For years, the City of Weston has maintained a strong social media presence with two Twitter accounts (one for community news and the other for emergency alerts) and its own YouTube channel, as well as a Nextdoor account. Now it has expanded its social media presence to include Facebook and Instagram.
Director of Communications Denise Barrett-Miller says the addition of Facebook and Instagram was a natural progression. “Social media is where so many people go today to get their news and information about community events and happenings, and we need to be where people are looking for information. Facebook has approximately 69% of the social media market users in the United States and you can’t ignore those numbers.”
Additionally, Barrett-Miller says by having its own Facebook page, the City of Weston can provide a fact-based resource for information on the City, projects and events and dispel any disinformation. This is particularly important because there have been fake Weston Facebook pages in the past.
“When we first started putting our page together, before our launch, there were several imposter sites we had taken down that were using our name improperly and using the city seal,” shares Barrett-Miller. “This process took some time as we had to work through official channels at Facebook.”
She now stresses that residents should look for the official Facebook verification seal of approval to ensure they are on the City’s official Facebook page. She also recommends residents select the “See First” option in the News Feed.
“It’s a way to make sure social users see our posts every time they go to their feed page,” explains Barrett-Miller. “If someone is following say 100 different pages, this makes sure that our page always gets seen each day first.”
With all of the important news and events posted on Facebook, this is the perfect way to stay informed on what’s happening in your hometown. According to Barrett-Miller, “We have great information on City programs and events that occur year-round, along with healthy living tips, bike and pedestrian safety information, and numerous ways to improve your quality of life and keep you informed about what’s happening within Weston.”
Recently, the City of Weston has been using Facebook to educate residents about Census 2020. City leaders say it’s imperative that everyone is counted to ensure Weston gets its fair share of the $1.5 trillion in federal funding allocated based on census data.
In addition to the Facebook page, the City’s new Instagram page features a selection of images from community events as well as important notices.
Barrett-Miller points out, “Facebook and Instagram are a huge compliment to what we have been doing and really give us a greater reach to more people and to more age groups.”
You can follow the City of Weston on Facebook and Instagram @cityofwestonfl. There are links to all of Weston’s social media platforms on the bottom righthand corner of its webpage at www.westonfl.org.
