Spokespersons are exploring ways to increase public trust in local government agencies through social media
Heads and employees of the press service of regional akimats of Kazakhstan got acquainted with the best practice of using social networks in the public sector and digital methods of communicating with the public. The Astana Civil Service Hub jointly with the Ministry of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan held a seminar "Social networks - an effective platform connecting government agencies and the public".
The Internet and social networks have now entered all spheres of modern human life, including the country. During the seminar, Bekzat Rahimov, Director of the State and Public Communication Development Department of the State and Public Communication Development Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan, noted that the role of social networks in the information space of Kazakhstan is growing significantly. He said that according to the results of the media consumption research conducted by "Internews-Kazakhstan", the share of traditional sources of information such as television, press, radio and even simple websites has decreased compared to 2019 and 2021. Moreover, representative of the ministry pointed out that the share of social networks and messengers has not decreased, and even slightly increased. According to the research data, the level of public trust in official sources of information has halved during this period and reached 4.5%.
Georgian experts Ani Sirbiladze and Irakli Gvinianidze reported on the digital trends in the world and in the region on the promotion of state bodies on social media. Also, they focused on the role of social networks during state crises and presented the best practices in the world. The speakers noted the activity and openness of the seminar participants.
During the event, the press secretaries shared their experiences in the field of interaction with the public on digital platforms and shared their thoughts on criticism. They were particularly interested in modern methods of increasing public confidence. The participants analyzed various cases and discussed ways of using content types and establishing digital communication in order to establish effective communication with the public. They analyzed different channels, user behavioral responses, and strategic planning issues in social networks.
In the hands-on part of the workshop, participants also learned how to create visual effects and video content to engage the audience and increase their engagement.
This seminar is a continuation of the series of communication training seminars for press service employees of state bodies, organized by the Astana Civil Service Hub in cooperation with the Ministry of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Currently, within the framework of the training program, press secretaries of the central government are also studying. They said that the seminars emphasize the application of knowledge, and after the previous seminars, they learned new applications for social networks, created video content and started using modern tools to work with a larger audience, including, for example, TikTok, Telegram-channels. Video is available here.
A total of 35 press service leaders are getting new knowledge and improving their skills in the field of digital communication.
