It’s undeniable that social media has become a powerful tool for Councillors to engage with their community, promote transparency, and support Council objectives. With that, though, comes reputational risk, dealing with keyboard warriors and just all-round headaches!
Training Councillors on social media, I know first-hand the challenges Councillors face using social media that many people are not aware of or purely overlook. Here are the common challenges Councillors face using social media.
Common challenges Councillors face using social media
1. Public scrutiny and backlash
- Every post is subject to intense scrutiny, and a single misstep can lead to backlash or controversy. This risk is constantly putting Councillors on edge and quite rightly so.
- Negative comments and trolling can make engagement difficult. This coupled with not knowing how best to reply without inflaming the conversation further.
2. Managing misinformation & sharing a point of view
- Elected Officials must constantly counteract misinformation or misinterpretations of their statements.
- A big challenge for Councillors is wanting to share an opinion – diplomatically – that might be at odds with their Council or other Councillors. And doing this without going against Council’s Code of Conduct or the Social Media Policy.
3. Time and resource constraints
- Crafting thoughtful, engaging content takes time, and juggling this along with having jam-packed schedules is tough.
- Some Councillors often rely on teams to manage their accounts, but that can lead to a lack of authenticity.
4. Platform algorithm changes
- Frequent changes in social media algorithms can reduce post visibility and engagement.
- Councillors may need to spend money on ads to reach their audience effectively, however don’t know how to run ads for maximum ROI.
5. Balancing professionalism and relatability
- Councillors are well-known in their community, so they must appear authoritative and informed while still being relatable and approachable. This fine balance is not easy to do.
- Some Councillors have used humour or informal language, which can backfire, depending on the audience.
6. Managing crisis communication and the responsibility of being a credible source of information
- Social media is often the first place people go during a crisis, so officials must respond quickly and carefully and, most importantly, as accurately as possible.
- A poorly handled response can escalate issues instead of resolving them and cause more problems for the Councillor, Council and communities they serve.
7. Dealing with bots, trolls & keyboard warriors
- Automated accounts can spread misinformation or flood comment sections on social pages. Thankfully, Facebook and Instagram have tools that help Councillors manage this.
- Engaging with trolls or keyboard warriors can be a waste of time but ignoring them can sometimes make things worse. Councillors can find it challenging to know when to respond and how to respond to a troll without inflaming the situation further.
Would you like insights on how officials can overcome these challenges?
