From Followers to Community: Strategies for Genuine Engagement

Looking forward to this session? Share it!

Building community on social media takes more than clever posts—it takes authentic, two-way communication. For government social media managers balancing limited time and big responsibilities, creating meaningful engagement can feel like a challenge. This session dives into how public agencies can move beyond likes and impressions to foster genuine trust, dialogue, and connection. Hear how other government communicators decide when (and how) to respond, adapt engagement strategies across platforms, and craft content that serves community needs—without resorting to controversy or clickbait.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand why responding to comments and messages is essential to building public trust—and how to make it manageable within your workload.

• Learn practical frameworks for deciding when and where to engage, based on your team’s goals and resources.

• Explore platform-specific engagement strategies and how tone, timing, and format can differ across channels.

• Discover ways to create content that sparks authentic connection and civic participation—without chasing conflict or viral trends.