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Main Findings

People go on social media to feel better: around half of people choose to post optimistic things online - including things that make them smile (61%).

However, social media doesn't always leave people feeling positive: 57% admitted that after going on social media they have felt that someone has a better life than them.

People use social media as a forum for gaining social validation: only a third (31%) of people are not bothered about the number of likes they receive for their posts.

People - men especially - become upset if they do not get the likes they hope for: a quarter of men (24%) said they worry that if they get few likes their friends will think that they are unpopular, compared to one-in-six (17%) women.

In striving to receive more likes on social media, people can put themselves and their loved ones at risk by disclosing private information: 37% share their home town, 31% share their email address, 30% share their relationship status, 18% share details of their place of work and 14% share their address.

Social media impacts the relationships people have in the physical world: a third of the respondents to the survey admitted that they now communicate less with their parents (31%), children (33%), partners/spouses (23%), friends (35%), and colleagues (34%) because they can see them and communicate with them via social media.

Methodology

This study was conducted online by research firm Toluna, October - November, 2016. Users from 18 countries were surveyed online. A total of 16,750 people, aged over 16 years old, split equally between men and women, were surveyed. Data was weighted to be globally representative and consistent.
Not all the survey results have been included in this report. To request further data please contact Kaspersky Lab at prhq@kaspersky.com.
Introduction

Social media has the potential to bring us, as an online community, closer together than ever before. It allows us to share moments, memories and photos with each other, communicate across borders, build and maintain friendships and develop communities. Given the opportunities and the appeal, perhaps it's no surprise that by the third quarter of 2016 Facebook had 1.6 billion monthly active users, and Twitter averaged 317 million users.

However, despite social media's clear ability to bring us together, can it also sometimes leave us feeling down? And what are the implications for our security online?

With this question in mind, Kaspersky Lab undertook a study to delve into people's relationship with social media. We wanted to gain a better understanding of what people expect from being active on social media, and the reality.

The findings were fascinating. Across the globe we have found evidence of social media contributing to people feeling let down, insignificant, or negative. Worse still, in some instances, we found that in their quest for social validation, people are sharing an increasing amount of sensitive information on social media platforms, with men willing to take greater risks than women.

At Kaspersky Lab, our mission is to help people protect what matters most to them. We will, therefore, use the findings of this study to help people have a healthier relationship with social media - one in which they do not feel the need to put themselves at risk.

Section 1: Not living up to expectations
The findings of the research suggest that although many people initially join and spend time on social media to make themselves feel good, and to be entertained, they are sometimes disappointed. The study shows us that annoying advertising, a lack of likes and even jealousy leave them feeling negative after spending time on social media.
The survey shows us that people use social media for positive reasons - 65% use social networks to stay in touch with existing friends, colleagues or acquaintances, and 60% go on social media to see entertaining/ funny posts.

The desire to use social media for entertainment and for its positive effects is evident in the results of the survey, with this being the most popular option selected by respondents. Around half of people choose to post optimistic things online - including things that make them smile (61%).

People also turn to social media to make them happy - 40% of people agree that looking at happy pictures they have posted on social media cheers them up, 29% agree that when they feel down, they regularly look at happy pictures they have posted in the past and 32% agree that the more they look at happy pictures, the more they forget the times that weren't so great.

Although people go on social media to post something positive about themselves, the proliferation of cheerful posts about hobbies, holidays, and events etc. that they encounter in the process can leave social media users feeling less positive than they may expect. For example, 37% of respondents admitted that looking at past happy posts of their own can leave them with the feeling that their own past was better than their present life. Social media can also leave users with the impression that their friends are enjoying life more than them. 59% have felt unhappy when they have seen friends at a party that they didn't attend. Even a friend's happy holiday pictures have had an unhappy influence on 45% of Internet users and around three-quarters of people said that annoying advertising on social media has a negative influence on their mood (72%).

Section 2: The quest for social validation
The study demonstrates that through the forum of social media, people are searching for social validation, to make them feel good. And in this quest, they are placing importance on something as simple as how many likes they receive for their social media posts.
With only a third (31%) of people saying that they are not bothered about the number of likes they receive for their posts, videos or photos, the majority of respondents to the survey admit that they want their posts to be liked. Furthermore, because this is important to them, after they have posted or commented on something on social media, most people (55%) check their post for any reaction or response several times a day or more.

The data also shows that men are prone to checking their social media a little more often than women. And people - men especially - become upset if they do not get the likes they hope for. A quarter of men (24%) said they worry that if they get few likes their friends will think that they are unpopular, compared to one-in-six (17%) women. One-in-four people (28%) admit they get upset if somebody who matters to them doesn't like their posts, rising to 29% of men. 24% also said they feel jealous if their friends like somebody else's posts.

From these results, it is clear that people are eager to be publicly liked on social media. Their quest for social validation can even lead people to post embarrassing, or inappropriate things, in order to get more likes. 27% admitted that they would reveal something funny about a friend and 26% would do the same about a co-worker if it would secure them a significant number of likes on social media. Around one-in-ten would reveal something embarrassing or confidential about their co-workers, friends or employers. Men are twice more likely to do this than women, with 12% of men saying they would reveal something confidential about a friend, compared to 5% of women.

But the hunt for more likes doesn't stop there. The survey shows us that one-in-five people (21%) are ready to express strong views about something - even if they wouldn't normally express views like that - if it meant they would gain a significant number of likes. Around one-in-ten (12%) said they would pretend to be somewhere or doing something that might not be strictly true, post photos of friends under the influence of alcohol (12%) or photos of friends or themselves wearing something revealing (10%) in order to get more likes. Some people (7%) are even prepared to post photos of themselves naked. Men are more prepared to take these greater risks than women, suggesting that a high number of likes is more important to them and that they are willing to go further for social validation than women.

