Effective Social Media Engagement Options for Minnesota’s Diversifying Population

Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and Minnesota Local Road Research Board (LRRB) supported the University of Minnesota to investigate social media options for effective public engagement. A three-part approach assessed 1) the state of social media use through a literature review, 2) the status of social media use and interest in its use for transportation in Minnesota compared to national data, and 3) actual and perceived effectiveness of social media in two pairs of case studies in Minnesota. In sum, results reveal social media is effective as a strategic and select part of engagement plans and can likely effectively engage select groups. Survey results revealed 11-21% of respondents participated in planning for transportation programs, policies or projects in the last 12 months, 72% use social media of some sort, and 36% expressed interest in using social media to get information, provide feedback or make suggestions related to transportation. Finally, social media analytics and interviews related to four case studies revealed social media does indeed lead transportation projects to make more connections with stakeholders, but the quality and effectiveness of those connections vary. Four main opportunities include: 1) integrating social media into multi-pronged, dynamic engagement approaches, 2) considering the demographic qualities of the key stakeholders to determine how social media can be most useful, 3) employing best practices for social media engagement, and 4) expanding and/ or developing research and evaluation plans to understand and assess future social media engagement efforts

• Record URL:
  • https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14153/mndot.3137
• 
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/35403
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Minnesota, St. Paul

  Department of Forest Resources
  1530 Cleveland Avenue North
  St. Paul, MN  United States  55155

  Minnesota Department of Transportation

  Minnesota Local Road Research Board
  Research Services & Library, 395 John Ireland Boulevard, MS 330
  St. Paul, MN  United States  55155-1899
• Authors:
  • Schneider, I E
  • Quick, K
  • Peck, M
  • Pflughoeft, B
• Publication Date: 2018-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 172p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Best practices; Demographics; Public participation; Social media; Transportation planning
• Geographic Terms: Minnesota
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Planning and Forecasting; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01667131
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MN/RC 2018-08, CTS #2017011
• Contract Numbers: (C) 99008 (wo) 234
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 25 2018 11:14AM