Increasing interest and engagement in safety and security organisations’ YouTube content
Multanen, Ville (2019)
Multanen, Ville
2019
All rights reserved. This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201905077999
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201905077999
Tiivistelmä
YouTube, government, public safety, security, engagement, strategic communication This research explores the methods government public safety and security organisations’ can use to enhance the engagement of their YouTube audiences and boost their view counts, by utilising insights and best practises used by commercial entities. The relationship between societies’ strategic communications and their agencies’ social media content, namely YouTube videos, is also studied, as well as related security and public safety challenges faced by societies. A relevant conclusion is drawn from findings based on literature and references presented in the study. The research question is: How can the viewer engagement of public safety and security organisations’ YouTube channels be improved by incorporating methods used by commercial entities to influence consumer engagement? As an accessible and global medium YouTube is being used by several regional, national and international public safety and security organisations to reach citizens. The messages conveyed by government YouTube videos, as well as their other social media content, ultimately become part of the body of their strategic communications. In comparison, all commercially generated, published content become part of the firm’s brand in a very similar manner. Democratic societies are being targeted by destabilising and malicious messages from both outside and within, often conveyed through social media. While these messages can never be fully blocked, it is important to have government presence in social media, as it enhances resilience and citizen engagement. The research concludes that understanding the medium, or platform, including its users, culture and the contextual environment is paramount for successful YouTube operations.