Hello World, Meet the United States

Federal agencies are all over the social media craze, using Twitter, Facebook and other tools to connect with the American public. But what if an agency has a different audience? Do the same strategies apply?

Greg Ferenstein over at Mashable wrote yesterday about the State Department's use of social media to engage the global public. Sure, Americans are part of State's audience, but unlike most agencies, State also addresses the interests of people worldwide. And with a broad mission of diplomacy, or turning "conflict into conversation," the department has a lot to gain in using these tools.

Ferenstein says that social media can be used to educate, disseminate correct information and make American culture fun for others. For example, the embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia gets between 700 and 1000 comments per Facebook post, many of which are about jazz or tourism or other topics people find interesting. And news organizations cite Dipnote, State's blog, on department policies and procedures.

The key, as Ferenstein points out, is that social media allows State not just to talk, but to listen. Just like agencies facing the American public, State can use these tools for conversation, which is even more powerful given the department's reach into areas of the world that may lack this opportunity.