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Social Media Awards and Program Recognition

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Social Media Awards and Program Recognition

Michigan.gov social media promo graphic featuring agency logos with the SOM social branding applied.

Michigan.gov Social Media

Michigan government has embraced the use of social media since 2011. As an extension to traditional channels of constituent engagement the state uses technologies such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, video live streaming, audio podcasts and more to create a more accessible and participatory government. The State of Michigan's executive branch social media program supports over 900 social media accounts on 13 platforms reaching over 11.6 million followers. Having been awarded an “A” rating for social media strategy by StateTech, the State of Michigan prides itself on enhancing transparency, communication, customer service, collaboration and information exchange among the state and the public through the use of social media. Additional information on the state’s use of social media can be viewed below.

"Since 2016, the State of Michigan's social media program has been leading the nation in its use of social media to expand transitional channels of constituent outreach," stated Andrew Belanger, statewide social media director and digital content administrator. "Our award-winning policies, best practices, and staff have been recognized locally, regionally and nationally for their work. Review some social media program and staff recognitions over the last few years below.

Program Accomplishments

  • The SOM social media program finished the year with over 11.6 million combined likes/followers/subscribers.  The increase of over 2,781,500 likes/followers/subscribers can be attributed to the SOM social media program’s adoption and use of Nextdoor, Bluesky, and the team’s proactive community engagement practices.

    Top 10 social accomplishments in no particular order:

    1. The SOM was awarded an A rating as part of the Digital States Survey for the eighth consecutive year. This included the state’s use of social media to expanded constituent outreach. 
    2. Michigan placed fourth in the nation for overall state government experience across digital properties by the Center for Digital Government. A large part of this recognition centered around that state's use of social media.
    3. The DNR’s DNR Wildtalk Podcast  was named best podcast in the Government Social Media’s 2024 Golden Post Awards. Additionally, several SOM teams topped the 100 list from FeedSpot's 2024 Best Michigan Podcasts; #7 - Talking Michigan Transportation; #21 - The Michigan Opportunity; #51 - Tune In with Michigan's Public Safety Communications System; #61 - The Michigan DNR's Wildtalk Podcast; and #142 - Travel Michigan; The Treasury Talk podcast came in at #4 on the 10 Best Treasury Podcasts and Tune in with Michigan's Public Safety Communications System came in at #10 on the 30 Best Public Safety Podcasts.
    4. The Executive Office of the Governor (EOG) digital team was awarded a 2024 Webby Award. Their Governor Barbie campaign earned a social, public service and activism category award and an honorable mention in the advertising, media and PR, best viral PR campaign category.
    5. Several SOM teams were recognized in the 2024 Central Michigan Public Relations Society of America PACE Awards; EGLE and Güd Marketing were awarded a public service campaign achievement award for their, Know It Before You Throw It, recycling campaign; the MDHHS, the Franny Strong Foundation and Martin Waymire were awarded a social media marketing campaign pinnacle award for their I Vaccinate Campaign; the LEO and Güd Marketing were awarded an annual reports tactics pinnacle award for their MISTEM Annual Report; LEO and Güd Marketing were awarded a featured stories tactics excellence award for their Building Tomorrow’s Workforce submission; the Statewide Drinking Water Advisory Council & Güd Marketing were awarded a special purpose publications tactics pinnacle award for their Know Your Water Partner Toolkit; and Treasury’s Michigan Education Trust team and Güd Marketing were awarded a marketing consumer products and services campaign excellence award for their, Choose Your Own Adventure Campaign.
    6. The Michigan Gaming Control Board's “Don’t Regret the Bet” campaign was recognized as a finalist in the Shorty Awards as an integrated marketing, social good campaign.
    7. EGLE won a national music video contest promoting radon testing and awareness.
    8. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)  was honored with six Excellence Awards, highlighting MEDC’s work in attracting talent, forging strong partnerships and establishing Michigan as a leader in mobility, technology, and clean energy by the International Economic Development Council.
    9. The Social Media Strategies Summit featured the DNR in their, 20 Ways Government Agencies Can Increase Their Engagement on Social Media, and MEDC in the 10 of the Best Government Agency LinkedIn Pages blog posts.
    10. Stephanie Yancer from the DNR and Lisa Gass from the MDOC were recognized for their work supporting national efforts under the Government Social Media Association. Andrew Belanger from DTMB was also recognized for his work for serving as president of the Membership Council.

  • The SOM social media program finished the year with over 8,8 million combined likes/followers/subscribers. In 2023, the state ended its use of Snapchat and adopted Threads as an approved platform. Representing Michigan on the national stage, several staff members presented at regional and national conferences, including the Government Social Media Conference and Government Social Media Strategies Summit.

