Social News Desk at GSMCON 2024: The Future of Government Communications

Welcome to our recap of Social News Desk’s participation at GSMCON 2024, a key event for government social media professionals every year. This is a can’t-miss event that we always look forward to at SND.

Since 2010, Social News Desk has led the way in creating effective social media management tools for America’s most critical public communicators, including major local government agencies, news organizations, and universities. 

This year’s conference emphasized how innovative government public information officers are becoming as social media evolves! At the same time, the basics of timely and useful communication are needed more than ever. 

Let me walk you through my general experience and insights from GSMCON 2024.

Highlights from GSMCON2024

There were so many highlights in these two days that stood out for me!

The atmosphere at the conference was charged with positive vibes. Everywhere there were helpful conversations and budding partnerships, giving attendees a chance to trade valuable insights to take back to their teams. 

I love this emphasis on practical results and networking. It makes GSMCON 2024 a really valuable experience for those like me who are committed to making government communication more fun and powerful.

GSMCON 2024 is a one of a kind event specifically designed for specialists in government social media. There’s no better networking space for those dedicated to using digital platforms in government communication.

Attendees enjoyed a dynamic environment that was conducive to sharing innovative ideas and networking. This focused approach allowed them to engage with specific challenges and opportunities in government social media, ensuring they left with insights and tools to improve their public engagements and digital strategies.

Looking for new engagement ideas? Boost your civic engagement with our practical eBook: Civic-Minded Social Media Content.

Key Trends and Topics

Adoption of AI in Government Social Media

I noticed a major trend from GSMCON 2024: the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) by government agencies to improve their social media efforts. More and more agencies are using AI to automate responses to public inquiries and for strategic content curation. This is also something that you may have noticed with the Social News Desk platform, which uses AI publishing automation to save you time and grow your traffic. 

The use of AI is changing how public information officers interact with communities, highlighting AI’s significant potential to improve social media campaigns and public engagement.

Crisis Communications Focus

Crisis communications were a key focus at GSMCON 2024, in a year when crisis seems to follow crisis without a rest. I had many discussions that revolved around improving preparedness and responding to emergencies via social media. 

There is clearly a growing understanding of social media’s role as a key component in crisis management – especially from agency stakeholders.

My GSMCON highlight was the opportunity to deliver my presentation, “In the Eye of the Storm: Preparing Effective Government Crisis Communication Strategies for Social Media.” I wanted to shed light on this significant gap in emergency preparedness and initiate an important discussion on developing/improving crisis strategies. This is particularly urgent, considering that our poll found that 41% of government communication departments lack a crisis communication plan.

Download our free eBook: Preparing Effective Government Crisis Communication Strategies for Social Media, and craft an effective social media crisis plan based on real-world examples and expert advice in public safety communications.

Emerging Platforms and Strategies

Emerging platforms and new strategies were prominent topics at GSMCON 2024, highlighting shifts in how government agencies communicate with their communities. Nextdoor, in particular, was increasingly popular among these agencies for its direct reach into neighborhoods. 

Our new Nextdoor publishing feature, which is currently being tested and will soon be available to government agency customers, attracted a lot of interest. It showcases its potential to complement the usual social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The use of TikTok by government agencies also sparked plenty of debate. While some agencies have adopted TikTok for its engaging video content, others are hindered by state bans on its use. This has led to the exploration of alternatives like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, which allow agencies to share engaging videos and reach younger audiences.

Speaking of alternative social media platforms, our free eBook, ‘Threads Untangled: Maximizing Meta for Government Social Media,’ is a must-read for agencies looking to master Threads.

Until GSMCON 2025…

The entire GSMCON 2024 provided valuable insights into the changing role of social media in government communications and really left me feeling a sense of pride in our own community. 

Looking ahead, I expect the government social media landscape to become even more dynamic and integrated.

Thankfully, Social News Desk is equipped with advanced tools to help agencies manage communications more effectively. Our aim is to provide solutions that anticipate future needs in a world that’s always on the brink of a new trending topic.

As we build on the success of GSMCON 2024, I encourage all government agencies and partners to discover how Social News Desk can improve your social media management.

Contact us to learn more about our features and how we can help you engage with your community effectively.