1. Social Media
What’s In your toolbox?

2. What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?
What’s your message?
What do you want to accomplish?
What story do you want to tell?
Talking Points for Events, Campaigns, Crises: Keep Everyone on the Same Page
Plan, plan, plan: Communication Plan / Press Plan

3. Jump In with Both Feet!
Set up a personal Facebook page (if you don’t have one)
Sign up for Twitter and Instagram
Explore what’s out there
Follow other cities, the news organizations you like, the companies or organizations you like
What are others doing? How are they doing it?

4. Social Platforms: Not All the Same
Facebook:
Most comprehensive of the social media outlets: You can do it all here
Makes the personal public
Very social
Is “viral” the goal?
Twitter: News aggregate. Branding. Celebrities
Instagram: Photos tell the story. Popular with teens and YA
Snapchat: Kids. Fun. Here and gone.
Pinterest: “Big time suck”

5. Facebook Be clever with your writing Keep it short
Use photos to tell the story
Use hashtag campaigns:
City Hall Selfie Day #CityHallSelfie
#IAmKirkwood
Use it for road closings, water main breaks, power outages
Make your life simple: Push everything to Twitter

6. There Are No Hard and Fast Rules
The “rules” change before you can write them down
Do follow best practices
Use photos and video
Keep posts short
Post every day, preferably twice per day
Use trending topics and hashtags
Stay on top of new stuff: Facebook LIVE!
Have fun
Learn things

7. Use it for event reminders

8. Use it when job openings are filling slowly

9. Use it for road closings

10. Use it for information and education

11. Provide information to your residents they can use

12. Adding a photo will get their attention
No photo: 709 people reached

13. With photo: 2,036 people reached

14. Engage your readers naturally

15. Inform by engaging

16. Use the photography of others

18. Use quirky photography…if it tells a story

19. Language Is Important Use dynamic sentences and active verbs
Write in full sentences
Keep it short
Use punctuation
No bullet points – use dashes or tildes (~)
CAPITALIZE HEADLINES (bold not available)

20. What’s In Your Toolbox? Dictionary Grammar handbook AP Stylebook
Roget’s Thesaurus: Nooooooooooooo!!!!

21. Promote “Follow us on Facebook” Newsletters Utility bills
Business cards
Flyers, posters
Always link back to your website

22. Questions? Topics Not Covered?
Beth von Behren Public Information Officer City of Kirkwood, 139 S. Kirkwood Rd., Kirkwood, MO Facebook: