Arc 3 Communications

How Local Governments Can Use Instameets to Promote Citizen Engagement

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InstameetWith more than 200 million active monthly users, Instagram reports that it shares more than 20 million photos every day with a combined average of 1.6 billion likes.

Instagram engagement is also more than 15 times that of Facebook with a user base that is predominately young, female and affluent, according to a recent report by L2, a think tank for digital innovation.

Therefore, it’s no wonder that 92 percent of prestige brands prominently incorporate Instagram into their social media strategies, according to the same report.

However, many local governments have been slow to adopt this rapidly maturing platform, even though many of their constituents are already actively using it.

So how can local governments utilize the power of Instagram to promote citizen engagement that is still [Read more…]

The Top 7 Politicians on Pinterest

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First Lady Pin on PinterestPinterest is a social bookmarking site that is all about the discovery of visual content. Pinterest users are able to pin or bookmark interesting pictures and videos for their followers. Pinterest also allows users to like or re-pin others posts and organize their favorite pins into boards. Pinterest has over 70 million users, the overwhelming majority of whom are women.

According to the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project, 33% of online women are Pinterest users, compared to just 8% of men. In addition the highest income brackets and the college educated are more likely to use Pinterest. Pinterest users also skew more suburban and rural than urban.

Almost a quarter of Pinterest users post on the site daily, mostly content pertaining to recipes, weddings, babies, decor and fashion. Pinterest is the fourth largest driver of traffic to websites worldwide, behind only Google Organic, Google Direct and Facebook. Pinterest has more referral traffic than Twitter and more than Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube combined. It outpaces other social media bookmarking platforms such as Stumbleupon and Reddit by a substantial margin.

Due to its rising influence online and its power in reaching female audiences,  some politicians have started to incorporate Pinterest into their digital strategies. Below is Arc 3’s list of  the most pinteresting politicians:

1. First Lady Michelle Obama  55,852 followers (6 Boards 81 Pins) 

The First Lady of the United States is the most popular political  figure on Pinterest and her success persuaded her husband to join. The Organizing for Action staff operates her account, but she manages to post pins herself using the signature “-MO”. Her pins range from recipe ideas to background scenes at the White House to family. The First Lady’s most popular board is titled “Recipe Ideas” which has over 53k followers.

2. President Barack Obama  40,167 followers (12 Boards 239 pins) 

In the majority of listicles regarding politicians and social media platforms, President Obama consistently ranks first with the most followers. However, on Pinterest, President Barack Obama comes in 2nd behind his spouse, the First Lady. The President’s pins range from behind the scenes photos of the First Family to campaign photos to more unique boards such as “Obamart” to “Pet Lovers for Obama”. The President’s most popular board is entitled “First Family” which has over 37k followers.

3. Ann Romney 17,088 followers (10 Boards 210 Pins ) 

Mrs. Romney, wife of the 2012 Republican Presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, adorns her Pinterest page with photos of her five children and 22 grandchildren. Her love of cooking is evident by her many recipe pins including one of her cookbook The Romney Family Table. An avid reader, she also shares her books worth reading, including David McCullough’sMornings on Horseback about the young life of Theodore Roosevelt. Ann Romney’s most popular board is “Recipes” which has over 15k followers.

4. Arnold Schwarzenegger 8,882 followers (8 Boards 118 Pins) 

The actor and former body builder and 38th Governor of California has a substantial following on Pinterest. The Terminator’s  pins and boards consist of photos from his acting, bodybuilding and past service as Governor of California. He also highlights the charitable causes he supports as well as his autobiography Total Recall. 

5. Mitt Romney 8,377 followers ( 11 Boards 79 Pins) 

The former 2012 Republican nominee for President still has a significant following on Pinterest despite his last pin being over a year ago. The majority of Governor Romney’s pins were during the 2012 campaign and consisted of  family, campaign infographics and paraphernalia and behind the scenes pictures from his campaign. Like his wife Ann’s page, he highlights his favorite books, including a wide range of titles from John Steinbeck’s East of Eden to Ron Hubbard’s Battleship Earth to David Landes’ The Wealth and Poverty of Nations. Mitt Romney’s most popular board is entitled “Mitt Gear” which has 5,765 followers.

6. Newt Gingrich  1,395 followers (5 Boards 91 Pins)  

The former Republican House Speaker and Presidential candidate had one of the strongest presences on social media out of the Republican candidates for President in 2012. Winner of the first Republican Presidential primary in the South, South Carolina, Gingrich has a strong following on Pinterest, despite having not posted in over a year. Newt’s pins include behind the scenes photos from the 2012 campaign trail and books that he has authored ranging from Valley Forge to Rediscovering God in America to Real Change.

7. Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom 1,127 followers (10 Boards 663 Pins) 

Lt. Governor Newsom was the youngest Mayor of San Francisco in over 100 years and is now the 49th Lieutenant Governor of California. The fourth-generation Californian’s Pinterest boards reflect his love of San Francisco’s sports teams the 49ers and the Giants; technology; and wine.

 These are the top politicians on Pinterest at mid-year 2014. As social media continues to become more and more visual, we expect more politicians to adopt Pinterest, especially those with a gender gap in their level of support from female voters. Pinterest’s ability to reach and persuade female audiences should not be dismissed by politicians. It is also a powerful tool for driving female voters to a politician’s website.

Want to learn how social media platforms like Pinterest can help your organization?  Give us a call. We’d be happy to sit down with you and learn more about your marketing efforts and share with you how we can make social media work for your advocacy, citizen engagement or grassroots efforts.

Content Marketing and Social Media Case Study: Cherokee County, Georgia Government

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The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners is the local governing body of one of the fastest growing counties in Georgia and the Southeast. The county is home to one of the lowest tax rates and the highest SAT scores in the state. 

One of the fastest growth segments of Cherokee County’s population was an influx of the first wave of the millennial generation who were purchasing homes and building families. Increasingly, these millennials were turning to online and social media as a primary resource for news about local issues and events. The county felt that their traditional marketing efforts were not reaching and informing this audience.

In addition, county leaders were becoming increasing concerned about the county’s digital and social media presence online and the impact that it may have been having in the economic development competition with other local communities across the country in attracting new businesses and large employers to the county.

Arc 3 Communications worked with Cherokee County Board of Commissioners to develop a plan for creating content for their website and social media networks to educate and inform stakeholders, constituents, businesses and c-level executives.

Through the development of a content marketing plan which included an identification of key messages, audiences and content buckets, the county was able to launch a new website and social media program that reached key audiences. Training was provided to county department heads and staff on key social media channels and tactics; content tips and the content marketing ideation process. 

Cherokee County’s new content marketing and social media program has resulted in a 53% increase in fans on Facebook; 241% increase in followers on Twitter; and 40% follower growth on LinkedIn. Cherokee County has also established a strong presence on Instagram in anticipation of the visual growth in social media. Cherokee County has seen its Klout Score, a measure of social media influence, increase by 300%.

However, a successful content marketing and social media campaign is not just measured by the number of likes and followers. More importantly Cherokee County has seen an increase in citizen engagement and civic reporting, greater citizen awareness about their local government, and more economic development leads. Cherokee County was just recently awarded the location to the county of Inalfa Roof Systems, an economic development win that was recognized by Governor Nathan Deal and the Georgia Economic Developers Association as the “Deal of the Year” for 2013.

Arc 3 Communications’ Monthly Top News Reads in Digital, Social and Public Affairs – February 2014

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Digital and social media are transforming how government institutions, political campaigns and trade associations communicate to key audiences. Below is a roundup of the more interesting stories that we have read over the last month:

Digital and Social Media

Mashable reports on 9 ways that social media will change in 2014. New ways include the rise of graphic software and the use of visual content to support social media platforms such as Pinterest and Tumblr.

In the Guardian, Scott Monty, who heads global digital communications for the Ford Motor Company, explores the question of whether or not marketers can learn digital restraint. Monty advocates for a less is more strategy for marketers.

Social Media Today offers six social media mistakes to avoid in 2014, which include many recommendations for digital restraint. These include avoiding tweeting too often, using too many hashtags and joining too many social media websites.

Gov 2.0 and Public Affairs

Huffington Post reports on 15 photos from the U.S. Department of Interior Instagram account that will make you want to travel the country. The Department of Interior account has over 200k  followers and includes scenic photos from the public lands, national parks and wildlife refuges that it manages.

Associations Now  offers advice on how to handle the good, the bad, and the ugly of online comments on a trade association’s website, social media or blog.

The New York Times  reports on the Twitter conversation surrounding the President’s State of the Union address and how the White House’s bully pulpit has lost its strength due to other voices shaping the conversation.

Campaigns and Elections

ABC News interviews Adam Sharp, Head of Government and Non-Profits at Twitter, regarding how Twitter will continue to shape political discourse, campaign advertising and election 2014.

Social Media Today  explores 5 ways in which social media will change political campaigns in 2014. One of these ways includes the greater use of visual and video content on campaign social media networks.

In Huffington Post, Milind Deora, India’s Minister for Communications, explores the impact of social media on electoral politics in light of the upcoming elections. Deora points to social media’s effectiveness in raising issues, but questions how it may be affecting the quality of political discourse and disrupting the social order.

