Welcome to the Social Media for Government Conference Blog!!

As the Internet continues to mature from a vast encyclopedia of information into a tool for connecting people to one another via applications like blogs, Facebook, MySpace, and del.icio.us, employees are expecting that these same features are available in their personal and professional lives. The flexible, transparent nature of these tools enables anyone to communicate and collaborate with others regardless of physical, cultural, or political barriers. How can government keep up?

The age of social media has arrived whether we like it or not!

Social Media, also known as Web 2.0, has created a new way of communicating. Today’s organizations must embrace the new forms of communicating, including blogs, wikis, podcasts, vodcasts, widgets, and social bookmarking to stay competitive and maximize efficiency in decision-making efforts faced everyday. It is your responsibility, as a government communications leader, to inspire and educate your agency in the latest tools and trends that encompass the newest world of communications: Social Media.

How Will the Social Media for Government Conference Help You And Your Organization?

This conference will help you understand how to utilize these social media tools with your employees, the citizens you serve, and other stakeholders and customers – don’t be left behind!

At this conference, you will hear proven strategies and practical experience, from leading organizations and practitioners, on how to use social media tools to change the way your organization communicates, collaborates, and shares information. Learn how the:

• Central Intelligence Agency implemented social software to make more accurate and timely judgments
• National Institutes of Health has transformed traditional media into new forms of communication
• U.S. Department of Defense combines new media with technology opportunities to enhance their public information goals
• City of Chesapeake, Virginia, is taking a step-by-step process to continually engage and motivate their employees to use social media tools

Register today online or call the conference hotline at 888-362-7400 to attend A.L.I.’s conference on “Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees And Citizens By Using Blogging, Podcasting and The Latest Social Media Technologies To Drive Communication Results,” this July in Washington, DC. This is your opportunity to hear from communicators who are already using social media to change the way their organization operates.

I’m looking forward to seeing you at this information-packed event.