Government Social Media 101

Monday, May 1 @ 10 am - noon PT
Workshops are exclusively in-person & not livestreamed or recorded.

This workshop is an introduction for communicators who are new to managing social media for government agencies. If you already have a basic level of social media knowledge and need to learn how to effectively manage social media for government, then this workshop will give you a strong foundation to build on. Start off by learning the framework for handling public sector social media (such as policy, strategy, accessibility and First Amendment), then get practical advice on successfully creating content, publishing, monitoring and engaging with the public on the major social media platforms.

During this workshop led by the GSM professional association Training Committee, you'll also get a heads-up on what other conference sessions to look out for, how you can get involved in this community, and you'll walk away with a new network of colleagues to aid in your professional growth.

Topics covered include:

• How to build your framework for government social media management
• Challenges of handling social media in government & skills needed
• How to best utilize the platforms
• Tools for efficiently managing content
• Best practices for handling comments and negativity

Instagram 201: Beyond Chasing Trends and Posting Photos

Monday, May 1 @ 12:30 - 2:30 pm PT
Workshops are exclusively in-person & not livestreamed or recorded.

Learn to harness all the tools within Instagram and go beyond posting a single photo in this hands-on, deep dive workshop created for those who want to go beyond the basics and learn more in-depth practices on the platform.

As a participant, you will learn:

• How to engage your audience in Stories
• Practice creating Reels from start to finish
• Best practices for captions
• Common pitfalls to avoid
• General tips and tricks for Instagram as an advanced user and much more!

You'll leave this interactive workshop — led by Eva Kirschbaum with the Town of Gilbert, AZ and Frances La Rue with the City of Anna, TX — buzzing with ideas and with a thoroughly planned campaign ready to bring back to your organization that can be applied to any project that comes your way. With this framework, it'll feel easy to fit today's trends into your established plan.

Creating Effective Social Media Reports Your Boss Loves & Understands

Monday, May 1 @ 3-5 pm PT
Workshops are exclusively in-person & not livestreamed or recorded.

How do you effectively communicate the impact social media makes on your agency's communication goals? Do your leadership teams truly understand the value of social media and what you're accomplishing? Want to create streamlined, organized reports that never get overlooked?

Back by popular demand and updated for 2023, you won't want to miss this add-on workshop all about gathering data, analyzing and creating effective reports. After years of managing social media for an international NGO, a Fortune 500 and now her social media agency, October Social Media, Sabrina Merritt is ready to pass on her social media reporting knowledge to you. This hands-on interactive workshop features individual and group learning that will improve your current social media reports. Whether you put your report together manually or use social media software, there is something for everyone.  

In this 2-hour workshop, attendees will learn how to create and organize social media reports that: 

• Connect your social media performance to agency goals
• Are designed specifically with the end user in mind
• Are easy to read and understand
• Make a case for your social media/communications needs in the budget
• Establish YOU as the Subject Matter Expert within your agency 

Workshop participants will also learn: 

• What social media metrics you should be tracking on a weekly, quarterly and annual basis.
• How to communicate your social media goals and strategy across different documents and leadership touch points.
• How to educate and inform leadership on social media metrics and reporting.
• How to socialize your new reporting style throughout the agency. 

If you're someone who struggles to communicate the impact of your social media, need to enhance your current reporting or wants the framework to start effective reporting at your agency today, then this workshop is perfect for you.