The graphic posted below shows post reach. The diagram spans from August of 2011, to March of 2014. The large spike in February of 2014 was during the snow storm. The numbers from that week, blew all the other stats on the page from years past out of the water.
Before the storm arrived, we created the cover photo posted below and used it on our page all during the storm. When someone visits the page, the cover photo is the first thing that their eyes go to. Having this important information as the first thing people saw on the page was crucial in making sure everyone knew who to call and why to call them.
The week after the storm had passed; the cover photo was changed to the image below. It was a nice way to wrap up the snow event on Facebook, and let everyone know that the city appreciated their engagement.
Before, during and after the winter storm, the Office of Communications posted 17 different news releases on Facebook about the weather. The image posted below focused on road conditions, and provided an update on what crews were doing across the city. Staff continued to provide updates on Facebook about road conditions until every street was cleared.
Other postings dealt with weather alerts, current conditions, and closings and delays.
As mentioned, hundreds of photos were submitted to the “City of Roanoke, Virginia – Communications” Facebook page. The photo posted below created by far the most engagement. More than 200,000 people saw that post alone. Unprecedented numbers for a municipality Facebook page. The photo below and others that were posted helped the city reach users far beyond its borders.
Another important part of the winter storm was almost instant interaction with residents. The image below shows one of many conversations on the city’s Facebook page during and after the storm.
At 8:16 p.m. on February 14, a citizen asked a question. Two minutes later, they received a response from a member of the Office of Communications. That is a prime example of how vital social media can be during a crisis. A citizen asked the city a question and immediately got a response. It didn’t matter that it was after 8:00 at night.
Other messages were posted privately on the page. The image below shows a question from a city resident about snow removal. While the resident was frustrated, The Office of Communications immediately responded to his concerns and explained the snow removal process in a calm fashion.
The messages posted above are just a couple of many that came into the Facebook page with an almost instant response back the citizens.