Use Facebook at Work!? Facebook as a strategic communication channel in four Swedish municipalities

Abstract

Social Media has transformed strategic communication and the way organizations communicate. The opportunities Facebook can provide are many and today almost 90 % of Swedish municipalities use Facebook. However, in most municipalities the opportunities are not fully taken advantage of and resources allocated to using the communication channel are to an extent discarded. In order to examine how municipalities can improve their Facebook usage, this study aimed to identify the influencing factors for successfully using the communication channel. Therefore, the study examined reasons to why some municipalities were more successful in using Facebook as a strategic communication channel. In order to examine this, theories in strategic communication, Technology Acceptance Model and Foundational Positions Model were applied. Four Swedish municipalities were chosen for analysis in order to compare more and less successful cases. Qualitative content analysis was conducted on interviews with the administrators of the municipalities' Facebook account and the municipalities' Social Media Policies. The study concluded that the municipal administrator's acceptance and engagement of the communication channel explained the level of success. In addition, a comprehensive social media policy, including clear guidelines and goal-setting, was required in order to take advantage of the opportunities Facebook can provide. Awareness of the target group and time spent on Facebook was also proved to be an influencing factor regarding the level of success.