These were some of Arc 3’s most interesting reads in digital and social and public affairs in early 2014. What were your favorite stories? Let us know. We’d love to hear from you.

 

 

The Top Ten Politicians on Instagram

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Instagram is one of the fastest growing social media platforms. Taking quick snapshots or 15 second videos and applying funky filters of different colors and hues and sharing them with your friends isn’t just for hipsters any more. More and more politicians are joining Instagram to reach out to voters in a more personal way through photos and videos.

With its acquirement by Facebook and the addition of short video capabilities to the platform, Instagram is a powerful tool for helping politicians reach the ever growing mobile audience. Instagram’s new 15 second video feature is ideal for mobile video watching and integrates seamlessly with other social networks for instant sharing.

At the start of 2014, who are the most savvy politicians on Instagram? Through an analysis of Instagram followers and individual photo likes, Arc 3 has compiled a list of the top ten politicians on Instagram:

1. President Barack Obama  @barackobama 2.73 million followers

The top ten most liked political photos on Instagram are shared by the President’s account. These photos range from a “Thank you” photo on Election Night with 294k likes to birthday wishes for the President with 86k likes. Upon the President joining Instagram, the social media platform announced  that “We look forward to seeing how President Obama uses Instagram to give folks a visual sense of what happens in the everyday life of the President of the United States.”  So far the President’s team has done that and more.

2. Mitt Romney @mittromney 71k followers

The former Governor of Massachusetts and Republican nominee for President has the second largest following of a politician on Instagram.  The account largely contains photos from campaign stops during the 2012 Presidential election with his last post being November 6, 2012. The most popular photo on his account was a get out the vote photo on election day that received over 17k likes.

3. George W. Bush @georgewbush 64k followers

The 43rd President has taken to painting and his artistic talents show in his Instagram account. Posting touching photos of family and new grandchildren, he also adds in beautiful landscapes of his native Texas. The former Texas Rangers owner’s love of sports is also on full display with photos of trips to professional football and baseball games.

4. Senator Cory Booker @corybooker 33k followers

The former Mayor of Newark and newest member of the U.S. Senate is also one of the most adept at using social media for civic engagement, responding to constituent requests and comments personally. Senator Booker’s Insta feed contains a wide variety of content, including savvy use of short video and uploading of press clips.

5. Congressman Kevin McCarthy @repkevinmccarthy 11k followers

The House Majority Whip, McCarthy was recognized by BuzzFeed as the best Republican Congressman on Instagram. McCarthy’s Insta feed is full of photos of D.C.’s who’s who, his family dog and “Throwback Thursday” photos of his family. McCarthy’s video of playing Frisbee with the family dog received over 2k likes.

6. Governor Chris Christie @govchristie 5k followers

The potential 2016 candidate for President and Republican Governor of New Jersey has a balanced mix of celebrity photos, family “Throwback Thursday” photos and behind the scenes photos in his role as Governor. Governor Christie’s photo shares reflect his team’s understanding of emotion and imagery to garner support on social media.

7. Michael Bloomberg @mikebloomberg 4k followers

Having completed his term as Mayor of the Big Apple, Bloomberg has set up a philanthropic foundation to advance his favorite causes. His Insta feed is loaded with photos of groundbreakings, ceremonies and events in the performance of his duties as Mayor. Since leaving the Mayoral office, he has posted a stream of photos related to his campaign for immigration reform, Iamimmigration.org.

8. Gabby Giffords  @gabbygiffords 4k followers

The former Congresswoman from Southern Arizona retired from Congress after her courageous return from a 2011 shooting that nearly claimed her life. Founder of the PAC, Americans for Responsible Solutions, Gifford’s Instagram account is full of photos of her advocacy work.

9. Speaker John Boehner @speakerboehner 3k followers

The Speaker is the king of  ‘Throwback Thursday”, posting photos ranging from his high school football days under legendary Coach Gerry Faust to school field trips to family photos with his brothers and Santa Claus. The photos personalize one of the most powerful men in the country, who is 2nd in the line of succession to the Presidency. His Insta feed also includes hundreds of behind the scenes photos of his official duties as Speaker.

10. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard @tulsigabbard  2k followers

The 32 year old Army veteran, surfer and representative from Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional district is one of the rising stars of the Democratic Party. Her Insta feed is chalked full of beautiful Hawaiian landscapes as well as behind the scenes photos of her duties as a Congresswoman for the Aloha state.  A fitness enthusiast, the Congresswoman’s account has photos of her many physical activities such as running, hiking, sking, and yoga.

