As far as social media, one external communications associate manages posts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, aided by in-house graphic design expertise as needed. The work is overseen by the agency’s communications director.
Here’s how Kendall Johnson of MNIT communications describes their social media strategy:
“Minnesota IT Services (MNIT), the IT agency for the state’s executive branch, mainly uses social media to inform the public of relevant IT projects, provide general cybersecurity information, and to highlight successful or compelling stories within the agency. We see our social media pages as a storytelling platform, where we create a person-centered narrative about the technology that connects Minnesotans to their state government.
“Our biggest campaign of the year is Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October. We create a theme for each week, generate content and graphics around that theme, and engage with the national campaign throughout the month. During that campaign, we also typically participate in a public event, which helps to tie our cybersecurity messages to people’s everyday lives.”
The agency closely measures the performance of its social media efforts, reporting out to leadership on a regular basis. Results inform the content and the timing of posts, helping to maximize engagement. Johnson reports the following growth in MNIT’s social following over the past year: Facebook, 10 percent; Twitter, 9 percent; and LinkedIn, 57 percent. Timely, person-centered content, Johnson reports, sparks the most interest from followers.