ppm# cw-r-013

Created by Public Affairs and ISS –Revised: 06/05/15 CW-R-013/Attachment/Page 1

Social Media Design Standards


Introduction There are countless numbers of social media sites on the Internet, each with its own user base and communication tools. Social media encourages widespread spontaneous use and the platform providers frequently change the technological features. Government agencies therefore need to develop clear guidelines so that social media administrators, lawyers, public affairs officials, etc. are all on the same page to avoid violations of and compliance with existing laws and regulations.

Project Plan Create a comprehensive project plan for implementing your social media strategy. The following guidelines can assist in accomplishing your implementation:

1. Involve and communicate the plan with your department. 2. Contact designated coordinators from Public Affairs and Information Systems Services

(ISS) departments. 3. Gather requirements, define your purpose and identify which social media tools work

best to serve your business goal. 4. Establish a structure and naming convention using pbc as a prefix for all account names

(i.e., pbctv20, pbciss, pbcparks, etc.). 5. Implement PBC branded color scheme where possible pursuant to look and feel

standards contained here within. 6. Identify which features will be made available to the public 7. Implement your marketing strategy: Informational vs. Feedback 8. Identify roles and responsibilities 9. Prioritize and schedule deployment 10. Measure and evaluate the results

Choosing Your Tools When deciding which social media site you should join, consider the features you'll need and the audience you hope to reach. Below is a list of questions to consider when reviewing social media technology solutions for your department:

1. Does your department have a significant business problem/need that new social media technology has the potential to solve/enhance?

2. Does your department support the use of this ever-changing technology? 3. Do you have a clear and full understanding of how this technology will work in your

department? 4. Do you have the staff resources to plan and implement the project? 5. Do you have access to the training and skills required or can you obtain them easily? 6. What is your department strategy for adjusting to rapid change?


7. Does your department choose to engage in two-way communication with constituents and other government agencies

In compliance with PPM# CW-R-013, each department shall decide which social media tools are appropriate for their marketing purposes. The following networking tools are currently being utilized by Public Affairs:

• RSS Feeds • Twitter • Facebook • YouTube • LinkedIn • Google+

Public Affairs Social Media Project Plan Phase One: Twitter, RSS Feeds, YouTube Phase Two: Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+

Public Affairs’ uses for social media outlets:

Initially, all communication will be one-way, government to citizen.

Twitter:

• Emergency Updates • Links to releases and advisories and breaking news alerts • Feature stories on county programs, business and/or events • Provide instant notification when new videos are posted

RSS Feeds:

• Emergency Updates • Links to releases and advisories and breaking news alerts • Feature stories on county programs, business and/or events • Provide instant notification when new videos are posted

YouTube:

• Another outlet for Channel 20 videos • Marketing Channel 20 shorts and driving residents to On-Demand shows on the county

website

Facebook, Linked In, Google+:

• Emergency Updates

http://www.pbcgov.com/publicaffairs/ppm/pdf/CW-R-013.pdf


• Links to releases and advisories and breaking news alerts • Feature stories on county programs, business and/or events • Give residents the opportunity to learn about other information options • Establish two-way communication with a population that uses these tools as a primary

information source

Phase One Implementation

1. Create Twitter account a. User names PBCGOV, PBCGOV20 for account b. Setup account using Social Media use and design standards (tutorial attached) c. Start with a two-week trial period without publicizing a new account d. Begin with news releases, then some test messages involving events or board

meeting notices e. Send out release to press about the new way to get county government

information f. E-mail our Count-e-News list with info on how to follow county updates g. E-mail Public Information Officer (PIO) Coop with info on how to follow county

tweets h. Add “Follow us on Twitter” button to homepage

2. Create RSS Feeds

a. Work with ISS, Channel 20 and Web team to setup RSS applications b. Create two feeds for now: News Releases and Channel 20 Updates (new shows,

BCC Meetings) c. Plan to add a feed for each commissioner within 90 days of successful rollout of

a. and b.

3. Create YouTube account a. Create YouTube account with the username PBCGOV20 b. Setup account using Social media Design Standards (attached) c. Designate a Channel 20 staff member to post videos to site d. Follow posting guidelines for Channel 20 videos (attached)

Phase Two Implementation

1. Create Facebook Fan Page a. Create Facebook fan page called: Palm Beach County b. Set up account using social media design standards c. E-mail Count-e-News list with info on how to join the group d. Encourage County staff to join the group e. E-mail PIO Coop with info on how to join the group


2. Create a LinkedIn Page 3. Create a Google+ Page 4. Allow other county departments to create their own social media accounts in

accordance with design standards and PPM# CW-R-013.

Phase Three Implementation

1. Open social media channels for comments, questions and feedback. 2. Open additional social media channels as they become available. They must be relevant

to county business, programs and events promotion. 3. Monitor social media content for compliance and customer service. 4. Implement automated social archiving tool available for on-demand records searches. 5. Create a content calendar to schedule social media posts. 6. Use social media monitoring and scheduling tools during activations of the Emergency

Operations Center.

