Social media: Why it mattersA few thoughts on the value of online, mobile communication tools

S o c i a l M e d i a a n d I T S We b i n a rH o s t e d b y T h i n k i n g H i g h w a y s

We d n e s d a y, N o v e m b e r 2 0 , 2 0 1 3

Lloyd BrownDirector of Communications

American Association of State Highway

and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

What we’ll cover

• Why is social media important to AASHTO?

• The current state of DOTs social media usage

Social media = All ages“Six out of 10 internet users ages 50-64 are social networking site users, as are 43% of those ages 65 and older.”

- Pew Study

Source: http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/social-networking-sites/Findings.aspx?view=all

News consumption• Half of Facebook and Twitter

users get news at a social site.• 65% of U.S. adults get news on

one social site; 26% from two sites; 9% get news from three or more sites.

Source: http://www.journalism.org/2013/11/14/news-use-across-social-media-platforms//

Looking for News

“ 50% of the public now cites the internet as a main source for national and international news, still below television, but far above newspapers and radio.”

Source: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/10/16/12-trends-shaping-digital-news/

Connected devices here to stay

American ownership:• Cell phones - 91%• Netbooks/laptops - 61%• E-readers - 26%• Tablet computers - 34%

4/26/2012 6

As of May 2013. Source: http://pewinternet.org/Static-Pages/Trend-Data-(Adults)/Device-Ownership.aspx

DOT SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE

The current state of

History of the survey

• AASHTO’s first social media survey of state DOTs published in 2010.

• 26 states were using Twitter – primarily relaying road/traffic information

• 14 states used Facebook.• 7 states had a blog• 10 states used podcasting

2010 2011 2012 20130

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100TwitterFacebookLinkedInFlickrBlogs VideoPodcastsPinterestStorifyOtherMobile Apps

Social media tool usageMost used social media tools

2012-2013 = Engagement

“We used to be very rigid and formal in all our responses. Now, we're trying to humanize the feed. We post pictures of ourselves and answer the feed as people (saying I and we) instead of an agency (DOT says...). It has helped tremendously and we've received really good public feedback!”

“We're seeing a slow and steady gain in Twitter and Facebook followers. We're seeing more and more people asking questions, sharing comments or airing concerns via these two medium.”

Challenges aheadToo many tools, not enough time

“Already we are spread kind of thin, so I anticipate we will have to make a choice at some point: either we shrink our social media presence and focus on the most successful/useful tools, or we hire someone to manage all of them full time.”

Looking ahead at 2014• Social media emerging as public

involvement tool.• Social media are standard tools. Focus

now is on best practices, staffing, access to tools.

• And … A new opportunity for engagement

Social media: Why it matters

10/30/2012 13

Contact: Lloyd D. Brown, Director of CommunicationsAmerican Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

(202) 624-5802 office(202) 677-5811 celllbrown@aashto.org

A few thoughts on the value of online, mobile communication tools