With the availability of social media opportunities like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, maintaining an online presence has become an integral part of how many people choose to interact. Social media’s ability to disseminate information to groups cannot be matched by traditional mail, automated phone call systems or even email, making it an important tool for local governments to utilize. To get the most out of your government’s social media experience, consider what, why and how you’ll pass information along.

Pinterest is known as a go-to site for personal style inspiration and crafty do-it-yourself projects. For local governments, it can be a tool to further connect with the public while keeping messaging to the point.

With its grid-like feed, Pinterest is a visual platform, which gives municipalities an opportunity to simplify information and not overload people with too much wordiness.

Scan your local Facebook or Instagram feeds, and you’ll see a plethora of posts with obvious spelling, punctuation, or content errors. If the post is originating from a friend or family member the problems might be forgivable, but when a business or government agency creates a post that is full of mistakes, it is downright unprofessional. Read through our suggestions on what to check before you hit that publish button.

For local governments unsure on how on to improve their social media game, an audit will help answer key questions that will to determine the best content that will reach target audiences.