Social Networking Lessons from the 'Biggest Little City'

Reno, Nev., calls itself the "The Biggest Little City In The World," but although it has a population that's just a fraction of another Nevada casino destination, Las Vegas, it has about four times as many fans on Facebook.

What can the federal government learn from Reno's success? According to Kristy Fifelski, the city's Web services manager, a sense of humor is key to popularity. "Having a sense of humor is missing in government these days," Fifelski said in an interview. "We know our community pretty well and it just works for them. There's a time and place for everything."

For example, when Reno printed welcome mats with a typo ("The Biggest Little City in the Word"), Fifelski posted a photo on its social networking sites with the caption, "busted."

Customizing sites also is important, Fifelski said. Reno personalized its Facebook page by using a well-known landmark as a profile picture, rather than the city seal. Site administrators use a "personal style of writing that connects with our citizens," Fifelski added. The city gets a lot of fan interaction and officials make sure to monitor that and follow up using a system that logs all complaints or requests.

Finally, Reno's social networking sites are heavily integrated. Facebook browsers will find tabs for Reno's Twitter and Flickr pages, for instance.