Social Media Plan Approvals All agencies engaging in social media activities must provide their implementation plan to Public Affairs staff for approval. Agencies are free to choose appropriate platforms for their outreach objectives.

Security Standards The first step in managing security in a social network is to establish policies and standards to govern the use of the system. Although established policies can be augmented to social-networking issues, it can be very useful to assemble a separate document that collates security best practices for social media sites. The governance program must support the following:

• Accountability – Full responsibility for the government presence and associated security risk in the social network must be specifically assigned in the county.

• Content – Limit the information uploaded to the social network to the bare minimum required to meet business objectives. All content (text, photography, video, graphics and links) must be approved by the content owner and the group or manager responsible for the county’s presence in the social network. Refresh content regularly, label copyrighted content and, where possible, include embedded copyright indicators. Scan uploaded and downloaded content for viruses and other inappropriate code.

• Active content – Develop active code for a social network in the same way that any software for commercial release would be developed. Software should be tested,

http://www.pbcgov.com/publicaffairs/ppm/pdf/CW-R-013.pdf


documented, digitally signed (where possible) and managed with regular change control processes. Viruses and worms have been developed for distribution through social networks. Therefore, filter all content obtained from social networks for malware.

• Staff use – Staff working in the social network on behalf of county government must abide by County policies regarding public and media relations. Staff should not place county content on personal pages. Content developed by staff for use by county government is a county asset and does not belong to the employee.

• Messaging – Conversations within the social network messaging system must comply with county policies regarding harassment and offensive speech. Messages directed to customers, other employees, and citizens must comply with relevant laws and regulations (for example, disclaimers). Do not send messages that contain sensitive personal information through the system due to the lack of encryption.

• Monitoring – Monitor county content on a regular basis to detect unauthorized alterations, where possible. Security staff should manually review the County profile and site on a daily basis to identify visual and other performance problems.

Legal Standards The amount of time you must maintain a document placed on a social media application depends on the type of information that has been disseminated. You must check with the Florida General Records Schedule for State and Local Government Agencies GS1-SL, to determine how long a document created on a social media application must be maintained. If you have any questions regarding the amount of time a document must be maintained, please contact the County Attorney’s Office.

See full schedule: http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/recordsmgmt/gen_records_schedules.cfm for a complete listing of record retention periods. In order to meet this requirement, departments engaging in social media should use the following guidelines:

1. Staff must maintain an electronic file of all activity posted via social media websites to document all communications in the event of a public records request.

2. The document must be archived for the period of time required by the General Records Schedule for State and Local Government Agencies and must be kept on the agency’s electronic shared drive or hard copies shall be maintained by the department.

Look and Feel Standards In all possible cases the look and feel of social media accounts should follow the color-scheme of the PBC Website Design Standards. If no customization is offered, for example in applications such as Facebook, uploading a county or agency logo should suffice.

http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/recordsmgmt/gen_records_schedules.cfm

http://pbc/website/web-standards/pdf/pbc-website-design-standard.pdf


Public Affairs can create a customized background if the account is being used for a specific event or campaign.

Process for Standardizing Twitter Once a Twitter account has been created, go to your main page (default) and select the Settings tab in the upper right hand corner.


Insert a logo by selecting the thumbnail in the upper right corner.


Click view profile and then edit profile on the right.


Select Add a header photo or Add or change your profile photo to add a background image and a profile photo or logo.


Click on the Theme color tab on the left of the screen to change background image. Click on the + sign to add a custom color code.

You are now done setting up your Twitter account. Please use Twitter help for any operational questions.

Tips for Writing on Twitter • Writers create titles for news releases and media advisories. These titles may need to be

changed for Twitter. Titles for Twitter should: - be short (140 characters max.) - provide a clear summary - have the most important keywords first - be understandable out of context

(Source: Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox, 4/27/09, World’s Best Headlines: BBC News)

• When the writer sends a release to the Public Affairs staff for posting, the e-mail should include the specific title for Twitter.

• After the release is posted on the county Web site, Web staff will post the title and link to the release on Twitter.


Process for Standardizing Facebook Once the account is created select the profile photo and upload your agency or the county logo.


Next, select an appropriate agency related image and select change cover photo.


Process for Standardizing YouTube Once you have created your YouTube account click on My Channel in the upper left hand corner.


Select the edit pencil in the top right hand corner and add a background image. Select the edit pencil in the top left hand corner and add a profile image.


To upload videos, select the Upload link at the top right of the page.

Select the files to upload button to browse to the video file on your computer.


Process for Standardizing LinkedIn Once an account is created, log in and select the profile tab and then edit profile.


Click the change or add photo box and then upload a photo or logo.

Then click the edit background photo and upload a photo.


Process for Standardizing Google+

Once you create an account click on view profile in the upper right hand corner.

Select the add or change cover photo to add a background image.


Select the add or change profile photo to add you agency logo.

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