    Top 10 social accomplishments in no particular order:

    1. The SOM social media program was featured in the Council of State Governments’ Capitol Ideas Magazine.
    2. Michigan was recognized as a finalist for overall state government experience across digital properties by the Center for Digital Government.
    3. The MDOC was a finalist in the Best Social Media in Customer Service award category in the Government Social Media’s 2023 Golden Post Awards.
    4. The DNR was mentioned in a Government Social Media blog post, Using humor in government social media: 5 tips to dip your toes in safely, and the team was featured in an article, From 'Cocaine Bear' to Dungeons & Dragons, Michigan DNR turns to humor, by Bridge Michigan. They also had a Michigan State Parks Photo Ambassadors programme: A case study published in the Journal of Digital & Social Media Marketing Volume 11 Number 2.
    5. The Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division received a Telly Award for their “We Are” video, which utilizes real employees - technicians, scientists, examiners and support staff – narrating how they provide the best customer service experience with each interaction.
    6. The MGCB’s  “Don’t Regret the Bet” campaign was recognized with three platinum-level awards— including a Platinum MarCom Award in October, a Platinum dotCOMM Award in September, and a Platinum Viddy Award in August — which produced impressive results in its first year, surpassing industry standards and achieving significant added value for the board.
    7. Several SOM teams were recognized in the 2023 Central Michigan Public Relations Society of America (CMPRSA) PACE Awards; LEO earned a campaign pinnacle award for their entry, MI Tri-Share: Affordable Child Care for Michigan Families, in the integrated communications award category; LEO earned a campaign pinnacle and best of show award for their Michigan Reconnect marketing entry in the consumer products and services award category; the EGLE received a campaign pinnacle award for their “know it before you throw it” recycling campaign in the public service award category; the Michigan Education Trust earned a campaign pinnacle award for their Michigan Education Trust $1.5 million giveaway entry in the special events award category; MDHHS received a pinnacle and people’s choice award for the I Vaccinate campaign in the social marketing award category; MDHHS earned a tactic pinnacle award for Michigan tackles dramatic rise in problem gambling in the featured stories award category; EGLE earned a tactic excellence award for their recycling and romance blooms in metro Detroit in the featured stories award category; MDHHS received a tactic pinnacle award for the I Vaccinate partner e-newsletter in the newsletters award category; EGLE received a tactic excellence award for Recycling Racoons’ quarterly newsletter in the newsletter award category; the Statewide Drinking Water Advisory Council received a tactic pinnacle award for their know your water research entry in the research award category; and the MDHHS received a tactic pinnacle award for sharing real family stories through social media in the social mediums award category.
    8. The Michigan Apple Committee a commodity organization under MDARD was featured in an article by The Produce News about ramping up their social media efforts.
    9. Several SOM podcasts landed on FeedSpot's list of the 45 best Michigan podcasts worth listening to. #8 - The DNR’s WildTalk podcast; #13 - The MEDC’s Michigan Opportunity podcast; #14 – MDOT’s Talking Transportation podcast; #16 - MEDC’s Pure Michigan / Travel Michigan podcast.
    10. Internally the team expanded SOM training resources and aligned communities of staff by realigning collaboration sites. The move allowed the SOM social media program to streamline communications with other communications and marketing staff.

  • The SOM social media program finished the year with over 8,050,000 likes/followers/subscribers, this marked an increase of over 789,840 likes/followers/subscribers from 2021. In 2022, the SOM adopted an expanded social media exception process, and a few teams joined TikTok.

    Top social accomplishments in no particular order:

    1. Andrew Belanger, statewide social media director and digital content administrator with DTMB was elected to a two year term as Northeast Region Council Representative supporting the Government Social Media Association Membership Council. Serving members in CT, DE, D.C., KY, IN, ME, MD, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, VA, WV, in this role Andrew helped elevated #SocialGov and the work of the SOM with government communicators across the U.S.
    2. The SOM celebrated the 10th Social Media Day in Michigan, acknowledging the impact of social media and the role it plays in our daily lives and global communications.
    3. The SOM launched standardized social media feeds across websites as part of a larger website modernization and branding project.
    4. The SOM social media program’s unified branding project was recognized in the 2022 Granicus Digital Government Awards program. The SOM was named a finalist in the Digital Government Experience category for our efforts to align social media branding with websites and applications.
    5. MDOT was a finalist in the Best Social Media in Customer Service award category and the DNR’s Michigan State Parks Instagram account was a finalist for the Best Instagram Presence in the Government Social Media’s 2022 Golden Post Awards.
    6. The SOM was awarded an A rating as part of the Digital States Survey.
    7. LEO and MEDC teams on being mentioned in the LinkedIn Economic Development Newsletter: January 2022 and for being featured in a LinkedIn blog post, How the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Uses LinkedIn to Bring Business to Michigan.
    8. The SOM partnered with the META Facebook Politics & Government Outreach team on a customized virtual training for staff.
    9. Several SOM teams were recognized in the 2022 Central Michigan Public Relations Society of America (CMPRSA) PACE Awards. LEO earned a campaign Pinnacle Award for their Michigan Reconnect campaign in the marketing consumer products and services award category; The Protect Michigan Commission earned a campaign Pinnacle Award for the MI Shot To Win Sweepstakes in the special events award category; Treasury’s MiABLE team earned a campaign Excellence Award for their MiABLE webinars in the social marketing campaign category; MDHHS was awarded several awards for their work on the I Vaccinate campaign, including: a campaign Pinnacle/Best of Show award for the social marketing campaign category; a tactic Pinnacle Award for sharing Real Family Stories through Social Media in the social mediums award category and a tactic Excellence Award for the IVaccinate.org redesign in the website category; Treasury’s Michigan Education Trust team earned a Pinnacle Award for their Choose Your Own Adventure campaign research in the research category.

Frequently Used Hashtags

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Social Media Community Guidelines

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Social Media Day in Michigan

Join us in celebrating Social Media Day on June 30.

Social Media Policy

View policy resources for the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government.