For government agencies, social media is an all-too-often untapped avenue for public outreach. Though this sector faces high-stakes responsibilities — like aligning to official regulations, platform bans, and public spending accountability — it also has huge opportunities in social media for sharing important information.
Primed to seek out information on social media, too many internet users search for facts only to find misinformation from less-than-trusted sources. More government agencies could use social platforms and networks to give constituents accurate, official information straight from the source. This is particularly true during election season as the general public looks for information about voting.
Though many government agencies are still in the early stages of building their online presence, some are already experimenting and creating best practices with smaller audiences and local reach. Here are a few government social media accounts effectively building awareness and engagement around the upcoming 2024 U.S. Elections.
Boone County, Missouri Clerk’s Office
The Boone County, Missouri Clerk’s Office uses trendjacking to prepare residents to cast their ballots. Using trending sounds and formats, the office slips voter registration information into the social media conversation.
This TikTok from August hopped on the “demure” trend to walk viewers through checking their voter registration, applying for an absentee ballot, and applying to be a poll worker.
This TikTok generated a relatively high proportion of saves and shares, showing how trendjacking can prompt social media users to share and reference important information.
Beyond sharing information, the office also uses trends to build excitement. It uses popular sounds to countdown to ballot, absentee voting, and other election deadlines.
This TikTok used a popular sound from a Broadway show to share information about ballot deadlines.
Takeaway
Using trending formats and sounds on TikTok is an efficient and effective way to step into the platform’s language. Seek out creative ways to translate your information or call to action into the trend, but timing is everything. Consistently staying on top of viral trends is essential for picking and choosing the right ones for your organization or agency’s “brand”.
Discover the ins and outs of this social media strategy with our Ultimate Guide to Trendjacking.
Dallas County Elections Department
On Instagram, eye-catching infographics are an effective way to get your messaging out into the world, even with limited resources. With graphics that are straightforward, informative, and easy to share via Stories, users have a quick way to stay civically engaged and share information with their networks.
For example, the Dallas County Elections Department kept things short and sweet for its National Voter Registration Day post.
Dallas County Elections switched up its image post with sleek gifs about how to register to vote.
The government agency also collected likes by formatting critical voter registration dates like an editorial-looking data graphic.
This post from July is the Dallas County Elections Department’s most-liked Instagram of 2024 so far.
When it comes to sharing more complex information, eye-catching images can be paired with longer captions, as Dallas County Elections Department did with this press release correcting spreading misinformation about voting rights.
This cryptic graphic makes viewers want to run to the caption to see what it means. This strategy helped make this the second most-liked Instagram post from Dallas County Elections Department in 2024 so far.
Takeaway
Bold, text-based infographics are a cost-effective way to educate the public while conveying authority on Instagram. Clear, valuable information presented in an eye-catching way not only grabs your followers’ attention, it encourages them to share the post and amplify your message.
Maricopa County Elections
The Maricopa County Elections Department in Arizona uses its mascot Phil the Ballot (get it?) to drum up voter participation. For example, Phil pops up in this much-liked, bi-lingual Instagram post to remind a couple of “yappers” to make sure they’re registered to vote.
This Instagram post generated likes using a viral sound and an IRL cameo from Phil the Ballot.
Phil does double duty as a graphic mascot, lending some personality and organizational recognition to this highly engaged infographic on X.
This X post from August was viewed more than 3,500 hundred times, generating 29 reposts and one quote post along the way.
And he, too, got in on the demure trend with great results.
The Maricopa County Elections Instagram joined forces with the County’s official account to drum up excitement around voter registration.
Even though Maricopa County Elections has an ally in Phil, it doesn’t use him as a crutch. The Instagram account’s second most-liked post of this year was this one, which uses exciting camera work to deliver a simple message.
This Reel was the account’s second most-liked Instagram post of this year so far.
