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US State Bureau spends €485,000 for Facebook 'likes'

The IIP is described as a Bureau that "designs, develops, and implements a variety of information...
Newstalk
Newstalk

17.10 3 Jul 2013


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US State Bureau spends €485,00...

US State Bureau spends €485,000 for Facebook 'likes'

Newstalk
Newstalk

17.10 3 Jul 2013


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The IIP is described as a Bureau that "designs, develops, and implements a variety of information initiatives and strategic communications programs, including Internet and print publications, traveling and electronically transmitted speaker programs, and information resource services". The $630,000 was mostly spent on two campaigns to secure one-off likes for photos and advertisements.

The Bureau increased its 'likes' from 100,000 to over 2 million between 2011 and March 2013 as a result of the campaigns. However, as reported by the Washington Examiner, the campaign failed to show a long-term increase in the Bureau's social networking popularity, with only 2% of 'fans' actively engaging with the page on more than one occasion.

The campaign also failed to reach the Bureau's target older audience, with the report stating "the absence of a Department wide PD [public diplomacy] strategy tying resources to priorities directly affects IIP's work". It also flags significant Facebook 'overlap' between different departments and a lack of a coherent social network strategy for the State Department as a whole.

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In Ireland, there has been controversy over the €569,957 being spent on a redesign of the social welfare website. Willie O'Dea has said "hand on heart, I have yet to meet a person claiming social welfare that has used the website. Nobody I have ever spoken to has used the site... the money should be going direct to them who are out there trying to survive rather than wasting money upgrading a website".


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