opinion
User-generated content
on sites : reviews
Bloggers tests
Dedicated blogs

10. SOCIAL MEDIA IS
A REALITY
 Social Media is here to stay
 It can be a threat but is mainly an opportunity
BUT it requires a lot of work!
 Social Media reinvents the concept of
consumers’ voice and enables the power of
conversation

11. What does it represent
in Belgium?
Social Media in
Numbers

12. 5,2 millions of Belgians use
Social Media = 64% of the
population.
Age on Facebook Social Media in Belgium
Facebook
Over 55 Linked In
Under 55 Netlog
Twitter

13. Good News:
YOU can be part
of the conversation

14. Social Media in a
Communication plan
WHERE DOES IT BELONG?
2

15. The truth is that successful
Social Media planning can be as
hard as crossing the world’s
most difficult roundabout

16. Businesses benefit most
from a structured
approach

17. Differentiating between various media types
OWNED RENTED EARNED
MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA
Websites, corporate blog, Display ads, paid twitter, facebook, blogs, forum
twitter account, facebook search, sponsoships, Rented s, review
group, YouTube Email lists, ... sites, Youtube, Flickr, Digg...
Channel, brand community, ...

18. Social Tactics To Grow a Business
MEDIA YOU OWN MEDIA YOU RENT MEDIA YOU EARN
Private research community
LISTENING Website surveys (pop-up)
Online Focus Groups Social Media Monitoring
Campaign Launch:
TALKING + Website, blog, Twitter/FB account, Viral campaigns
RESPONDING own Email list, Brand community E-reputation management
Display ads, Sponsorship
Paid search
Rented Email lists
Branded profile skins (Netlog) Ambassador identification
Member-get-Member platform
ENERGIZING Branded blog platform
Social buttons (Facebook
Share, Connect)
PEER Collaborative webcare platform,
Outsourced support
SUPPORTING wiki
Custom platform for
EMBRACING Crowdsourced innovation
Out -+ Crowdsourced innovation

19. Communities? It’s
about public services!
3

20. Public services
SOCIAL, COMMUNITY -----> perfect fit for Social Media, right?

21. 1 Communicate directly with citizens: 2-
way conversations
SOCIAL Build strong communities both online and
2
MEDIA off line
ALLOWS 3 Be there when and where you are
needed
YOU TO 4 Offer great service on a daily basis,
not just during crisis.

22. So, Public Services are a hit on
Social Media, right?... Right?
No!

23. The problem?
WHAT DO WE TALK ABOUT
ON A REGULAR BASIS?

24. Social media, Public
Services & Crisis
WHO IS BEHIND IT?
4

25. Whenever there is a CRISIS, it
then seems obvious to use Social
Media but without prior presence
it is very difficult to be effective.

26. Pukkelpop 2011: a storm hits the
festival. A stage collapses.
Communication lines are off.
Festival-goers are stuck in Hasselt

27. Example 1: Pukkelpop 2011

28. The Power of #hashtags

29. The London Riots of 2011

30. Example 2: London riots – the clean up

31. The power of #hashtags

32. While Blackberry’s IM system was blamed
for helping looters get organised, the
citizens’ response was to share real time
information via Social Media and later
organise the clean-up.
WHERE WERE THE PUBLIC SERVICES?

33. The Met’s response?
Ask citizens to post pictures of looters on their FlickR account so they could be
punished…a few weeks later

34. Whenever there is a problem that touches
the general population, Social Media allows
real-time communication to
INFORM, HELP, ADVISE and REASSURE
citizens. It is a powerful tool that should be
embraced by public services.

35. Belgian Public Services on
Social Media
WHAT KIND OF PRESENCE?
5

37. TRANSPORT: STIB

38. SERVICES: POLICE

40. Services: Bpost

42. SERVICES: FIREFIGHTERS

43. SERVICES: FIREFIGHTERS

44. AND ABROAD?

48. CONCLUSIONS FOR YOU

49. Social media = a good
opportunity to communicate &
reach the communities you
provide with services
It also allows you to INFORM
and be present in real time
during crisis (small or important)

50. BUT
you need a clear long term strategy +
content plan to sustain conversations in
the long run
Because you DO have real role to play –
that can be enabled & empowered
by Social Media

51. QUESTIONS?