In striving to receive more likes on social media, people can put themselves and their loved ones at risk by disclosing private information they don't want other people to know.
According to the research, a third of people (33%) would be worried if somebody discovered where they live and what their house looks like, when they are away from home (36%), or how old their children are and how to find them (33%). People would also be worried if others knew their dating history (22%), salary (30%), or their intimate secrets (51%).

Nevertheless, the research shows a large number of people sharing information about themselves and their connections on social media, making it easier for others to discover exactly what people want to keep protected. 37% share their home town on social media, 31% share their email address, 30% share their relationship status, 18% share details of their place of work and 14% share their address, all of which results in sensitive information being available to others online, who can exploit it if they wish.

Section 3: Online communication is changing our real relationships
The research shows us that online communication is impacting the relationships we have with others in the physical world.
Many survey respondents believe that their communication with parents, friends, spouses, colleagues, etc. has become more regular as a result of social media. 80% said that they communicate more regularly with friends, 77% said they communicate more regularly with colleagues and 70% communicate more regularly with their partner or spouse, as a result of being connected on social media.

Around half of respondents also believe that the quality of their relationship with other people is better as a result of being connected with them on social media. This is especially the case for parents, as 55% of respondents said they had a better quality relationship with their children now that they are on social media. Similarly, 50% said they have a better relationship with colleagues and 46% said they have a better relationship with their partner and parents as a result of being connected via social media.

However, the research shows that social media can also have a negative impact on relationships. With people's tendency to post photos of themselves or others under influence of alcohol, wearing something revealing or even naked in order to get more likes, it is possible to put social media at the heart of some modern-day relationship damage. This is the case for 21% of parents, whose children have seen them in compromising circumstances as a result of social media. Around one-in-five (16%) respondents also admitted their relationship with their spouse or partner has also been damaged as a result of them being seen in a compromising situation on social media.

Commenting on the research findings, Dr. Astrid Carolus, Media Psychologist at the University of Würzburg has said: "Studies show that today digital communication complements real-life communication. We live in a globalized and highly mobile world resulting in distances between partners and family members. Digital communication is an opportunity to bridge the gaps our modern lives in different cities or countries have caused. However, digital communication cannot replace face-to-face communication - at least not always and not completely. Digital communication is less rich in terms of sensory channels affected resulting in "reduced" sensory quality."

Furthermore, people cannot always evaluate their online communication objectively. Under certain circumstances they perceive their online communication as "hyperpersonal communication" and thus they can misread and over-interpret the messages on social media. "Being confronted with a reduced communication mode leaves room for interpretation under some circumstances, resulting in rather positive interpretations and positive feelings. We feel especially close, we blind out the rather negative, focus the possible positive intentions behind a text message and over-interpret. Although being reduced in terms of media richness, it is an emotionally charged medium. Because it is reduced it is sometimes bigger than real life."

Whilst for the majority of people, face-to-face communication with friends and family has continued as usual, a significant third of people admit that as a result of social media, they communicate face to face less. A third of the respondents to the survey admitted that they now communicate less with their parents (31%), children (33%), partners/spouses (23%), friends (35%), and colleagues (34%) because they can see them and communicate with them via social media.

Conclusion

The findings of the survey show that social media can act as a double-edged sword in today's society. There seems to be a consensus among the majority of users that social media shouldn't, and doesn't, replace face-to-face communication channels. But despite this, social media is changing our relationships. It changes how we communicate with each other and what we see on social media has a knock-on effect on our physical world relationships.

Social media is a forum that people go to for social validation, to feel good, to keep in touch with others, and to share good news. Yet, that doesn't mean it is a place that always makes people feel positive. Seeing one long news feed of everyone else's parties, events, holidays and good news, or not receiving many likes on a post, can sometimes leave people feeling disheartened about their own lives.

At Kaspersky Lab, we help people protect what matters most to them. This study has shown us that in order to generate more likes and feel better about the time they spend on social media, people are being tempted into sharing more information; potentially putting themselves and the people they care about at risk. In order to protect themselves, people need to be more cautious and cyber-savvy about the information they share on social media. That will not only help to mitigate the risks of the online world, it will also help to prevent relationship damage in the physical world as a consequence of online activities.

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People go on social media to feel better: around half of people choose to post optimistic things online - including things that make them smile (61%). However, social media doesn't always leave people feeling positive: 57% admitted that after going on social media they have felt that someone has a better life than them.

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Social media has become a ubiquitous part of daily life, but this growth and evolution has been in the works since the late 70s. From primitive days of newsgroups, listservs and the introduction of early chat rooms, social media has changed the way we communicate, gather and share information, and given rise to a connected global society.

According to an infographic from social media monitoring platform Simplify360, the "Golden Era" of social media started in 2001. By this time there were already several chat application iterations, including ICQ, and one of the earliest blog platforms, Livejournal.

However, starting in 2001, there was a constant stream of social innovation that started with the first crowdsourced encyclopedia, Wikipedia. Wikipedia was followed by Friendster, MySpace, Facebook in 2004, and Twitter in 2006. While Facebook and Twitter are the two top social media platforms today, MySpace has undergone several pivots and is still in quiet operation.

