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Rock Creek Roundup (January 27 Edition)

Posted by: Amy Hooker, Director of Online Marketing Jan 27, 2012 0 Comments

President Obama to host a Google+ Hangout on Monday, a NextGov blogger explores who the government ‘follows’ on Twitter, GSA offers a social media course, and an upcoming Mobile Gov Wikithon in the D.C. area Tuesday, all in this week’s version of the Rock Creek Roundup!

—Recently, President Obama and the White House joined the budding social media network Google+ to bring constituents behind the scenes campaign information, photos, and videos. In an effort to get in touch with the public, the President will be hosting a Google+ Hangout on Jan. 30 to answer questions submitted by YouTube users. This is the first Google+ Hangout the President has participated in, and the event will kick-off with a speech at 5:30 p.m. on the White House’s page. Participants can submit questions via video or text, and the President will answer the top-voted questions. Obama joined Google+ in late November and has accumulated nearly 320,000 followers. People can follow the Hangout on the White House’s website, Google+ page, or YouTube channel.

—While the adoption of social media in government has been steady, the mediums still pose some big questions and cause some debate. In a recent NextGov article, blogger Joseph Marks addresses one of the more unclear issues: should government agencies ‘follow’ other tweeters? Agencies have established varying policies ranging from following only other government agencies to following back many of their own followers. While many agencies want to get information out to the public as quickly as possible, others worry about the implications or reactions by the public. Unfortunately, there is no clear answer or government-wide policy to answer the question. How do you feel about being “followed” by the government?

—With the increase in use of social media in government, the need for education in the social sphere is a growing. Fortunately, the General Services Administration is offering a twelve week course in Facebook, Twitter, Wikis, and other social networks and applications. The course will feature presentations from government officials and industry leaders, projects, and lectures. Keeping in mind the diversity of social media policies and objectives, the course will cover a wide variety of goals, missions, and tools. The goal of the program is less about aligning policies and goals, and more about educating people on the opportunities, tools, and uses of social media and its various mediums. The course will begin February 7 via GSA’s Web Manager University in Washington, D.C.

—Interested in learning more about the Mobile Gov Wiki? On Tuesday, January 31, there will be a “Bring a Friend” Mobile Gov Wikithon in Washington, D.C. and Bethesda, Md. The event will be aimed at teaching participants how to create content for the Mobile Gov Wiki. The open-house event will run from 3 – 5 p.m. in two locations and will be focusing on Mobile Gov Practices and mHealth.

Rock Creek Roundup (January 20 Edition)

Posted by: Amy Hooker, Director of Online Marketing Jan 20, 2012 0 Comments

The U.S. Army offers 5 tips on navigating social media community engagement, the White House joins Google+, and a survey reveals that nearly half federal IT employees use mobile devices for work, all in this week’s version of the Rock Creek Roundup!

—In an ongoing attempt to help other agencies navigate the social media sphere, the U.S. Army has released a quick guide giving tips on how to effectively review and handle social media comments. As more government agencies join the social media platforms, managing community engagement has become more important. The Army published a Social Media Roundup with 5 tips for social media community management. First, the Army recommends establishing a policy, followed by expectations. Then change settings and use free tools provided by the platforms, such as HootSuite or Facebook settings. The Army recommends engagement, so drafting common responses will help when faced with questions from users. Lastly, stay calm and maintain professionalism.

—Shortly after President Obama announced his debut on Google+, the White House has followed suit. On Friday, the White House launched a Google+ page promising news, photos, and videos plus opportunities to engage with administration officials. Being the latest in the social media efforts of the Obama Administration, the Google+ page is already listed in almost 7,000 users’ circles. With the election less than nine months away, the page will provide visitors with another platform to interact with government officials, including Google Hangouts and behind-the-scenes media.

—Conducted in December 2011, a survey of 200 federal IT workers revealed nearly half of respondents use their mobile devices for work-related activities. According to the results, the top three applications are e-mail (93%), project management tools (36%), and social media (20%). Of those that use social media, 68% turn to Facebook, while 21% use Twitter, 16% use Google+, and 11% pick LinkedIn. Mobile phones are quickly becoming the norm for federal employees while PC’s are becoming less important for work purposes.

Rock Creek Roundup (December 9 Edition)

Posted by: Amy Hooker, Director of Online Marketing Dec 09, 2011 0 Comments

OhMyGov! lists the top 10 statistics to know about social media, the State Department launches a virtual embassy, the New York Times releases an app for the upcoming election, and the Department of Defense remembers Pearl Harbor through social media, all in this week’s version of the Rock Creek Roundup!

—While social media might be a rapidly evolving environment, knowing the basics is key to a successful social media program. OhMyGov! has put together a list of top 10 facts to know about social media for communications professionals. The list includes trends and statistics that outline user behavior globally, such as the fact that the average Twitter user logs in for 23 minutes. In addition to the list, the blog provides three helpful infographics: “How the World Uses Social Networks,” “The World Map of Social Networks,” and “In 60 Seconds.” While the information might only apply to global users rather than national segments, the post provides interesting insight into user behavior that can help in a pitch, presentation, or daily strategy.

