Initiating and Integrating Social Media at a State Agency
Initiating and Integrating Social Media at a State Agency
Presented on Wednesday, May 1, 2013
The nexus of limited resources and the increased importance of digital communications prompted the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to realign our communications efforts. We wanted to reach a wider audience with a more focused message but within the staff and budget constraints of a state agency. Although we knew social media would be one tool in our communications overhaul, we wanted to ensure a well-planned launch. To that end, we formed a cross-agency team that spent several months reviewing social media platforms and recommending implementation strategies. In November 2012, we launched Facebook and Twitter in an integrated but somewhat decentralized framework. Our social media content is guided by an editorial calendar that spells out content for all our platforms, such as social media, newsletters, emails, and the agency website. Social media results for our first quarter exceeded our expectations. We have seen much steeper growth in engagement than anticipated, and we have created numerous opportunities for crosslinking our social media sites with our other communications pieces.
Merry Klonower
Texas Water Development Board, Austin, TX
Merry Klonower is the Director of Communications and Web Administration at the Texas Water Development Board. She has been with the agency since 2006, serving as director since 2011. She oversees the agency’s social media programs, publications and media outreach efforts, and website development. She has almost 20 years of experience in communications and public relations.
Klonower has a B.A. in English from Iowa State University and an M.A. in English from the University of Texas at Austin.