While the infographic does include the launch of apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat, it doesn't note the impact of mobile on the increase in social media use around the world. And there are plenty of networks that aren't even mentioned, including Yik Yak, Whisper, Tsu and Ello, all of which are perhaps part of the ongoing Golden Age of social media.

Check out the infographic below to see the timeline of social media past and present.

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The Evolution of Social Media [Infographic]

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Social media has become a ubiquitous part of daily life, but this growth and evolution has been in the works since the late 70s. From primitive days of newsgroups, listservs and the introduction of early chat rooms, social media has changed the way we communicate, gather and share information, and given rise to a connected global society.

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How different generations interact with different kinds of social media

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How different generations interact with different kinds of social media

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The differences can help marketers learn how to speak to each generation

The social media landscape is becoming more and more crowded with data by the day. Yet, one of the most important stats continues to be who is using social media and how are they using it.

The latest Sprout Social Index reveals generations of consumers are interacting differently with brands on social media, not merely in terms of engagement, but in purchasing activity as well.

Nearly seven in ten Gen Xers will likely purchase something from a brand they follow - more than any other generation surveyed. Conversely, baby boomers are more likely to observe silently, with only 14% regularly initiating a dialogue with a brand on social. Millennials, on the other hand, embrace the ability to communicate directly, as 30% engage with a brand at least once per month.

"Each social message should be tailored to your community, have a purpose, and be measured against goals," says Andrew Caravella, VP of strategy and brand engagement at Sprout Social. "The result is a more holistic, authentic social presence that connects with customers on a human level."

Other insights from the report include:

Millennials are twice as likely than other generation to turn to social, rather than phone or email, to communicate with a brand

Facebook is the most popular network for 43 percent of respondents

Millennials and Gen Xers are nearly twice as likely to follow a brand on social media than baby boomers

Only one in 10 social messages actually get a response from a brand

Gen Xers are twice as likely to unfollow a brand that says something offensive or in opposition to their personal beliefs than any other generation

There is no longer a Facebook generation, as once believed, according to the report, as across all three generations, respondents identified Facebook (43.6%) as their social network of choice. Collectively, respondents found Facebook to be 29% more popular than Instagram - the respondents' nearest, cross-generational preference.

While these statistics may appear as a vanity metric to some brands and marketers, Caravella urges these findings should not be easily dismissed.

"The underlying, strategic theme in this data is simple: understanding your audience can change everything," said Caravella. "When 60% of your followers are ready and willing to buy from your brand, it is important that you put effort into uncovering the triggers that will push them beyond the like to an actual purchase."

For the latest social index, Sprout Social surveyed 1,000 Millennials (ages 18-34), Gen Xers (ages 34-54) and Baby Boomers (ages 55+).

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How Different Generations Interact with Brands on Social Media

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The differences can help marketers learn how to speak to each generation The social media landscape is becoming more and more crowded with data by the day. Yet, one of the most important stats continues to be who is using social media and how are they using it.

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Proponents say social media spreads information faster than any other media. Opponents say it enables the spread of unreliable information.

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American Public Health Association (APHA) publications

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The American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) from the American Public Health Association (APHA) publications

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The American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) from the American Public Health Association (APHA)

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In the world of social media, bogus social media accounts abound. Anyone can create or even buy a fake account and use it for a variety of reasons - to make themselves appear more popular than they are, to send span, or for other more malicious reasons. There are also many grey areas in the social media world, which can cause business owners to be concerned.

The advantages of engaging through social media are well documented. Companies can enjoy a closer relationship with their customers and clients, as recently demonstrated by O2, which offered a great example of how a negative situation (a network outage) could be softened by effective social media management. Social media sites also offer global reach, provide a platform to share content, and their reach and impact is easily measurable. Even better, all of this is free, as the infrastructure is managed by the social media network itself.

Businesses and brands everywhere are engaging with social media, but little is documented about the risk to brands of not knowing who they're engaging with. With so many fraudulent accounts, and no fundamental way of proving the identity people online, what's to stop someone hitting the company hard in terms of reputation? When people are anonymous, they can effectively say things with no repercussions. Just look at the damages of online bullying and trolling. In the same way a company's name can be slandered, false and libelous allegations can be made with the sense of security that anonymity brings. People can wrongly think they're above the law, which is of course bad news for companies whose reputation is on the line.

The issue is particularly pertinent in light of Samsung's admission this week that it had been posting anonymous comments praising its own products and slamming rival HTC on Taiwanese gadget sites. The electronics brand was rumbled when TaiwanSamsungLeaks revealed that Samsung's marketing had paid students to post claims on forums, including "The HTC One X repeatedly crashes", "The Galaxy S3 benchmarks better than the HTC One X", and "The Galaxy Note is way better than the HTC Sensation XL."
What should be anonymous?
These dangers tie into the greater issue of whether and to what extent the Internet should be anonymous. The implications of knowing who's who on the Internet go far wider than social media, and there has recently been talk about introducing regulation in online advertising. This would mean that products that should only be available to those over age eighteen, such as alcohol, online gambling, or mature-rated games, could only be marketed at their target audience. But how could this be enforced without effective identity verification? Without any form of regulation, it's not difficult for minors to be enticed by such unsuitable products, and not much harder to actually access and purchase them. To enable this proposed change, companies would need to be able to prove that the people they're marketing to online be of a suitable age.

Regulation and the idea of removing user anonymity bring about their own problems, too. There's the understandable fear of misuse or loss of user information; the fear of it being used for fraudulent purposes; and in countries where expressing certain political views has serious implications, the fear of being readily identifiable is justified. Another problem to consider is the threat of identity theft. Having all your "real" details on your Facebook profile would make you an easy target.

