Follow Marietta on Facebook, Twitter, online tools
6/9/2009
The city of Marietta is using new online tools to reach out to citizens and make it easier to keep up with what’s going on in the city. The city recently launched Facebook, Twitter and Flickr pages online as a way for the public to easily learn about city news and community events. The new tools supplement the city’s Web site, mariettaga.gov, which remains City Hall’s official online source for information about Marietta government. The City Manager’s office puts news from City Hall, community events, photos and videos online using the new tools, which are free to anyone with access to a computer and the Internet. Facebook is an online social networking service that lets you connect with friends, family and organizations that share similar interests or common backgrounds. When you create a profile, which acts as an online journal, you can electronically communicate with friends who visit your Facebook page. Twitter is a free service that helps people stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent online messages. “Our goal in using the new social media is to make it easier for the public to get information about their city government and to attract new audiences for Marietta’s information and services,” city spokesman Matthew Daily said. “By placing news from City Hall in electronic places where people are already interacting, they don’t have to search for city news or fun things to do because it’s automatically appearing on their Facebook and Twitter pages.” Marietta began sending news to subscribers by e-mail in 2005, and the city has expanded that service in recent months. Now you can log on to the city’s Web site and pick from more than 40 topics that interest you, and the city will send an e-mail when new information you want is available. Popular topics include news releases, concerts on the Square, job listings and festivals. “Several thousand subscribers receive our e-mail newsletter every Friday,” Daily said. “It’s a quick, easy way to have news about the city and events delivered straight to your inbox.” Marietta also puts videos of City Council meetings and special programs on its Web site and has an online photo gallery of community events on the photo-sharing site Flickr. Pictures the city shared online of Marietta’s 175th birthday concert were viewed almost 3,000 times in the first three days. In its first month since Marietta began using Facebook and Twitter, more than 400 people have logged on to follow news from City Hall. “The public’s response has shown us they want information from the city, and that they will subscribe if it’s easy for them to receive,” Daily said. To receive news from City Hall by e-mail, text message or through Facebook, Twitter or Flickr, visit the city’s Web site at mariettaga.gov and look for the icons on the left side of the page. For more information, call the City Manager’s Office at 770-794-5507. Facebook and Twitter
Updates by e-mail and cell phone
Photos and videos