Takeaway
For Maricopa County Elections, consistency on social media has paid off in multiple hits for its voter registration and turnout campaigns this year. It posts almost daily, slowly but surely building a following and establishing itself as a trusted source for voting information on social media. While there’s no certainty as to how much social campaigns can boost civic engagement, this government agency is putting forth an admirable effort with creative and informative content.
Contra Costa County Elections Department
The Contra Costa County Elections Department in California takes a multi-platform approach to building trust with the over 1.1 million residents it serves. On TikTok, the department uses trending formats to jump into the digital conversation. It joined the platform’s wave of trivia game videos to counter misinformation.
Using a popular TikTok format, the Contra Costa County Elections Department addressed some of its constituents’ most pressing questions about voter fraud.
Over on YouTube, the department used a short but sweet video to invite viewers to learn more about how ballots are secured and verified.
Though it has 80 subscribers, the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Offices generated more than 277,000 views on this 30-second video.
Meanwhile, on Instagram, the department went the simple route to create a helpful, and shareable, voters’ resource.
This post was one of the Contra Costa County Clerk Recorder Elections most-liked Instagram posts of the year so far.
Takeaway
Spread your strategy and messaging across multiple social platforms to reach different segments of your community. While Instagram and TikTok content are great ways to engage with younger audiences, don’t overlook YouTube and other channels when sharing informative, evergreen resources.
Bonus: USPS
The United States Postal Service doesn’t exclusively deal with elections, but it does play a crucial role. About 31% of voters cast their ballots by mail in the midterm elections in 2022, while 43% did in the general elections in 2020. Throughout the year, the USPS’s social media accounts share informational content just as much as they do entertaining content. Take, for example, this Instagram account satirizing social media microtrends.
Clever trendjacking helped this Instagram post generate 2,100 likes since August 6, 2024.
Or this post on X referencing breakout pop star Chappell Roan.
This post generated about 83,000 views and 1,600 likes.
But when it comes to drawing periodic attention to important voting information, USPS opts for eye-catching consistency.
The USPS uses the same graphic of a white Official Elections Mail envelope against a blue background for posts with information about voting by mail.
Using the same simple image alerts followers instantly to voting information and links to more resources. And though USPS uses the same image repeatedly, it doesn’t sacrifice engagement.
This September 16, 2024 post was one of the USPS Instagram account’s more successful ones with 653 likes.
Takeaway
Consider visual branding when creating a campaign about a subject outside of your regular content. On social media, attention-grabbing consistency is a great way to alert viewers to must-know information.
Government social media campaigns succeed with creativity
Government communications can often be impersonal and dry, but as these agencies prove, they don’t have to be. Agencies can use the language and culture of social media platforms to meet their communities where they are, scrolling on their digital devices. Whether looking to share information, combat misinformation, or inspire civic engagement, government entities have much to gain from developing and implementing social media strategies.
Our look at how U.S. government agencies engage with potential voters ahead of the 2024 general election reveals these important points for any official organization looking to build a social media presence:
- Make your strategies platform-specific: While bold, shareable infographics do well on Instagram stories and feeds, trendjacking is more effective for generating engagement via Reels and TikTok.
- Stay on top of the conversation: Being in the know of the latest social trends is the best way to identify new content opportunities.
- Be consistent: Whether your organization posts monthly or weekly, set a cadence your followers can predict. That way they’ll know when to expect information, especially around cyclical processes like elections.
- Highlight local: It’s easy to believe that social media users don’t want to hear from government agencies, but you’d be surprised just how many are hungry for official, accurate information about their communities. For engagement-driving content, tap into that community spirit with regional references and cameos from local figures.
Looking for more examples of how government agencies can use social media for the public good? Check out our customer story with Tripepi Smith. The agency used Meltwater to help its public affairs client maintain good relations with residents during a large-scale public works project.
Creating a social media strategy from scratch, or revamping an existing one, can be a daunting process without the right tools. Learn how our social media management solution can help your organization do more with limited resources.
