MACo Social Media Symposium, June 6, 2013 – FREE Event for MACo Members

MACo will hold a Social Media Symposium on June 6, 2013 at the North Laurel Community Center in Howard County, MD from 9:30 am – 3:00 pm. The event, sponsored by Howard County Parks & Recreation, will focus on strategic public outreach, current best practices in county use of social media, and a framework for structuring a social media plan.

This is a FREE event for MACo members: county elected and appointed officials, and county staff members.

Social media—it’s the new communications norm. Today’s constituents are more plugged-in than ever before. Mobile devices have made it possible for constant communication through Facebook and Twitter to become powerful aspects of American culture. It is imperative for counties to engage, educate and interact with citizens to encourage participation, calm fears, and build awareness, understanding and support. In today’s environment of stretched budgets, it is more important than ever for your county to educate your constituents on what you do, how you serve, and how your work positively impacts the state of Maryland. Learn how to harness the power of social media strategically so that your county can interact and engage with your residents in a way that will keep them informed, connected, and contributing to the direction of your county.

Sessions include:

How to Integrate New Media, Tools and Techniques into your Public Outreach Plan
An expert in the field will review the available communications tools and teach you how to identify your county’s communications priorities so that you can pick the best tool for the job and integrate it into your current outreach plan.

County Best Practices for Social Media
Four Maryland counties will explain how they’re using social media to communicate about services such as emergency management and public safety updates, health issues and news, parks and recreation, and county promotion.

Content-First Messaging for Maximum Reach #MakeItCount
A media relations specialist will discuss how to create content that will help your message thrive in a social media format.

For more detailed information, download the Symposium brochure. Space is limited, so register today!