This report looks at how local authorities can use social media to achieve more for less.

Key findings:

• Social media allow far more people to contribute to solving a problem, which means potentially far greater efficiency overall.
• There are examples of councils using social media to: inform citizens, report problems, enhance democracy, campaign, build communities, deliver services, and collaborate.
• In the future, councils might use social media to deliver priorities including recruitment, reaching new audiences, petitions, and PR. 
• There are many barriers to engagement however, both cultural and practical.

Nesta and IDeA have produced this pamphlet to demonstrate how developments in social media might affect, and be used in, the work of local government. It illustrates some of the amazing possibilities and highlights some of the risks to councils if they ignore these technological advances and the people using them.

Author:
Andy Gibson