The Hill has an article today about Members of Congress trying to use Facebook. I am quoted:
Brian Reich, author of Media Rules! Mastering Today’s Technology to Connect With and Keep Your Audience, sasays lawmakers must focus on building relationships with other members by using innovative ways to communicate a common cause.
“It’s about what the audience on Facebook wants and expects out of a relationship with a member of Congress,” he says. “The key to having that relationship is a combination of things: information, some kind of experience, or stuff the audience really values.”
You can read the whole article here: http://thehill.com/cover-stories/congress-friends-facebook-2008-03-10.html.
My general feeling is that Members of Congress face a pretty significant challenge in using Facebook - not because it is a difficult platform to use, but because most Members are not interested in having the kind of deep, personal relationship with their constituents that Facebook was created to foster.
It's not an age thing - there are people of all ages using Facebook. Facebook doesn't take any special knowledge of technology to operate successfully either - in fact, its a lot more user-friendly than many sites out there. Rather, it takes time, personal commitment, and a genuine interest in having a relationship with other people for Facebook to be a useful venue for you.
I fear that many Members (and politicians, and brands) see Facebook as just another way to broadcast their message or promote their agenda. They suffer from what I call "shiny object syndrome' and jump at the chance to log on because so many other people have, not realizing what makes it work and whether their consituents want to engage them there. And worse, I see Members leaving the management of the profile to young staff, figuring their personality is enough to create a following, when really the authentic participation of the Member themselves is what the audience typically wants.
In short, if Members aren't willing or able to commit the kind of personal energy and time it takes to be involved in their profile, then they should look for a medium that better suits their needs.