We believe that anonymity is important, but if something goes wrong, there also must be some way to get back to the source. This doesn't mean that people always have to be overtly identifiable, and it would certainly be hard to regulate, but we would recommend a responsible body or trade organization where the authorities (closely controlled) would be able to track illegal activity back to its perpetrator.

Here's an analogy we like to use: People should be able to travel the Internet highway with the equivalent of a car registration plate that's issued upon proper verification by a secure and certified issuing body or identity provider - just like a car registration.

While the registration could be used to identify you if needed, the sites you visit on the Internet wouldn't need to know your name or where you live, unless you wanted to tell them your details (give consent). And if you wanted to hide your appearance from them, then that would be possible too.

However, just like the real highway, if there's an issue, such as speeding or dangerous driving, a reputable body would be able to trace the incident back to the culprit with confidence. Although, hopefully, it wouldn't come to this very often, the fact this could happen would provide assurance to others on that highway (and their parents) and would ensure that drivers act more responsibly. This would allow the beneficial aspects of anonymity, yet take away the perceived sense of being untouchable, which can cause so much damage.

It's clear that the pace of innovation and the explosion of the Internet have outstripped the pace of regulation and safeguarding. But it's time for that regulation catch up. This is particularly needed as companies are rightly encouraged to engage with communities across social media. The opportunities for breaking down barriers between customers and companies are great, but there's also a duty to protect companies that are brave enough to do so.
About the author: Mark Courtney is global product and services director at GB Group.
This article first appeared on our sister site, www.mycustomer.com.

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In the world of social media, bogus social media accounts abound. Anyone can create or even buy a fake account and use it for a variety of reasons - to make themselves appear more popular than they are, to send span, or for other more malicious reasons.

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Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard

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Social media and the government go together like peanut butter and jelly. Why? Because social media is an excellent place to communicate with constituents, launch campaigns, and build awareness around initiatives - and it's an essential tool in crisis communications.

At Hootsuite, we work with many levels of government and fully understand how social media has risen to play a significant role in the communications strategies of government bodies, politicians, and lawmakers worldwide.

Read on to discover how all levels of government, from municipal to provincial to federal, can and should use social media.

Key benefits of social media in government

Engage with the public

Whether you focus efforts on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, or a different platform entirely, social media will always be a solid place to keep the general public informed and updated about important issues and engage with an audience on a deeper level.

@trafficservices #Inverted ♬ original sound - Toronto Police Traffic Unit

The Toronto Police Traffic Service Department, for example, hosts regular AMA (ask me anything) sessions on TikTok. A representative fields questions on everything from whether people in labor can run red lights (no, apparently!) to the legality of after-market steering wheels.

Communicating and engaging with constituents will help establish and build credibility and trust, as long as you don't use social media to broadcast messages and actually engage with people who follow you. More on this later!

If you're serious about using social media to mobilize voters, check out Nextdoor, an app that local governments use to organize town halls, educate citizens on safety issues, and engage community groups.

Show people who you really are

We'll level with you here... politicians don't exactly have the greatest rep'. Stereotyped as dishonest, greedy, and a bit sleazy, there's an opportunity to shift perceptions by using social media for government communications and building a personal brand that is built on transparency.

The U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (commonly known as AOC), has done this to tremendous impact via her Twitter account.

By being authentically herself and using photos to support the anecdotes and facts she shares with her constituents, AOC has substantially grown her following and created a personal brand for herself that's relatable, honest, and bona fide. This authentic approach helped AOC scale her presence on the platform by 600% in seven months.

Source: The Guardian

Social media also humanizes politicians and makes them more accessible and accountable to the general public. Of course, this can backfire if a politician posts social media content deemed socially unacceptable. This is your warning that whoever is in charge of a government social media account has to know what is and what is not acceptable to share (we're looking at you, Anthony Weiner!)

Crisis communication

There's been more than enough crises' happening across the globe in the past few years. The COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, the January 6th insurrection, and the occupation of Ukraine by Russian forces are a few instances where choices out of the general public's control or decisions from lawmakers have impacted the world.

When events like those mentioned above occur, people turn to social media to seek out and source information, keep up-to-speed with the latest news, and quell their fears by laughing at a few memes.

People also look to the government for leadership when times get difficult, so it makes sense that lawmakers, politicians, and governments use social media as a platform to manage crisis comms and provide regular, official updates to citizens across the world.

On the flip side, a crisis and social media can quickly become a breeding ground for misinformation. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, almost 50% of US adults saw a lot or some fake news about the crisis, and almost 70% say that fake news causes a great deal of confusion.

To counteract this, governments must invest in social media listening to help them identify inaccuracies and respond accordingly - especially as citizens will be looking to government social media accounts to provide them with accurate and objective information.

But don't feel like you have to engage with every false comment or post you come across in your social listening efforts. Some content might be too wildly incorrect to warrant a reply. However, if you see many social media users spreading misinformation, use official channels to set the record straight.

Need more intel? Read How to Use Social Media for Crisis Communications and Emergency Management and set your organization up for success.

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Launch and grow campaigns

Social media isn't just a place for businesses to share their latest product launch or grow their business with engagement and community. Politicians understand the power of a virtual town hall to launch their own initiatives and ideas.

Additionally, social media is an excellent space to test campaign messaging. The strategy is low stakes, and you get instant feedback from people around the world. Social media is also an opportunity to go viral, see what's trending, and measure your relevancy.

