City Launches Social Media Campaign

In Mayorga Coffee Shop, just across the street from the Takoma Metro, Craig Terrill recently sat working on his plan to get information out to the citizens of Takoma Park more effectively through social media.

His job didn't exist three weeks ago, but he has already started networking and has launched a campaign to guide the city's government into the digital age. Through Twitter and Facebook, Terrill hopes to give citizens more access to everything from city events to how to participate in the government process.

"Social media is the fastest and best way to get information out," Terrill said.

Terrill will help the city design a new website and hopes to use social media to make Takoma Park a mobile city.

"We need a site that looks outward," Terrill said. "It needs to be for people coming into Takoma Park from D.C. too. It can't be so insular."

Bringing people on board who might not normally use social media is a priority for Terrill.

"We need to integrate with the community that is already using social media and figure out a way to get those divergent groups on board," he said.

He plans to integrate those not already using social media by simply going out and meeting them in person. Terrill will enlist the help of residents already involved in online networking and hold monthly meetings open to those interested in making Facebook and Twitter a way to disseminate information throughout Takoma Park.

"Getting people on board is going to be the challenge," he said. "Takoma Park has an advantage in being as progress as it is, but we need to reach out to groups not typically involved."

Terrill comes to the job with social media credentials. He was formerly a media professional for Thought Equity, a stock media company in Laramie, Wy. Terrill hit the limit of what he could with Thought Equity, he said, and found the job with Takoma Park to be an enticing new adventure.

Two other cities in the area have embraced social media as well. Hyattsville recently launched a social media policy as well, said city communications manager Abby Sandel. And Rockville has been active in the Facebook and Twitter communities for about a year now, said Shannon Loomis, who runs social media for the city of Rockville.

Rockville's social media plan, which uses Twitter, Facebook and a blog, has been slowly growing for about a year, but has seen a significant uptick lately, Loomis said.

"We've been putting up more interactive content," she said.

She updates the city Facebook page at least once a day and has several Twitter accounts, including one for the city, one for the Rockville TV station, one for alerts and several for recreation in the city.

It's been fairly easy to attract people, she said, especially when you encourage people to comment and ask questions.

Terrill has been talking with Loomis to see what has worked and what hasn't, so he can make the Takoma Park social media network as successful as possible, he said.

"Getting out information is my core concern," he said.