HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-10-026 - Online Communications Strategy & Corporate Social Media PolicyREPORT
REPORT TO:
Finance and Corporate Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
June 21, 2010
SUBMITTED BY:
Michael May, Director of Communications & Marketing
PREPARED BY:
Michael May, Director of Communications & Marketing
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
All
DATE OF REPORT: June 16, 2010
REPORT NO.:
CAO-10-026
SUBJECT:
ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY &
CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City of Kitchener Online Communications Strategy, as attached to Chief
Administrator’s Office CAO-10-024 be approved.
That the Corporate Social Media Policy, as attached to Chief Administrator’s Office CAO-
10-024 be approved.
REPORT:
Online communication – and social media in particular – is fundamentally changing the way we
discover, consume and share information with one another. The scale of this change in world culture
is on par with the industrial revolution and the invention of the automobile, airplane and television.
This change in how we are connecting with one another is not five or 10 years down the road; it
is already happening today. Research demonstrates that people around the world are already
using online tools to stay in touch, stay informed and stay engaged in their community.
Recent community consultations in Kitchener have demonstrated the city’s stakeholders already
expect information to be available online – including but not limited to the city’s website, and via
social media tools like Facebook and Twitter. For example, the 2009 Environics survey of
Kitchener residents indicated:
40% of respondents use Facebook daily or weekly.
34% watch videos on YouTube or visit photo sharing sites like Flickr daily or weekly.
20% of respondents said they fill out online surveys and read blogs daily or weekly.
Facebook alone has close to 280,000 users who have registered with some connection to
Kitchener.
ïë ó ï
Online Communications Strategy
The worldwide shift towards online communications presents the City of Kitchener with a
significant opportunity to reach and engage stakeholders in ways never before explored –
including groups we have traditionally found difficult to reach such as new Canadians, persons
with disabilities and potential visitors and investors from around the globe.
Given global and local trends, if the City of Kitchener wants to continue to effectively share
information with its stakeholders and engage them in meaningful dialogues about the
community, it is not a question of “if” it should use social media; it is a question of “how.”
To that end, over the past eight months a team of staff from across the corporation have been
working to develop a comprehensive Online Communications Strategy for the City of Kitchener.
As part of that work, research was conducted into 40 specific topics related to online
communications and a survey of 12 other Canadian municipalities was conducted to learn best
practices where possible.
On June 14, 2010 city council was presented with CAO-10-024 the project team’s proposed
Online Communications Strategy and Corporate Social Media Policy for its initial consideration.
A summary of the strategy recommendations are attached to this report.
Balanced Approach to Communications:
Kitchener’s Online Communications Strategy positions the city for the present, as well as the
future, by beginning to make a critical shift in communications resources and strategy towards a
more balanced approach to the use of traditional and online communication methods.
It is important to note that this strategy is about better balancing and integrating all of the
communications tools used by the city for maximum benefit and results. It is not about
eliminating traditional forms of communications – many of which have benefits and reach
audiences where online communications do not.
A more balanced approach to the city’s communications will ensure it is reaching more people,
engaging more stakeholders and operating in a more open and transparent manner.
Corporate Social Media Policy:
In addition to the Online Communications Strategy itself, staff have prepared a corporate social
media policy that will help implement the strategy. The following proposed policy:
1. Centralizes oversight and responsibility for the corporation’s social media accounts within
the corporate communications division – and the Director of Corporate Communications and
Marketing in particular.
2. Sets out processes and protocols for managing (creating, monitoring, deleting when
necessary), content on these sites and responding to public postings in a timely manner.
3. Provides criteria for establishing new online communications tools beyond those specifically
outlined in the Online Communications Strategy.
ïë ó î
4. Set outs the following criteria under which public postings will be deemed inappropriate and
removed from the city’s social media sites:
Comments not topically related to the particular site or content being commented upon;
Profane language or content;
Personal attacks on individuals or specific groups;
Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed,
color, age, religion, gender, marital status, status with regard to public assistance,
national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation;
Sexual content or links to sexual content;
Conduct or encouragement of illegal activity;
Content related to non-city related sales, advertising or promotions;
Content for the purposes of promoting a candidate for municipal, provincial or federal election;
Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems;
Content that violates a legal ownership interest of any other party; or
Content that is believed to be inappropriate in the opinion of the City of Kitchener’s
Director of Corporate Communications and Marketing.
5. Establishes a minimum frequency of twice daily for staff to check corporate social media
accounts and update content 2-3 times per day.
6. Allows staff to access and monitor social media sites during work hours provided the
purpose relates to city business (recognizing the benefit of monitoring online stakeholder
input into city issues).
7. Does not allow staff to post information to their own personal social media pages during
work time unless they do so during their breaks or lunch hour.
