GSA launches social media directory

The General Services Administration has launched an online social media directory that provides links to its pages on social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.

The idea for the site, which launched Tuesday, was "to consolidate on one page all of GSA's social media opportunities," said the agency's acting director of public affairs, Greg Romano. The site provides links to the agency's Facebook, Twitter,YouTube pages and blogs, among others.

Use of social media by federal agencies is growing, and GSA is committed to expanding its openness and transparency, Romano said. "It made sense to make one location on [gsa.gov] where people could find access to the various links," he added.

The site, Romano said, will be updated continually with new links and activities, and he expects it to continue to be built out.

The agency joins others, such as the U.S. Geological Survey, Homeland Security Department and Defense Department, in launching social media directories.

When USGS launched its site early this year, it received very positive feedback. People wrote the agency and said, "This is great, there's one place to go," said Scott Horvath, a public affairs specialist at USGS.

The agency "wanted to have a location for all of our various social media presences," since the survey, a bureau of the Interior Department, is so spread out across the country, he said.

"USGS is excited about social media," Horvath added, and this site helps the agency move into a new phase of learning how it can "improve using [social media] and our customer service with the public."

Horvath said there are many people out there who claim to be USGS subject-matter experts, but this site gives an authoritative list.