—On Tuesday, the State Department launched the Virtual Embassy Tehran to bring Iranians and Americans together. While there is no physical embassy in Iran, the virtual embassy will open up communications between the two countries. Even though the embassy cannot issue visas, it contains videos from public officials addressing the Iranian people, Voice of America news articles, and information about U.S. study abroad programs and travel visas. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton addressed the visitors in a video message urging open dialogue and more understanding between the two nations. While the U.S. has no diplomatic presence in Iran, the website is an attempt to circumvent the system and create a safe space for conversation without fear.

—Thursday, the New York Times released its 2012 Election App as a resource for political coverage and campaign news integrating online content with its own editorial coverage. Through the central news feed, users can access articles, blog posts, videos, and tweets aggregated by the application. Currently, the app is only available for the iPhone and iPod Touch, but is free to download. The app’s content is also accessible from a desktop browser, but only New York Times subscribers have access to all the content.

—— On the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, people all over the world remembered, discussed, and honored those who fought and died. Unlike decades past, people took to social media to commemorate the day, including the Department of Defense. The Navy turned to social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and blogs, to engage the public in the week leading up to December 7. Through social media, the Navy shared content and stories of Pearl Harbor encouraging comments, sharing, and conversation. The military used social media to connect, show the relevance of the past, and remember those who fought and lost their lives seventy years ago.

Rock Creek Roundup (December 2 Edition)

Posted by: Amy Hooker, Director of Online Marketing Dec 02, 2011 0 Comments

NASA launches a mobile app store for employees, a study ranks federal agencies on social media engagement, and President Obama joins Google+, all in this week’s version of the Rock Creek Roundup!

—While NASA has a knack for developing engaging and desirable applications for public use, it has now launched a mobile apps store for agency personnel and contractors to access information from their mobile devices. The store is aimed at providing employees with access to information crucial to their jobs anytime, anywhere. While the Apps@NASA store isn’t open to the public, it shows the level of commitment to embrace technology despite constraints and obstacles. Currently the apps will be able to be access by those using iPhones and Andriod devices. While there are only two apps in the store, NASA expects to have more in the near future.

—As agencies make the move to develop presences on social networks, a study has found that few federal agencies are actually engaging with citizens. The study, Federal Social Media Index, counted how many times the agencies asked for feedback and how much feedback they received. The top ranked agencies were the U.S. Mint, Homeland Security Department, Marine Corps, and National Park Foundation. These agencies averaged the highest response rate for the initial week of the study. Over the first week, agencies asked 231 questions on Twitter with 178 responses for a 77% percent response rate. The goal of the study is to bring the people behind the accounts together, help them learn from current efforts, and inform other agencies about to tackle social media.

—On Wednesday, President Obama officially joined Google+ with a verified account. While the President himself isn’t managing the page, it’s a space to get connected with the 2012 campaign. The new addition to Google+ is an important one for the network as the President has been on social media since 2008 using it to boost his previous campaign and engage with citizens. While the page has yet to receive fanfare similar to his Facebook and Twitter feeds, it’s yet another channel to reach out and access the public.

Zombies, Zeitgeist & Content Marketing

Posted by: Natalya Minkovsky, Director of Strategy Nov 18, 2011 0 Comments

From books and video games to movies and TV shows, zombies sell. Content marketers have taken notice, jumping on the zombie bandwagon to promote everything from emergency preparedness to content marketing itself.

Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) drew an unprecedented amount of traffic to its blog when the government agency published a blog post about preparing for the zombie apocalypse. While much of the blog post’s real estate was actually devoted to preparing for a more likely emergency, like a hurricane, it was the zombie angle that turned the blog post into a content marketing success story.

Last month, just in time for Halloween, the CDC continued its outreach campaign with a zombie comic book, “Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic.” The new zombie comic book is a content marketing win for several reasons:

The comic book looks and feels like part of a comprehensive campaign, further strengthening the connection between the CDC and its message of being prepared for a pandemic.
By providing important public health and safety information in a visual format, the comic book helps the agency educate a broad audience using storytelling and plain language methods. The CDC also offers an accessible text version of the comic.
The promotion takes advantage of not just one but two pop culture moments: comic book nerds are cool now, didn’t you know?

While the CDC pretty much has the zombie market cornered when it comes to government outreach campaigns, my hope is that the CDC’s zombie campaign has inspired other government agencies to turn to pop culture to promote their message.

On Halloween, the USDA tapped into the zombie phenomenon too, transforming its ChooseMyPlate.gov icon into a meal better suited for the living dead. But like other pop culture phenomena, the zombie craze will wane. And in the meantime, zombies aren’t the solution to every communications challenge.

Need inspiration for your next outreach campaign? Here are a few tips for getting a dose of pop culture:

Browse the shelves at your local bookstore (maybe even a comic book store).
Watch a popular TV show—including all the commercials.
If you usually watch indie flicks, watch a blockbuster movie.
Next time you’re in the grocery store checkout line, pick up one of those silly entertainment magazines you never buy.
Talk to the teens in your life. What bands are they listening to? What shows are they watching? What comic books are they reading?

When it comes to content marketing, you don’t have to be a pop culture columnist, but it helps to think like one.

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Amy Hooker

Director of Online Marketing