8. Outlines the following expectations for how city staff will conduct themselves on social media
:
sites (corporate or personal) when discussing, sharing or commenting on city business
Employees must conduct themselves in accordance with all other human resource and
administrative policies, including but not limited to: II-60 – Confidentiality of Information, II-
140 – Freedom from Harassment, II-185 – Internet Usage, II-235 – Public Criticism, and II-
315 – Violence in the Workplace).
Employees must disclose their employment or association with the City of Kitchener.
Employees should take all reasonable steps to ensure information they are posting is
current, accurate, complete and relevant to the discussions. Anecdotes and opinions will
be identified as such.
Employees must maintain the confidentiality of information considered confidential,
including company financial and business information, citizen and/or customer personal
information, personal information about city council, partner and/or supplier information,
personal employee data, or any information not generally available to the public.
To protect personal information, employees should not cite vendors, suppliers, clients,
citizens, co-workers or other stakeholders without their previous approval.
ïë ó í
City-staff-to-city-staff communication for the purpose of conducting official city-related
business should not take place using any social media tool – unless the tool is being
used only for internal corporate use and its content is closed to the general public.
Corporate responses to online postings, blogs and discussion forums about city-related
business will be co-ordinated through the corporate communications division.
Staff should not use City of Kitchener logos, the city crest or enterprise logos for
endorsements or to promote a product, cause, or political party or candidate.
9. Provides specific direction to ensure the city is meeting is its legislative requirements for the
protection of personal information
10. Establishes protocols to ensure content on the city’s social media sites is managed
appropriately from a records management perspective.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Reflecting the need to shift the city communications resources, focus and strategies towards a
more balance approach between traditional and online communications, the existing staff
position of Communications and Marketing Associate (Public Affairs) will be shifted to a
Communications and Marketing Associate (Online Specialist).
The online specialist will be responsible for specific content management and oversight of the
city’s online communications tools including but not limited to the city’s website, social media
tools and enewsletter. The position will also be responsible for staff training in social media,
search engine optimization of the city’s website, and monitoring, measuring and reporting on the
effectiveness of online communications efforts.
This increased focus on the priority areas of online communications and the shift in staff
resources will result in longer response times from the corporate communications and marketing
division for some lower priority requests for traditional communications support.
CONCLUSION:
The City of Kitchener’s Online Communications Strategy responds to a fundamental shift in
society by beginning to transform the way the city is communicating with its stakeholders
towards a more balanced approach between traditional and online tools – and it does so within
existing resources and through a well thought out, comprehensive and planned approach aimed
at maximizing the benefits to the corporation and to its stakeholders.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Michael May, Director of Communications & Marketing
ïë ó ì
City of Kitchener Online Communications Strategy
Summary of Recommendations
Corporate Policy & Staff Guidelines:
1. That the attached Corporate Social Media Policy (Appendix B) and Social Media Guidelines
for Staff (Appendix C) be approved and communicated to City of Kitchener staff.
2. That the attached guidelines for effective web-writing (Appendix D) be endorsed for use by
all city staff writing online content for the city’s websites and social media pages.
Responsibility, Accountability, Resourcing:
3. That the Corporate Communications and Marketing Division serve as a centralized resource
for the oversight and use of social media sites by the city and its enterprises, as well as the
creation and maintenance of content on those sites.
4. That the Corporate Communications and Marketing Division develop a centralized system
available to all city staff to submit information for consideration and potential posting on
social media sites.
5. That the Corporate Communications and Marketing Division review and revise its mandate
and list of services provided to its customer to reflect the addition of social media and other
online communications tools, before the end of 2010.
6. That the standard templates used for all communications and marketing plans be revised to
include specific consideration for the use of online communications tools – including
measuring their effectiveness – which are deemed appropriate to the specific target
audiences, objectives, budget and key messages of each individual plan.
7. That the current position of Communications and Marketing Associate (Public Affairs) be
reassigned to a Communications and Marketing Associate (Online Specialist), by reducing
the amount of time spent in support of communications planning and public affairs writing,
and taking on new responsibilities for specific content management and oversight of the
city’s online communications tools.
Corporate Training:
8. That the Corporate Communications and Marketing Division develop and deliver a
comprehensive social media training program which is available to all city staff and includes,
but is not limited to, the following information:
An introduction to online communications and social media
Purpose, benefits and risks of using online communications
Corporate Social Media Policy
Social Media Guidelines for city Staff (including netiquette)
Effective Web-Writing Guidelines
How to access and take advantage of the corporation’s social media tools
ïë ó ë
Ongoing Review of Online Communications:
9. New and existing online social media tools will be evaluated and selected for use in
conjunction with other traditional communications methods, by staff of the Corporate
Communications and Marketing Division. Tools will be selected in collaboration with clients, in
the same way that traditional methods of communications are chosen for projects and
initiatives – based on the size, scope, objectives and target audiences of the project.
