HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-12-04; Updated Social Media Channel Engagement Practices; Ray, KristinaTo the members of the:
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Dec.4,2020
To: Honorable Mayor
Council Memorandum
From: Kristina Ray, Commu · t Engagement Director
Scott Chadwick, City ~n~Ht--Via:
Re: Updated social media clia
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Carlsbad
Memo ID #2020258
The purpose of this memorandum is to update the City Council on changes to how city staff
manage engagement on official City of Carlsbad social media channels.
Background
Prior to launching the city's social media channels in 2009, staff worked with the City Attorney's
Office to develop standards and practices for how these channels would be managed. Specific
topics included how channels would be identified, who would be authorized to post content and
how comments would be evaluated for compliance with the city's terms of use. How and under
what circumstances official city channels would engage with other social media channels was not
directly addressed.
Following other channels
When the city's channels were in their earlier stages of growth, staff practice was to follow
channels that followed the city, with the exception of political organizations and campaigns as
well as channels marked private. Staff's goal was to build the city's audience and take advantage
of the two-way communication social media enables.
Over the years, this practice has become inconsistent for two main reasons. The growth of the
city's channels has made keeping up with return follows time consuming and as a result not
always prioritized by staff. Second, staff charged with managing the city's channels have changed
over the years, and not enough attention was paid to ensuring consistent training and
application of this practice.
The unintended consequence of this gap in clear and consistent practices is the perception that
the city is communicating a point of view by following some channels and not others.
Liking, sharing and commenting
In addition to following channels, social media engagement can include liking, sharing and ·
commenting on posts from other channels. City staff have used the criteria established in the
city's website linking policy as a guide to this kind of engagement. In other words, the city will
like, share and comments on posts from organizations listed below:
Office of the City Manager
1200 Carlsbad Village I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 760-434-2820 t
Council Memo -Updated Social Media Channel Engagement Practices
Dec. 4, 2020
Page 2
• Other governmental agencies.
• Utilities that provide service in the city.
• News organizations serving Carlsbad.
• Public and private, bona fide educational institutions as defined in California Education
Code §210.1, or as described in California Education Code §66010 (a) and (b).
• Carlsbad tourist attractions serving the public generally which receive over 60,000
attendees annually.
• Organizations as defined in the Internal Revenue Code §§S01(c)(6) and 501(c)(3) that
support the city's strategic or operational goals.
• Any association located in or managing a location which has received a historical site
designation by the Carlsbad City Council pursuant to the California Public Resources Code
§§ 5020 et seq.
• Organizations that partner with the City of Carlsbad to meet the city's strategic or
operational goals.
• Other City of Carlsbad social media channels.
In addition to these criteria, staff engage with posts about local businesses that support the city's
economic development goals.
Next steps
1. Given that 10 years have passed since the city's practices and procedures for managing
social media were developed, city staff have begun a comprehensive review and update.
2. While this work is in progress, staff will standardize the practice of following other
channels by utilizing the criteria from the city's website linking policy plus local businesses
for economic development purposes.
3. Staff will conduct additional training for all employees with responsibility for managing
official city channels to improve awareness of and consistency with standard practices
and procedures.
If you have any questions about these changes, staff would be happy to respond.
cc: Celia Brewer, City Attorney
Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manager
Michael Calderwood, Fire Chief
Neil Gallucci, Police Chief
Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
David Graham, Chief Innovation Officer