Place Branding + Facebook
February 23rd, 2011 § Leave a Comment
You’ve most likely got your friends, your parents, and even your kindergarten crush added to Facebook…but now, your city? According to this interesting article sent to me by my friend and fellow communication enthusiast Matthew Hurst, Facebook for cities could be the next tool in place branding’s arsenal. And why not, it only makes sense. We know it’s important for the success of a communication initiative to reach people where they already are—and where is that if not Facebook? We have seen the success that many brands have had reaching out to their constituents via social media, especially in building brand loyalty and sharing important (and hopefully interesting, honest) information to the people that are invested in their product.
But cities beware. While this is a huge opportunity to bring out the fun aspects of what your place has to offer and share them with the world, it is also a great opportunity for those people who are not so thrilled with your city, amenities, branding, etc. to voice their opinion. And with place branding’s many audiences, it is hard to keep them all pleased. I encourage each location to think about what this page could offer them in the way of communicating their brand to a new generation, in a different way, and to keep building momentum. Maybe this type of page could be used to inform visitors of the weather, fun things to do, or spotlight local gems that might be off the normal visitors’ radar. Maybe it could be used to inform current residents of changes being made, or as a forum to share progress and hear ideas. The opportunities are endless, and I believe this is a really strong way to stay connected with your target audience and Facebook’s more than 500 million active users (this site has some strong strategy tips for Cities using Social Media).
In the end, however cities choose to use Facebook, they should make sure that their communications are thoughtful, honest and informational—just like any other brand. They should also expect that they will hear both the good and the bad when it comes to branding, updates and anything else they post. Which is a great opportunity to inform people, respond positively to feedback, act on the information gleaned and make your place better. Because if your city can use its page to not only inform but improve, you’ve got a communication tool that will truly “build” your brand.
