I have been using Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and MySpace to market the City of Peoria, and to get the word out about the great opportunities available for development and redevelopment. It is a free way to tell people our story. And the price is right - Free. We like Free.
I use a counter on some of my blogs, so I have an idea about how many people read it. And I use it a great deal when someone calls me with questions about Peoria. I simply tell them to go to my master blog,
and click on an entry that interests them or that they want to discuss.
Then we can discuss. They don't need to take copious confusing notes about our programs - they can read about the Enterprise Zone or TIF on line.
I have been at the blogging business much longer than the other programs, and know the most about that. Blogging about your organization is of course somewhat risky - you always have the chance of offending someone. But the medium also lets you talk a little more directly to citizens. You can put a little more of your personality and humor into the blog - the City Web Site is of course invaluable, but it takes some time to get content on the site.
Citizens will of course be talking and blogging about you and your government. By getting the word out yourself you can provide the straight scoop, at least as you know it.
I am learning on the job with the other programs. They reach a somewhat different market, and so are worth pursuing.
How much time do I devote to these blogs? About 10 minutes a day. So it does not take much time. And if I land one more redevelopment of our inner city as a result of this effort, it will be time well spent.
Master Blog Address - All My blogs are listed in the link below