The Value of Social Media
Stephens County Emergency Management used social media to “explain the why” behind a bridge closure. Officials remained diligent in updating the post and keeping the community informed. Several hundred viewers reacted to the post, with one thanking emergency management personnel for closing the bridge and potentially saving lives.
In a recent column, CJCAT President Jen Crownover, Comal County Commissioner, addressed the value of using social media.
The following is an excerpt from Commissioner Crownover’s column:
Those who know me know that I always fall back to communication and the fact that it has everything to do with every aspect of what we do. Whether it’s constituent communications, or working with our fellow leaders, our employees, our legislators, or other agencies, communication touches everything we do. It can have everything to do with our successes, or it can be the common denominator in our weaknesses in our job. Either way, there is always an opportunity for improvement. Social Media: It is a tool. Sure, it can be scary if you’ve never used it before, or if you’ve never used it effectively, but I would challenge you to step up your game. Social media can be as useful as a new piece of machinery for paving roads or a software package to streamline office operations.
Also, think of this with regard to our attendance at conferences and such: You know the valuable time during lectures and the time between them where we compare notes, talk about the ideas discussed, and talk through the unique challenges of our home counties with each other? At lunch? At happy hour at the end of the day? Social media can fill the time between seeing each other in a very similar way when it comes to collaboration and camaraderie.
In addition to creating content and pushing it out to your communities, it’s just as important to follow the pages of other leaders. Sometimes, they’ve published something that is really interesting and applicable to your county, and it’s worth sharing on your (OFFICE) page. Sometimes, it’s just an idea that maybe you haven’t thought of, and it’s worth a phone call to them to learn more.