At the start of 2014, these are the top ten politicians on Instagram.  As social media continues to become more and more visual, we expect more politicians to adopt Instagram as a necessary part of their social media efforts. Who are your favorite politicians on Instagram? Let us know!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arc 3 Founder Patrick Burns Quoted in Hartford Courant Story Regarding Election 2014

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Arc 3’s Founder Patrick Burns was recently quoted in a recent Hartford Courant story regarding the ramping up of social media, digital and technology efforts by the respective political parties in the upcoming Gubernatorial election in Connecticut. The article discusses how the aggressive use of technology pioneered by the Obama campaign nationally is now moving to the state level. Below is the quote from the article:

“The president and his team did a masterful job using Facebook as a big megaphone to reach voters,” said Patrick Burns, president of Arc 3 Communications, an Atlanta firm that advises right-of-center candidates and political parties, as well as local governments and trade groups, on how to use social media to spread their messages.

But unlike the attack tweets, news conferences and Facebook likes, some aspects of modern politics occur behind the scenes, through sophisticated data-mining strategies and the micro-targeting of voters. “On the consumer side, companies have been doing this for a few years now,” Burns said. “The political parties are catching up.”

For the full story, please click here.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Arc 3 Communications

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Thank you to our clients, friends and colleagues who have helped to make Arc 3’s 2nd year a great success. We set out to do ambitious and interesting work in 2013, and our clients have entrusted us to do just that.

Over the last year, we have done innovative work in the area of content marketing, digital and social media for clients in the political, public affairs and government space. It has been our passion to help trade associations, right-center campaigns and local and state governments evolve their communications and marketing strategies to fit the digital age.

Content and measurable data are both important to us. Arc 3 has helped clients to develop and implement effective strategies and campaigns that help them to achieve their organizational goals in a complex media and public affairs landscape. Content marketing and digital and social media only work if they help an organization to reach those real world objectives that result in a return on their investment.

The golden age of mass media communications through print, television and radio has begun to fade, and a new multi-platform and digital age has begun. The digital age has resulted in new ways in which people – especially millenials – are processing issue and policy information.

Over the last several years, businesses have been going through a transition from traditional marketing to content marketing out of necessity in order to reach consumers. Our civic institutions, campaigns and trade associations will have to change as well in order to sustain their key roles in the public square.

As our agency grows and evolves in the dynamic landscape in media and public affairs, we look forward to another year of fun, interesting and purposeful work.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Patrick L. Burns, Founder and President, Arc 3 Communications

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arc 3 Founder Patrick Burns’ Interview with KCAA Radio regarding Political Marketing

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Our founder, Patrick Burns, recently appeared on KCAA 1050 News Talk Radio to discuss the evolution of Political Marketing. In a wide-ranging discussion with Eric Holtzclaw, the host of the program “Laddering”, Burns discusses how campaigns market to voters is changing rapidly. Once a business that relied on gut instincts and mass media buys, major campaigns are beginning to utilize big data for targeted messages to voters through digital and social media. To listen to the program, please click on the link below:

Patrick Burns Interview with KCAA 1050 News Talk Radio regarding Political Marketing

 

 

Arc 3 Communications’ Monthly Top News Reads in Digital, Social and Public Affairs – November 2013

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Digital and social media are changing how government institutions, political campaigns and trade associations communicate and achieve their goals. Below is a roundup of the more interesting stories that we have read over the last month:

Digital and Social Media

Business Insider provides an analysis of social media demographics and the surprising identity of each major social network.

Gigaom reports on Google’s new ad policy and how to avoid appearing in Google ads.

Alan Mutter of Reflections of a Newsosaur , asks the question “Are newspapers losing their mass media mojo?”

Gov 2.0 and Public Affairs

Nextgov reports how thwarted users vent about the Obamacare website on Facebook.

The Atlantic Magazine reports how the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee developed its own font “Chatype” through a Kickstarter campaign.

Nextgov reports how Congress.gov replaces Thomas.gov as the source for legislative bills and committee information on Capitol Hill.

Campaigns and Elections

Advertising Age examines how data is redefining political TV ads.

TechPresident analyzes the role of digital and big data in election 2013.

Politico reports how Twitter is a mixed blessing for political flacks.

In a Foxnews.com  opinion piece, John Jordan, a member of the Hoover Institution’s Board of Overseers at Stanford University, offers a donor’s guide to making your money count in politics.

These were some of Arc 3’s most interesting reads in digital and social and public affairs over the last month. What were your favorite stories? Let us know if there is a neat story that we missed! We’d love to hear from you.

 

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