Government organizations have important roles to play: building community, keeping people safe, being informative – and that’s only the beginning! Using social media is a fantastic way to do these things and more.
Do you feel prepared to tackle these goals as a government communicator? Social News Desk has rounded up 5 best practices from Meta to always keep handy. Let this serve as your go-to checklist!
Optimize your Facebook Page
First things first: Set up your page for success. This means making sure your Facebook Page has the right category — think “Government Organization”, a customized URL (we want to make things easy!), and visually appealing images.
Post strategically with your audience in mind
Posting may look easy, but it’s important to do it the right way. What does that mean? We give you a few pointers:
- Post frequently and consistently: It takes time to build a social presence. Start posting, keep track of when you do, and be consistent with sticking to a particular schedule. Using a content calendar of special dates and moments to highlight can keep you organized and on track (by the way, did you know we have a tool that can help? Check out “notes” in our Publishing Calendar!)
- Showcase different types of content (including Reels!) Diversity is key. No one wants to see the same thing over and over — and besides, Reels are proven to reach your community. According to Meta, nearly half of people have messaged an organization after seeing a Reel.
- Pin key posts: You can pin important announcements to the top of your Facebook Page so that users don’t lose sight of it.
Foster community through interaction
Posting is important – but don’t forget about engaging! This is huge for government organizations since interacting with folks can build trust. Here are some tips:
- Be authentic: Share photos and videos that highlight your organization’s personality, what you’re up to and what you care about.
- Be informative: People want to be in the know! Update them on important news and events. Consider creating or joining a Facebook Group to find a niche audience and spark even more engagement.
- Be interactive: Let your followers know you care – and are listening! You could try telling your story with Facebook or Instagram Stories. You could also host a Watch Party, Virtual Event or go live with someone else on Instagram. For example, you could go live with a government official to make a big announcement.
Be creative and stand out from the crowd
Why not take it up a notch with your content? You could offer a tour of your community via photos, videos, and Stories. Tag the Facebook Pages of places you visit and encourage them to
share your posts as well.
Or, if a new policy is being rolled out, plan a Q&A and include other stakeholders and policy experts to ask and answer questions.
Need more ideas for creative government content? Download our Civic-Minded Social Media Content ebook for free!
Build trust: Work smarter, not harder
Ultimately, it’s all about building trust with citizens. If you start using these best practices, little by little, i won’t be long before you see more participation within an engaged social community.
How SND Can Help You
At Social News Desk, we understand the unique challenges faced by government agencies in managing their social media presence. Our platform is designed to support government communicators in effectively reaching their communities and building trust through consistent and impactful social media engagement. With SND, you can easily schedule posts, manage interactions, and analyze the effectiveness of your content, all in one place.
Ready to enhance your Facebook strategy with tools built for success? Explore our government-focused social media management solutions and discover how SND is empowering agencies to communicate more effectively with their audiences. Interested in seeing how it works? Request a free demo today and take the first step towards transforming your social media operations.
