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Social media and crisis communication : how can social media create effective communication of the Dutch government to the citizenry during crisis?

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Social media and crisis communication : how can social media create effective communication of the Dutch government to the citizenry during crisis?

Rechten: Alle rechten voorbehouden

Samenvatting

The past few years Internet has become an important medium in modern society. The use of Internet as a mass medium has resulted in the development of new online media. The feature all these new online media have in common is interactivity. The new web based applications allow citizens to create and share information, to participate in discussions and to talk online. These online media are called social media. Social media are often used in the marketing communication strategy of organisations on the consumer market. However, governments can also not stay behind to this latest trend. Moreover, during crises social media are excellent tools to listen to the needs and opinions of the citizenry and to answer directly to its questions. Therefore, this dissertation focuses on the following question: How can social media create effective communication of the Dutch government to the citizenry during crises?
The first chapter focuses on the essence of social media. Lately, new social media tools have been created. They all have their own features, however, they share the elements openness, connectedness, conversation, sharing information, communities and interaction. There is no doubt that in the future new variations of the existing tools will be created and that social media will not disappear from the society.
It is difficult to give a definition of a typical social media user, because there are not specific characteristics for this large group. Often is looked at the motivations people have to use social media. But it can be said that there are existing different types of social media users. This can be determined when looked at the different activities the social media users practice on the Internet.
Chapter three explains what impact social media can have on crisis communication, especially for governments. Social media can be excellent communication tools in times of crises; information is spread quickly and a large audience can be reached at once. In addition, governments can listen to the needs of citizens and victims and react on it. However, the disadvantage of social media in times of crises is that rumours are easily spread. During the past crises in the Netherlands, the government has merely made use of social media in its crisis communication to the citizenry. It could have used more new online media to directly reach the audience. New online instruments the government could have used are web care teams, social networks, and text, voice, e-mail and phone messages.


The results of the questionnaire reveal interesting information in chapter four. Although 97% of the questioned people make use of social media, only a very small majority is in the opinion that the government should make more use of social media in times when crises strike or major disasters happen.
Finally, it is recommended to the government to listen to the needs and opinions of the citizenry, to directly react on its questions and to correct false information during crises. Understanding the citizens needs and reassure them when crises strike or major events happen is very important in governmental crisis communication. In order to achieve this, the new direction for the government is interactivity. New social media instruments the government could integrate in its crisis communication are a web care team, online networks and information distribution by mobile text messaging.

Toon meer
OrganisatieDe Haagse Hogeschool
OpleidingESC Europese Studies / European Studies
AfdelingAcademie voor European Studies & Communication
Jaar2010
TypeBachelor
TaalEngels

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