Public officials need to be personally present in social media, using everyday language and responding quickly to the messages they receive. Doing so actually makes it easier for them to connect with the public—and for the public to connect with them.
Social media also changes the tone of communication. When officials and experts are in direct contact with the public, it’s hard to hide behind a wall of jargon. You have to learn to speak plainly.
Twitter in particular is a great tool that demands concise, accessible language. It’s well-suited to public dialogue and helps develop communication skill. Spokespersons learn quickly that truly following a conversation is as important a form of participation as tweeting. Indeed, tweets sent to or about the organization can offer quieter but more useful signals than the noisy stream of traditional media.
A public body may have an official online voice, but public officials can’t outsource their online presence: they need to speak in their own social media voice.