Social Media and communication strategies in public institutions in Romania

Abstract

This paper analyses the use of social media in local public administrations in Romania. By performing a content analysis of official Facebook pages of five local public administrations, the study explores the degree of potential interaction between public administrations and citizens and the general quality of administrative communication. Results show that the quality and the degree of potential interaction vary significantly between local public administrations. Although the official accounts observe an active posting pattern, there is considerable room for improvement in terms of inclusivity, quality, and quantity of content. Moreover, a two-way communication is not yet present in all of the analyzed local public administrations. The paper suggests some relevant implications for improving the quality of communication and interaction between public administrations and citizens, such as improving the amount of interaction, equipping officials with digital communication skills, and pushing administrators to understand citizens’ needs and provide interactive responses.