Last month Maybe* took a deep dive into the UK’s councils to see who’s not only keeping their residents in the loop, but which council is truly engaging its audience the best. We recently profiled Doncaster Council’s refreshingly entertaining approach to Twitter and discovered they keep it human and entertaining even when dealing with life’s drier and more uncomfortable topics. This month, we revisit the top 10 to see who’s moving and shaking their way to the top of the leaderboard. What do you think they get right, and what can you learn? Let’s find out.
How UK councils are winning on social media in July
by Amy RountreeLeaderboard Table
| Organisation | Followers | Posts on social channels | Engagements on posts | Average posts per day | Average engagement on each post | Average engagements per day. Includes likes, retweets and comments. | Best performing posts |
| Glasgow | 247.1K | 81 | 23.5K | 3.86 | 289.78 | 1117.71 | View |
| Wigan Metropolitan Borough | 79K | 132 | 22.5K | 6.29 | 170.24 | 1070.10 | View |
| Comhairle nan Eilean Siar | 16.6K | 138 | 22K | 6.57 | 159.38 | 1047.38 | View |
| Liverpool | 8.9K | 264 | 19.9K | 12.57 | 75.52 | 949.43 | View |
| Leicester | Still fetching data | 105 | 14.8K | 5.00 | 141.30 | 706.48 | View |
| Rochdale Metropolitan Borough | Still fetching data | 319 | 9.8K | 15.19 | 30.70 | 466.33 | View |
| Kirklees | 60.5K | 163 | 9.6K | 7.76 | 59.11 | 458.81 | View |
| Watford Borough | 26K | 100 | 9.5K | 4.76 | 94.66 | 450.76 | View |
| Isle of Anglesey County | 19.3K | 140 | 9K | 6.67 | 64.29 | 428.62 | View |
| Plymouth | 31.5K | 91 | 8.5K | 4.33 | 93.08 | 403.33 | View |
Glasgow fires up residents with unpopular decisions
Not all engagement is a sign of a happy and content population as Glasgow Council has found out. The reintroduction of parking charges in the city centre has caused something of a social storm. But how well has the council handled the delivery of contentious information, and its residents' feedback?
First up the post is informative. It introduces the measures in a simple, easy to digest format, with the use of appropriate emojis to bullet each point. In addition, it provides relevant web links where residents can apply for permits and find out more information.
The post prompted angry and sad reactions as well as 1.5K shares, and over 750 comments. While an unpopular opinion, the council is rolling up its sleeves and fielding questions. The council is actively responding to requests for further information and answering questions to reassure residents and doing so as fast as they can, keeping responses personal, informative and factual.
Finding your own best performing post
To find your own best performing post, use the Maybe* Report Builder tool. Our report builder is packed full of insights. If you want to see your results quickly and concisely, the report builder comprises all your social media metrics and your key business data all in one place.
To find the best performing post you just need to select your date range and add the best performing post filter from the left hand menu. You can also add other Maybe* insights such as a See what works report so you can see how much you’ve posted and on what days the spikes in engagement occur.
What do Councils’ best performing posts have in common?
Second in our Top 10 is Wigan who do a great job of getting out in front of the rumour mill. As reports circled that Wigan may be at risk of entering a second lockdown, the council firmly refuted these claims. They made the wise move of asking residents to share the official post, and emphasised the danger of circling misleading and factually incorrect information.
This approach demonstrates the council understands if they want to get a message out, asking residents to share the information across social media will help them get the job done faster. With over 1,000 comments, 2,000 reactions, and 7,000 shares the post definitely reached more people.
How to replicate this technique
If you want to see what councils’ best performing posts all have in common, or what techniques are working, explore the Maybe* Report builder. You can get under the skin of what’s making your own residents tick, or what’s working for other local councils, all facing similar challenges to you. By identifying what the best posts have in common, you can improve your own content and increase engagement.
Key takeaway
Councils have a tough task keeping residents up to date with accurate and sometimes unpopular information. Keeping it simple, clear and factual is the best way forward. Inviting residents to help spread a message, and being prepared to bite the bullet and field further feedback are two ways in which councils can maintain healthy two-way communication while serving the community.
Learn more
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