Politicians can also use social media to align themselves with initiatives and trends. In the example below, US Senator Elizabeth Warren tells her audience where she stands on the US Roe vs. Wade situation.

Low cost (but high stakes)

Political campaigns run on donations, so saving money is always at the forefront of government decision-making. Long before social media existed, politicians and governments had to use traditional media, e.g., television ad slots, newspapers, and door-to-door flyering, to raise the profile of candidates. This was a high-cost initiative that had an immeasurable impact.

In contrast, social media provides the government with a low-stakes entry point to build awareness of its initiatives, grow personal brands, and engage with the general public. The strategy is entirely measurable, so you can actively see how your campaign budget is spent and which social campaigns have the most significant impact.

If you need a few pointers, check out our guide on How to Prove and Improve Your Social Media ROI for valuable tips and insights on measuring campaign performance.

Challenges of social media in government

Messaging is tricky to get right

In 2014, South Dakota launched a campaign to warn people against jerking the steering wheel when swerving on black ice. The hashtag selected by the state's Department of Public Safety? The sexually suggestive double entendre "Don't Jerk and Drive."

Ultimately, the campaign was pulled, and Trevor Jones, secretary of the Department of Public Safety, said in a statement, "This is an important safety message, and I don't want this innuendo to distract from our goal to save lives on the road." Fair enough!

Social media and government communications don't always work out as they should, and sometimes, even what seems like the greatest campaign idea can backfire.

Sometimes, social isn't the right thing to do

Social media is a place where headlines are created, storms whipped up, and opinions are shared. Unfortunately, this can have a negative impact on sensitive or delicate political situations.

In February 2022, WNBA star and American citizen Brittney Griner was detained in Russia on a drug-smuggling allegation, but little to no fanfare was created on social media-not even a trending #FreeBrittney.

The decision not to create awareness of Brittney's case was a conscious choice due to the political tension between the US and Russia regarding the occupation of Ukraine. The thought is that Griner's status as a Black, openly lesbian athlete could lead to her becoming a political pawn in heightened negotiations between Russia and the US regarding the conflict in Ukraine.

Regarding the case, there's been no public callout from President Joe Biden or high-profile other US officials to bring awareness to Griner's situation, and for now, maybe that's the best thing to do.

You will get called out

Social media is a harsh reality, and people will call you out, so make sure what you say is true.

Here's a brilliant example from Congressman Eric Swalwell, who Tweeted a photo of a Pride flag with the caption, "I fly these flags 365 days a year." Unfortunately, Swalwell's followers quickly pointed out that the flag still had creases from being unpackaged moments earlier. Better luck next time, Eric.

I fly these flags 365 days a year. pic.twitter.com/MsI1uQzDZ0

- Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) May 24, 2019

You will become a meme

I am once again reminding you that social media is a place where you can become a meme.

(And in case you missed it, below is the infamous Bernie Sanders meme that spread like wildfire across social media in early 2020).

Often, the results of having your words and image turned into a meme are fairly harmless. But proceed with caution, as the way they are used will be out of your control.

5 tips for using social media in government

There are two types of social media accounts: soapboxes and dinner parties. A soapbox social media account focuses on themselves. They use social media to broadcast messages and issues without engaging with their audience.

On the other hand, a dinner party social media account invites audiences in and creates a dialogue with them. They encourage discussion and engagement between the host (you) and the guests (your audience).

You want to make sure you're running a dinner party account for social media and government communications. Here are five tips on how you can do exactly that.

1. Learn where your constituents spend time (online)

You need to understand the channel where your target audience hangs out so that you're not wasting valuable time and resources campaigning into the void.

For example, if you're a politician relying on swaying younger voters to carry a ballot, you'll probably want to focus on TikTok or Instagram Reels because this is typically where Gen-Z spends the most time. Similarly, if you want to whip up left-leaning men with a college degree into a frenzy, focus your attention on Twitter.

Remember AOC, who we chatted about earlier? In 2020, she hosted a video game live stream on Twitch to help her reach younger audiences who may not be familiar with or interested in politics.

Anyone want to play Among Us with me on Twitch to get out the vote? (I've never played but it looks like a lot of fun)

- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 19, 2020

Marketing on Twitch might not suit every political candidate, so it'll be your decision whether you think the streaming platform is the correct place for you to engage with an audience. And if you need help understanding how to uncover your target audience on social media, wrap your eyes around How to Find and Target Your Social Media Audience to get started.

2. Share relevant, valuable content and information

Build audience trust and engagement by sharing relevant and interesting content, and audiences will naturally turn to you as a valid source of information and knowledge.

The BC Parks Instagram account does this well. The organization uses Instagram to share information, tips, and insights into what's happening across the province's extensive roster of parks.

3. Keep citizens engaged

Would you ever attend a dinner party and sit there silently, not joining in the conversation? Obviously not, and social media is no different. Government officials, lawmakers, and government accounts need to engage with their audiences by replying to messages, joining conversations, and answering questions.

Remember that social media is all about creating community. So ask questions, create opinion polls (Twitter has a great feature that allows you to do this!), and respond to comments from your followers-you never know whether your response will change a voter's mindset.

You can even repost content posted by your constituents as a form of engagement, like the Government of New Jersey retweeted these photos of a beautiful sunset in Central New Jersey.

Beautiful #sunset tonight in Central Jersey. @NJGov really knows how to show off its colors. #NJwx pic.twitter.com/rvqiuf8pRY

- John Napoli (@WeenieCrusher) May 17, 2022

If you're struggling to keep up with all the messages you receive, onboard a tool like Hootsuite, where you can effortlessly streamline your comms into one tidy dashboard.

