You don’t text? Well, that may change!
by Mary Scott Nabers
CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.
. . . continued from page one
The United States has become a digital nation and government is adapting quickly to the new method of communication. The reasoning is that digital communication is quicker, less costly and a preferred method of communication for thousands of constituents.
The State of Texas this week launched a new Web portal, Texas.gov. Millions have been spent to make the site available and if taxpayers wonder why the state invests so much in a portal, there are a number of good reasons. For instance, yesterday, 602 nurses renewed their licenses and 1,822 taxpayers ordered a driver record online. That’s just a small sampling of the transactions handled yesterday online. The State also communicates with taxpayers through Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube sites.
The state sent a "tweet" on Twitter after launching the new Web site to announce a "human translated" Spanish version of the site. And its first YouTube offering was a video demo of the new Web portal.
The City of Austin uses a Facebook site for announcements such as inviting citizens to upcoming budget input forums. It used Twitter to announce finalists for the city's Chief Sustainability Officer position, with a link to the city's Web site for bios of all finalists. On YouTube, the city offers "City View," a video series that announces upcoming events in the city.
The state's largest city – Houston – also features YouTube videos. Houston produced "Are You Ready, Houston," a 15-minute video to prepare residents for potential disasters. Public safety departments in the city offer YouTube videos on fire safety and crime prevention tips. Houston Mayor Annise Parker has her own Facebook page where she recently announced a citywide Burglary of Motor Vehicles Campaign. The initiative’s objective is to reduce vehicle break-ins in the city. The George R. Brown Convention Center also has a Twitter account and tweets are sent periodically regarding upcoming events.
The State Comptroller's Office recently used its Twitter account to announce a need for summer interns. It also tweeted earlier about how to track federal stimulus funding allocated for Texas.
When the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) began its Twitter account, the announcement stated, "TxDOT joins the chorus of tweets on Twitter which will allow the agency to provide travel updates and news.” Individuals who are interested in TxDOT can follow tweets from both the state agency or from any of its district offices.
Recently, some Texans learned through a tweet that the Texas Transportation Commission approved $150 million in engineering work. And, in Laredo, motorists received a tweet about a tractor trailer accident on a local highway that was causing transportation detours and delays.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments recently announced new Facebook and Twitter accounts. Followers have been invited to provide input about needs of the region.
Governmental agencies are using social media and wireless communication because it is efficient and quick. This trend is not expected to diminish. So, “never say never” to tweeting and/or texting. Who knows, we all may be doing both in the near future.
