City of Kent Reaches to Community Through Social Media

The City of Kent has been reaching out to its community, but in the age of information, does it take advantage of social media too?

The City of Kent’s City Manager Department does in fact involve itself in social media with its community. The department alone includes accounts in Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest, according to Suzanne Stemnock, Assistant to the City Manager. But Kent also has independently controlled social media sites belonging to their respective departments such as the Parks and Recreations, Fire, Economic Development and Police Departments.

“The city got on its first social media site about three years ago,” Stemnock said. “The city thought it was a great way to take advantage of technology to get information out to more citizens.”

As the Assistant to the City Manager, it is Stemnock’s responsibility to make post and updates on the city’s social media accounts. Most of the posts, Stemnock said, include press releases, event information, and information about other services provided by the City. In the past, the city also used social media to make updates specific to downtown on subjects like construction and parking.

The city of Kent still does what it can to be connected with its community, but is it achieving what it needs to? Compared to the closest and largest city to Kent, it does seem that way.

“I think each town is a little different in what they would probably use social media best for,” Daniel Ball, Press Assistant for the Mayor’s Office in the City of Cleveland. “So it’s important to see what are your goals, what are your audience and how are you going to get that message out to them.”

The city of Cleveland also uses social media in many of its departments. Although it reaches to a larger audience, the end result still applies, Ball said.

 

The City of Cleveland has a number of social media sites for different departments and offices located in the greater Cleveland area, including the Mayor’s Office. Ball is responsible for making posts on the office’s social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter and the Mayor’s WordPress blog.

Dave Ruller, City Manager of the City of Kent also spoke on Kent’s blog, “Kent 360” about the use of social media with the city in 2011.

“The longer we Blog, Tweet, and now Post on Facebook the more we’ve come to realize how much information we have and how many people want access to more of it,” Ruller said. “We’re all about sharing information; the challenge is providing a way to get it to the people that want it in a form that they want it in.”

Stemnock still believes that there is room for improvement for Kent’s use of social media in Kent, but because of the lack of resources such as a public relations or communications department, it has been difficult. However, with what they have Stemnock thinks they have been able to keep a consistent presence on social media and with their community.

Since them, the City of Kent’s facebook page has over 1,200 likes. And its Twitter account has over 1700 followers. To join the City of Kent’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, click the links below:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-Kent/163206490375912

http://twitter.com/#!/CityofKentOhio