Realizing the integral role of social media in facilitating more efficient communication between government agencies and the citizenry, the Armed Forces of the Philippines organized its first ever AFP Social Media Summit at the AFP theater in Camp Aguinaldo last July 11, 2014. In line with its ongoing modernization program, the summit aims to provide access to a wealth of information about social media, and how the military and various government agencies can leverage it as a tool in information dissemination and nurturing relationships.
Along with esteemed social media and digital marketing experts, I was given the amazing chance to influence change in government agencies’ social media behavior by discussing how they could use Twitter more effectively.
Statistics show that despite the reported 81% of Philippine Internet users using Twitter, making it the second most popular social platform in the country, it remains underutilized by many government agencies for information dissemination. Challenging as it may seem, the Twitter platform is a great opportunity waiting to be explored, in order to bridge the gap between the military and the people.
While there is still much work to be done in augmenting the participants’ knowledge and skills in managing their Twitter communities, it was more important to get them to understand exactly what they should be aiming for when using Twitter. After all, beyond posting content and growing numbers, the absence of a clear idea about what they want to accomplish on the social platform means that any and all efforts would ultimately be wasted.
My thirty-minute discussion encompassed an overview of the current social media scene in the country, and transitioned to the huge opportunity in growing Twitter communities. During the presentation, I also discussed five objectives government agencies should have on Twitter, followed by my ten best practices to implement on the microblogging website.
View the slide deck: Twitter Trends, Developments, and Issues on Emaze here.
All throughout the summit, one speaker after another emphasized the need to not just be on social media for the sake of establishing presence, but also to harness the power of social media to tell their story. It was a fact stressed again and again in the session: Humanize the government and the military. Tell stories that will captivate your audience and make them connect with you. However, there are only stories to share and amplify on social media when there are true stories to speak of – a point driven home by Gang Badoy, the blogger and founder of RockEd Philippines, and the storyteller behind the viral “Manny Sundalo” story. “The internet is just a microphone to tell a story. Social media (as a tool for the military) is nothing if there are no good soldiers to talk about.”
A party followed the summit, allowing the participants to interact with military officials, guest speakers, and other guests. It came as a surprise to me and my fellow guest speaker Ana Pista that people from the AFP, Philippine National Police and the Department of National Defense actually know how to party! As it turns out, they enjoy socializing over good food and a few drinks, just like the rest of us. The band comprised of men and women in uniforms was one of my favorite highlights of the event. Who knew there were so many talented officers in the military ranks?
Indeed, the call of outgoing Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista for the Philippine army and military forces to be a “world-class army” is not far from becoming a reality. After all, the government has finally committed to equip themselves with a weapon that, in today’s setting, is arguably more powerful than guns and fighter jets -- the ability to stay connected to the people in a connected world.
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About the Author:
Hana Abello is a Social Media Associate at StraightArrow Corp. She is a personal blogger and a social media passionista. When not online, she's also a makeup enthusiast and a photohobbyist.
