D I G I T A L I N C L U S I O N I N I T I A V E

Digital Inclusion Basics: Connect.DC and Social Media

Alex ChiDirector, Digital Inclusion Initiative

DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer

Panel Discussion: Leveraging Social Media-Leveraging the Virtual World12th Annual Public Private Partnership Conference

June 12, 2012

Connect.DC is not just a government program—it’s a movement

• Launched in Fall 2011; social media and website launched March 2012.• Powered by the Office of the Chief Technology Officer.• Funded by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, matched with District

equivalent.• Leverage government, private sector and community resources to promote

universal participation in technology for everyone in the District.• Three pillars of the program: Access, Education, and Outreach.

Principles for Social Media Success Adapted from “The Six Essential Principles for Social Media Success in Financial

Service Firms” by actiance

• Free, or relatively free.• Interactive. Can communicate one-on-one or one-to-many. • Immediate, direct feedback from target market.• Adaptable. Can be readily refined.

The concept of the trusted network is one element of what makes social media so valuable. There is a tribal aspect to social media - we “connect” on LinkedIn, we “friend” on Facebook, we “follow” on Twitter – we become part of a tribe.

The Advantages of Social Media

Principles for Social Media Success cont’d

CONTENTAdd to the online conversation with information that is relevant and valuable to earn the ticket to admission into the social media inner circle.

CONVERSATIONUse the content to stimulate conversation in strategic online locations.

COMMUNITYDevelop a following of people who matter to you and your business. Once you build a community of followers, feed that network with relevant content.

CONVERSIONConvert your followers into constituents or evangelists by engaging socially with them online over a period of time.

The Four C’s of Social Media

How we use social media with our website to connect to the virtual world

• Connect.DC.gov• Twitter• Facebook• YouTube• Instagram• LinkedIn• SlideShare

Best Practices Online• Use all channels to reinforce each other. • Maintain a consistent brand and message on everything.• Put up a variety of content: photos, links to articles,

quotes, commentary, press releases, and stories.• Use Search Engine Optimization to direct traffic. • Share ideas on other sites, follow other pages, request

reciprocal links.• Keep content up to date and interesting, showcasing

your relevance and expertise. • Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate.

Online Success Story: Community Broadband Summit

• Hosted event information and registration on website.• Sent registrants to website through Twitter and Facebook. • Shared post-event material on Facebook and YouTube.• Facilitated discussion on Twitter - on event day and the

weeks following.

Visits to website from social media

March 15, 2012 to May 15, 2012

Community Broadband Summit

Press Conference

Launch of website & social media channels

Connect.DC Subgrant Opportunities Related to the Virtual World

• 3 to 10 Subgrants available in the coming months

• Up to $420,000 total award• Possible categories include– Multimedia– Virtual Town Square

Treat the virtual world as you do your own neighborhood:

be friendly, be engaging, and never miss an opportunity to

lend a hand.

Contact Information

Digital Inclusion Initiative441 4th Street, NW, 715NWashington, DC 20001

202-CONNECT (266-6328)

Email: Connect@DC.govWebsite: www.Connect.DC.gov

Twitter: @ConnectdotDCFacebook: Connect.DC.gov

YouTube: ConnectdotDC