Here are 10 examples of good ways public sector bloggers can connect with their constituents, with links to their Q & A's with Municipalist:
1. Find the discussion, and participate, wherever it is. A good example is John Stevens, a blogging school board member in Loudoun County, Virginia. Among the ways Stevens achieves this:
- He shares email from his fellow board members -- with their permission -- as they discuss important issues, as in this post.
- He posts directly in his own blog's comments section, as well as in the comments section of other blogs, as in one long, multiple-participant discussion about his school system's budget. John posted helpful comments here and here.
2. Post your own informal notes from meetings or events that the public rarely is a part of, as does Jennifer Abell, a blogging school board member in Charles County, Maryland. An example is here. Jennifer Abell Q &A is here.
3. Turn your blog into a valuable resource with plenty of links and references to related information, as does Steve Harrelson, Arkansas state house majority leader. His blog is called Under the Dome. See the exhaustive lists in the sidebar area? Demographic information, links to committees, related blogs, reports, budget information, news outlets, etc. Say to your readers: My blog is your starting point to find lots of ways to connect and get the information you want. Steve Harrelson Q & A is here.
4. Develop a good comments policy, and stick to it. Wally Bobkiewicz, city manager of Santa Paula, California, has created a good one here. When the idiots and the nonsense are effectively filtered out, by whatever method you decide on, your readers will feel more comfortable and will be more willing to comment themselves. Wally Bobkiewicz Q & A is here.
5. Mix it up. It is difficult to find one thing to improve upon in the blog from Round Lake, Illinois Mayor Bill Gentes. He posts a lot, and he mixes folksy stuff with serious issues his community is facing. He includes lots of photos, and he has a solid group of commenters too. Bill Gentes Q & A is here.
6. Bring on the graphics. Photos and charts and screen images can help your reader get into your post. Mike Falick, a blogging school board member in Texas, does a great job. The diversity of graphics he finds to use is impressive, and they make the entire presentation look better. Mike Falick Q & A is here.
7. When it comes to budget issues, be detailed. Nobody does this better than Brian Wheeler, a blogging school board member from Albemarle County, Virginia. Local schools have to fight all sorts of misconceptions not only about how revenue they need annually, but on how the budget process itself actually works. Brian ties it all together and spends the time and space to make sure his readers have a complete picture. Example here. Brian dedicates a category to all of his posts about the budget here. Brian Wheeler Q & A coming soon.
8. Provide 'news you can use' for your readers. The whole point of GovGab is to share useful tips from across the vast federal government information warehouse. So regularly blogging with that concept in mind can be useful for any public sector blogger. What is it about my office or organization or agency that I can share with readers that benefit them? You are an expert. Believe it. Now share it. GovGab Q & A is here.
9. Be honest about the commitment. And the reward. John Creighton, a blogging school board member in Colorado, wrote:
"I encourage public officials to blog. On balance, the benefits far outweigh the costs. The time commitment is worth it – even if what the official is able to do ebbs and flows. In addition, we are only beginning to discover how online technologies can enhance public institutions, public service and democracy. The only way that we will accelerate what we're able to do is if public officials are active participants in the online world." Q & A with John Creighton is here.
10. Get busy. Why? The Web is becoming, more and more, a giant watchdog platform. And the eyes of the masses are turning on you, Mr. or Ms. Public Official. This is a large part of the Municipalist Thesis: The Web is not just for the angry, or the young, or the plugged in, or the politicized. It's for those in the public sector as well. We need to hear from you. Researcher David C. Wyld says within five years, half of all public officials will be blogging. If he's right, or even if he's wrong, the message is the same: Get busy. Q & A with David C. Wyld.