Recommended Online Tools
10. That a comprehensive communications and marketing plan be developed and implemented,
by the end of 2010, to make residents and other stakeholders aware of the city’s use of
these social media sites and to encourage them to stay informed about the city through
those networks.
Facebook
11. That the City of Kitchener provide a single, comprehensive corporate Facebook ‘fan page’
that is monitored and maintained by staff in the Corporate Communications and Marketing
Division on a daily basis, and which is used to inform and educate residents and other
stakeholders, as well as engage them in conversation about city business.
12. That the City of Kitchener endorse the use of Facebook Ads for reaching specific target
audiences and demographics and to achieve the goals and objectives identified within
supporting communications and marketing plans.
Twitter
13. That, on a one year pilot, the City of Kitchener create a single, corporate Twitter feed that is
maintained by a single, identifiable individual, the Director of Corporate Communications
and Marketing.
14. That a review of the effectiveness of a corporate Twitter feed be conducted one year from its
initiation, to determine whether or not to continue the use of this tool, or whether changes
are required.
Youtube
15. That the City of Kitchener create a corporate YouTube channel for posting all videos
showcasing Kitchener that is managed by Corporate Communications and Marketing staff
and that content only publish at the sole discretion of the city.
16. That the City of Kitchener develop and implement a full communications and marketing plan
focused on encouraging staff, citizens and other stakeholders to create and submit video
material for posting on the city’s YouTube channel.
Flickr
17. That the City of Kitchener create a corporate Flickr account as a method of gathering
photographs taken by citizens and other stakeholders for use by the city.
ïë ó ê
18. That, by the end of 2010, the City of Kitchener develops and implements a detailed process
to obtain photographs from other Flickr account holders, and a formal procedure for
ensuring photo waiver forms are completed and filed and photo credits are provide to those
individuals when used by the city.
LinkedIn
19. That the City of Kitchener use LinkedIn’s job boards for online recruitment purposes when
deemed appropriate for the position being advertised.
Kijiji
20. That Kijiji be used for specific online recruitment purposes when deemed appropriate by the
HR Division.
Enewsletter
21. That the Corporate Communications and Marketing Division develop and maintain a single,
corporate e-newsletter for citizens and other stakeholders and that the potential for other
topic and enterprise specific e-newsletters be examined before the end of 2010.
Email Signatures
22. That the City of Kitchener develop a formal corporate email signature policy that takes into
consideration, but not be limited to: font type, size and colour, standard information which
must appear and the appropriateness of taglines and quotes used by individual employees.
Ongoing Measuring, Monitoring & Evaluating:
23. That the Corporate Communications and Marketing Division engage its customers in the
development of specific measurements for all online communications tools used by the city
and that those measurements are focused on measuring the effectiveness and cost/benefit
of each tool.
24. That the city’s measurements for the effectiveness of online communications be added to
the city’s annual business planning process and the collection of key performance
indicators.
25. That the Online Communications Strategy team conduct a review – annually – of the
effectiveness of online tools being used by the city as well as any emerging technologies or
social media sites identified for potential future use.
26. That the addition of any online communications tools or social media sites, for use by the
city, be approved by the Corporate Management Team prior to their implementation.
Tools Not Recommended For Use By The City:
27. That the City of Kitchener not pursue the use of a corporate blog for communicating with
citizens and other stakeholders until such time as further investigation into the corporation’s
appetite for use of this tool is discussed further with senior management, including
identifying the staff resource who might write, maintain and monitor the corporate blog.
ïë ó é
28. That the City of Kitchener not pursue the use of podcasting as a means of further
examination is conducted into:
Potential specific uses;
o
Legal and technical concerns;
o
Staff resources required to establish and produce podcasts, and;
o
The number of citizens and demographic profile of who would use a city podcast.
o
29. That the City of Kitchener not pursue the use of wikis as a method for communicating with
the general public any further, but that their use as an internal communications tool be
examined for possible incorporation into a redesign of the city’s Intranet site.
30. That the following social media tools not be pursued any further as a primary tool for
corporate use by the City of Kitchener:
Craigslist
Myspace
Digg
Yahoo ads
Google ads
YouTube ads
Online Recruitment:
31. That the City of Kitchener use the following social media tools for online employee
recruitment:
Facebook Marketplace – to be managed by Human Resources staff.
o
Facebook status updates on corporate fan page – to be managed by Corporate
o
Communications staff.
Facebook employment link on corporate fan book page.
o
Twitter status update – to be managed by Corporate Communications staff.
o
LinkedIn job board – managed by Human Resources staff.
o
LinkedIn group page job boards – managed by Human Resources staff.
o
ïë ó è