With Hootsuite's Inbox, you can bridge the gap between citizen engagement and crucial online communications - and manage all of your social media messages in one place. This includes:

The all-in-one agent workspace makes it easy to

Track the history of any individual's interactions with your social accounts across platforms, giving your team the context needed to personalize replies

Add notes to individual constituent's profiles (Inbox integrates with Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics)

Handle messages as a team, with intuitive message queues, task assignments, statuses, and filters

Track response times and CSAT metrics

Book a free demo
Plus, Inbox comes with handy automations:

Automated message routing

Auto-responses and saved replies

Automatically triggered satisfaction surveys

AI-powered chatbot features

4. Stay secure

A social media security breach will seriously undermine the general public's confidence in government. Plus, U.S. legislation requires all cloud services used by federal government agencies to meet a meticulous set of security standards known as FedRAMP.

The simplest way to ensure that your accounts stay secure is by onboarding a social media management platform to manage all your social media accounts and activity across multiple teams or people.

Hootsuite is FedRAMP-authorized and comes with two-factor authentication for an additional layer of security. When you centralize your social media management with Hootsuite, you have complete control to review and approve messages, log all activity and interactions, and set up post review and approvals.

If you need more details, read through our step-by-step guide to social media security for more tips on how to protect your organization online, whether or not you use Hootsuite.

5. Remain compliant

Remaining compliant with privacy requirements is critical for any government body. For large organizations with multiple social media practitioners, establishing best practices for social media use can help ensure the collective compliance of all users.

Guidelines towards acceptable and forbidden content, data handling, citizen engagement, and even tone are a few best practice examples organizations can implement to keep their team compliant.

If you manage social for a government or agency using Hootsuite, our partners' social media archiving integrations make it easy to stay compliant with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and other public records laws.

In recent years, government bodies and their employees have responded to dramatic shifts in public expectations of political and government discourse.

Innovative policymakers and their staff are quickly adapting by creating highly engaging social content to rally follower support, while also remaining fully compliant and secure. For any government body wanting to capture and maintain public sentiment and engagement, embracing the new era of social media discourse is crucial to success.

Examples of government social media campaigns

CDC

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention was understandably a little busy. But that didn't stop the government agency from pulling off effective COVID-related campaigns and messaging on social media to help keep the general public informed.

Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources

Government social media doesn't have to be dry or boring - just ask whoever's running social accounts for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

Their Twitter offers timely, relevant information packaged in meme-friendly posts that often go viral.

Parents, please check your kids' candy this Halloween! Just found a magnitude 9 Cascadia megathrust earthquake causing a massive tsunami inside this fun size Snickers bar. pic.twitter.com/NJc3lTpWxQ

- Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources (@waDNR) October 13, 2022

Their alt text game is pretty strong too:

Via Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources on Twitter
FDA

The US Food and Drug Administration is pretty much in charge of saying whether a product or foodstuff is safe for the public to use or not. So, it's important that their social media channels share factually correct information.

Here are a couple of examples of how the FDA has used social media to this effect.

Folate is important for lowering the risk of serious problems that occur during pregnancy.

Learn how the Nutrition Facts label can help pregnant women make decisions to support a healthy eating pattern. https://t.co/thsiMeoEfO #NWHW #FindYourHealth pic.twitter.com/eFGqduM0gy

- U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) May 12, 2022

Biden #BuildBackBetter

46th President of the United States, Joe Biden, used social media to gain leverage and grow momentum for his Build Back Better campaign throughout 2020 and 2021.

By leveraging the power of the hashtag, Biden's team was able to ensure a catchy slogan and a measurable campaign by analyzing the success and trends of the hashtag.

Our Build Back Better Agenda will strengthen our economy by lowering taxes on the working and middle class, and reducing the cost of child care, housing, and higher education.

We will grow our economy from the bottom up and the middle out.

- Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 28, 2021

FAQs about social media and government

What does the government do with social media?

Government agencies and officials use social media for constituent engagement, building awareness around initiatives, and crisis communications.

How does local government use social media?

Local governments use social media to connect with citizens, promote events and local initiatives, and recruit new employees.

What social media platforms are the best for the government?

Government agencies and officials of all levels should be present on the social media platforms used by their constituents. The answer will differ depending on where your agency operates and who you're trying to reach with your online communications. That said, many people use Twitter to access news and updates from politicians, so it might be a good place to start.
Inform and engage on social media with Hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can schedule and publish content to every network, monitor relevant conversations, and measure public sentiment around programs and policies with real-time social listening and analytics. See it in action. Get Started

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Social Media in Government: 5 Tips for Citizen Engagement

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Here's how local and federal government agencies use social media to engage citizens, launch campaigns, effectively communicate during crises - and more.

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Social media-once a competitive, dynamic space-has gotten predictable. Facebook added a hundred million users in a quarter? What else is new? Facebook is in trouble for failing to stop fake news, extremist messages, and child pornography? Par for the course. Facebook shamelessly copied another Snapchat feature? Yawn.

It's all been going on for years. And you'll notice I only brought up Facebook news, since it's now by far the most significant social media player.

In 2016, Facebook accounted for almost two-thirds of all social media ad spending. Expect that share to increase because, according to a recent BI Intelligence report, the network has added a million more advertisers to its already sizable roster in the last seven months.

That said, there are still plenty of important assumptions surrounding social media that make the rounds in marketing circles. eMarketer's latest report on social media, the US Social StatPack, brings some much needed clarity to the space.

