Communications and Media Manager Denise Lessard said when she joined the team 10 years ago, communications shared on the city’s Facebook page were formal and simple. Haynes said she and the team now aim to share useful information in a more engaging way, as well as to interact with commenters on social media posts.
“Whether they're asking questions, or just offering their own feedback, we really try to reach out to each one just so they know that there's a person behind this account,” Haynes said.
The big picture
The city has social media pages on multiple platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter. In 2023, the city saw more than 3 million impressions on Instagram.
Haynes, the city’s digital communications manager, and a team of video producers and city staff members have led the charge to incorporate pop culture references and humor into content posted on the city’s social media platforms, she said.
The content is focused on sharing useful information, such as updates about city events or programs, road construction or weather notices. The pop culture references incorporated range from popular musicians, such as NSYNC, to movie references, such as Mean Girls, as well as social media trends.
“We get a lot of comments saying, ‘I never knew government could be fun or interesting, ... and I've learned so much’ and that's, to me, one of the highest compliments,” Haynes said. “It's the same information; it's just how we're presenting it.”
Haynes has created content series, such as Trash Talk, a series featuring information about trash and recycling services. Videos in this series have featured information on what can and cannot be recycled, how to request a bulky-item pickup, and when and where to put trash and recycling containers on pickup day.
“That [series] was where we first noticed residents really responding and saying, ‘I had no idea I've been doing it wrong this whole time,'” Haynes said.Diving deeper
Haynes and her team have won state and national awards for the city’s social media presence and content.
Posts featuring trending topics often see the biggest response, Haynes said. For example, when Taylor Swift was performing in Arlington in spring 2023, the team created multiple pieces of themed content featuring Taylor Swift songs as well as information about city operations, such as the city library, road construction, and trash and recycling services.
“We kind of jumped on that, and it was a risk because we weren't sure if we really [could] fill a full week of content with Taylor Swift. Is this going to go well?” Haynes said. “Our numbers skyrocketed that, week and it was all useful information.”
Quote of note
“We love that our residents follow us for fun updates and humorous videos, but that also means they are following us when we really need to reach them, such as a storm or other serious situation,” Haynes said in an email.
Looking ahead
Haynes aims to continue growing follower counts and engagement across the city’s social media pages as well as continue to develop professional content, she said.
“It's both scary and exciting to think about how it's going to evolve because who would have thought two years ago that this is what social media would look like [now],” Haynes said.
Haynes is also expected to speak about how pop culture can be incorporated into city communications at the Government Social Media Conference, a national conference on social media for government agencies, in April.
