Dear friends,

I bravely entered the world of social media recently and it has already been a rewarding experience.  

We launched a Director’s Blog (http://hcjfs.wordpress.com/) on Feb. 11 and – I still cannot believe this – it has already received more than 1,000 page views! I find it hard to believe that many people care to know what we are doing.  

But I do believe in communication, especially at a time when we are becoming the center of a community-wide effort to assist people who have fallen on hard times because of this difficult economy. Nearly 55,000 people a month are coming into our lobby for help. It is more important than ever that we keep the communication lines open and be as helpful as possible.  

I also feel communication holds us accountable. The more open and transparent we are about our actions, the more accountable we are to the public.  

This is not our first experience with social media. We also have the following:  

• Live, online chats on agency topics that sometimes draw more than two dozen participants and more than 100 page views.
• Audio podcasts (http://www.hcjfs.hamilton-co.org/Video/podcastplayer.htm) that draw about 500 listens a month.
• A YouTube page (www.youtube.com/hcjfs) that has various videos on agency topics and services. More than 3,300 views so far.
• A monthly online newspaper (http://www.hcjfs.hamilton-co.org/Update_Newsletter/UpdateHome.htm) with nearly 650 subscribers.
• A RSS-feed (http://www.hcjfs.hamilton-co.org/rss.htm) that notifies clients and others of agency news. More than 1,500 views each month.
• A Twitter account (@HamiltonCoJFS on www.twitter.com) to provide updates on agency news. More than 100 people are currently following agency updates.
• A Facebook fan page that provides regular agency updates. More than two dozen people have signed on as “friends” of the agency. We also have a Facebook group of more than 60 people. You can sign up for the fan page or group by putting "Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services" in the Search on www.Facebook.com.

I am proud of our efforts to reach out to the community. It is a goal I set when I became director. We see social media as a low-cost way to communicate with and serve strategic audiences -- customers, the social service community, taxpayers, researchers/grant-writers/students, and others with an interest in Hamilton County’s Department of Job and Family Services. Increased communication serves the clients’ needs and HCJFS’ needs. 

Social media is hip, savvy and a great way to create a buzz. We’re happy to embrace it.

Sincerely,

Moira