Here are six social media trends that marketers should know about.

1. Facebook's mobile transformation is almost complete

Mobile was a huge buzzword a few years ago, but recently it seems like many marketers have forgotten that we're still in the midst of a massive transition away from desktop devices.

In 2012, in the midst of an IPO, Facebook made a concerted effort to transition from desktop to mobile. Five years later, that transition is largely complete. By 2020, eMarketer predicts that 59 percent of U.S. users will access the app only through mobile. And 80 percent of the company's revenue already comes from mobile ads.

It's not a coincidence that the largest internet service in the world is increasingly mobile-only. Add in the fact that most of Facebook's user expansion is coming from the Asia-Pacific region, where mobile-only access dominates, and the company's early focus on mobile seems remarkably prescient. An increase in mobile ad spending should follow, albeit slowly. By 2021, eMarketer predicts that mobile will rise from 24 percent of total media ad spending to 37 percent.

2. Video, the present and future king

Along with mobile, video has become Facebook's latest major crusade. According to a recent Verge article on the troubles of Instant Articles, "the camera is the keyboard" has become "a popular refrain" among Facebook employees. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly made clear his intention to transform Facebook to a video-first platform-one executive went so far as to say that the app will be " all video" by 2021. Most of the changes focus on "adopting"- some might say copying -popular Snapchat features such as Live Stories.

Snapchat, meanwhile, has been video-oriented from the start. The company has long classified itself as a " camera company " rather than a social network, which sounds remarkably similar to Facebook's new refrain.

Twitter has emphasized video as well, releasing a native video publisher, integrating live streaming platform Periscope into the app, and purchasing network television deals. Pinterest, likewise, has integrated video throughout its platform. LinkedIn has quietly introduced video features as well, though only for influencers thus far.

Text-based content will stick around, but for marketers hoping to survive on any social platform, it's obvious what format they need to pursue.

3. Social isn't just for millennials anymore

Social media used to just be a playground for the young, wild, and free. Now, platforms across the space are being colonized by older demographics. That's largely thanks to Facebook, where 53 percent of U.S. users are now 35 or older. (On Twitter, the age split is relatively even as well: About 45 percent of users are at least 35.)

Instagram and Snapchat, meanwhile, remain a haven for the young: 69 percent of Instagram users are under 35, as are an incredible 82 percent of Snapchat users. Every platform is expected to get older by 2020, Snapchat and Instagram especially.

4. The line between "internet user" and "social network user" has blurred

If you use the internet, there's a good chance you also use social media. That may seem obvious, but in 2009, only 46 percent of online adults used social media, according to Pew Research. Today, that figure sits at about 70 percent. The rise is largely thanks to those aforementioned Gen Xers and baby boomers, who have flocked to social media services (and the internet at large).

At this stage, social media penetration has plateaued in the developed world. The percentage of social media users to internet users will only increase about 2 percent over the next four years. Now, the focus for social networks is wringing as much money as possible from those users.

5. Average revenue per user is the new focus

While every social platform wants user growth-sans maybe Snapchat, who is too cool for user growth -growing average revenue per user (ARPU) has actually become the new metric of choice to gauge success.

Facebook, for example, has boosted its ARPU from $13.7 to $19.81 in just one year. Snapchat, likewise, has promised investors that growth per user (not user growth) will provide returns. The company bumped its ARPU from $0.67 to $2.15 in Q4 2016. Twitter saw its ARPU decline in 2016, a sign of the platform's poor fortunes.

Marketers should be happy that growth is now more about building value from each user rather than growing the entire user base. While brands may have to pay more to promote as ARPU rises, social platforms will need to justify higher prices with better targeting, more ad slots, and improved features.

6. Martech dollars are flowing into social

As social takes over, marketers across industries are taking the platforms seriously. Money is beginning to flow more to software that promises to organize, optimize, and manage a brand's social presence. According to a study on the state of marketing technology by Walker Sands, a PR firm, marketers plan to purchase social media software more than any other type of marketing technology in 2017.

The market for social media software is evolving as well. Sprinklr, perhaps the biggest player, recently rebranded itself as a "customer experience cloud." The move, which is a reflection of the increasing importance of customer experience, demonstrates how marketers are viewing social media as more than just content distribution channels. The emphasis is becoming about software that can manage relationships with customers. Even if social media is predictable at the moment, that martech investment could make the space more interesting in the next few years. Because whether you're advertising, marketing, or providing customer service, platforms like Facebook will do everything they can to be a marketer's best friend.
Derrrek / Getty

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The 6 Most Important Social Media Trends of 2017

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Social media-once a competitive, dynamic space-has gotten predictable. Facebook added a hundred million users in a quarter? What else is new? Facebook is in trouble for failing to stop fake news, extremist messages, and child pornography? Par for the course. Facebook shamelessly copied another Snapchat feature? Yawn.

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How social media affects the teenage brain

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How social media affects the teenage brain

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The same brain circuits that are activated by eating chocolate and winning money are activated when teenagers see large numbers of "likes" on their own photos or the photos of peers in a social network, according to a first-of-its-kind UCLA study that scanned teens' brains while using social media.

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5 weird negitive effects of social media on your brain

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5 weird negitive effects of social media on your brain

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View as slideshow

Everyday Wellness

According to new research, your social networking habits might be affecting your brain more than you know.

It messes with your ability to think independently

One study from HP Labs found that people were more open to peer pressure within social networks. Subjects were more likely to change their minds about "liking" certain things (one cute baby over another, for instance) if enough time had passed and they could see that the other side was even moderately popular.

It can "butcher" real-life conversations

Shutterstock

Susan Greenfield of Oxford University has compared online chats to buying prepackaged meat at a store: "Perhaps future generations will recoil with similar horror at the messiness, unpredictability and immediate personal involvement of a three-dimensional, real-time interaction." Worried about all the effects social media has on you? Try to understand how social media can damage your relationships so you can make them better.

It activates our reward center

Peer pressure has existed long before social media. We want to participate in actives that will result in us being accepted and well liked. Actively using social media without a doubt elevates this and cause a wide-spread reaction across our brains' reward center. At the University of California Los Angles' Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, researches used functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, to see exactly how teenagers' brains were lit up when experiencing an app that resembled Instagram, where their photos received likes. "The same brain circuits that are activated by eating chocolate and winning money are activated when teenagers see large numbers of "likes" on their own photos," says the study. The part of the brain that showed the most activity is called the striatum called the nucleus accumbens.

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Weird Negative Effects of Social Media on Your Brain | Reader's Digest

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View as slideshow Everyday Wellness According to new research, your social networking habits might be affecting your brain more than you know. One study from HP Labs found that people were more open to peer pressure within social networks.

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Social media day is officially upon us. June 30 th marks the spot.

O.K....so it might not be your favorite holiday but it is definitely something to celebrate!

After all: where would we be without it?

No mindless hours on Facebook to make the long and dreaded 9-5 go by a wee bit faster. No Twitter feed keep you on top of the latest political sex scandals. Most importantly, no firsthand accounts of who's divorcing who...which colleague called in sick and then checked in at the spa...no way to know what your college "boyfriend" (I use this term for lack of a better one) is dating now (the hussy).

We've all become so addicted to social media, it seems impossible to imagine a life without it. Heck, forget a life without it - most of us can't even go a day without partaking.

SM addicts, today is your day. Rejoice and be glad for this revolutionary platform we like to call Social Media.

Nearly four out of five web users visit a social networking site on a monthly basis? Facebook claims that 50% of active users log into the site at least once daily.

That equates to at least 325 million users every 24 hours. If Twitter continues at its current rate, the mega-site will process almost 10 billion tweets every year.

No matter how you look at it (or how you use it) - cyber talking or Facebook stalking - social media has revolutionized the way we communicate. Today's social media generation; also known as 'Generation Z', cannot comprehend that 15 years ago most people still used landlines (and they called them TELEPHONES - how quaint) to get in touch with each other! And there were busy signals and more often than not - no answering machines. The horror!!!

Yes, indeed, social media has expedited, streamlined and revolutionized communication across the globe. Here are the TOP 5 ways in which we human beings have won the communication lottery since the days of rotary phones and dial up internet:

1. Increased Communication

Imagine a world without texting, but with a pay phone on every corner? Got a quarter? Yea, I didn't think so! Dial-up and even Myspace are already a distant memory. Now you don't even have to labor over a text to send a message; you can send a tweet, a DM (direct message), a Facebook message, Facebook chat, LinkedIN Mail, or one of the other millions of ways the social medium of your choice provides for users. With social media - we communicate faster and more often than ever before.

2. Instant Access 24/7

You have access to your friends, family - even mere acquaintances (and sometimes virtual strangers) every minute of every day! And in turn, they can look at your updates, know your location, stay on top of your relationship status and view your pictures of Cabo whenever they please.

And this is round the clock - people are on Twitter at 4am talking about what they're doing instead of sleeping - I'm not one of them, but you know who you are. When do you take a break? In social media world, there is no such thing.

This is the beauty and the fallacy of it all - you can say anything you want, at any time, for the instant viewing of your network. It's freedom of speech gone haywire, some may say.

3. Reconnection

When you register for Facebook, they ask you to befriend people you may know. And then FB gets all nosy - and starts pointing out people you may know. The site finds people using the information you give them and by scanning all possible connections you have.

As a result, I've connected with my BFF from 1 st through 3 rd grades, my old science teacher and my high school sweetheart. Five years ago - I hadn't thought about any of them in decades - today; I know what they ate for breakfast.

This I am all for - how many of us have rekindled friendships, romances or made career connections via social media? LOTS, and it shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

We can access the world with one keystroke. We can make dinner reservations, buy movie tickets or check the morning's traffic reports on our telephones.

So much of today's news - and how we structure our days - comes via social media. As avid users, search time is minimal (even non-existent). In fact, information finds us.

75% of Twitter users follow an account that provides up-to-the-minute news updates - on a local, regional or national level.

How's that for a news break?

5. B2C

80% of today's companies use social media for recruitment. Not only that, they are using their online platforms to their advantage as well. 73% of US companies use social media tools for marketing and customer service.

These practices have skyrocketed in the last four years - in the time period since 2008, the percentage of US based corporations using social media is projected to more than double by the end of 2012.

And rightfully so. How else can you get the CEO of Southwest on the horn and "discuss" the issue of your lost suitcase? How will you get the inside scoop on Starbucks's latest flavor? And why should you be the last to know where to find a good deal on Nike's.

No sirree. You snooze you lose in today's culture. Heck, even the Pope is on Twitter - though I've noticed he follows no one.

I guess the big guy upstairs is still hopeful MySpace will make a comeback.

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Social media day is officially upon us. June 30 th marks the spot. O.K....so it might not be your favorite holiday but it is definitely something to celebrate! After all: where would we be without it? No mindless hours on Facebook to make the long and dreaded 9-5 go by a wee bit faster.