NCJ Number
250837
Date Published
2011
Length
1 page
Annotation
Arguing that a law enforcement agency's use of social media for engagement with the community requires the use of agency personnel resources and therefore must be subjected to cost-effectiveness analysis, this fact sheet guides agency managers in how to measure the success of an agency's use of social media.
Abstract
It is important that an agency's measurement of the effectiveness of a social media presence be considered at the planning stages, so that performance measures and data-collection procedures needed for proper evaluation are incorporated into program operations. In the planning process, the agency should set clear and concise goals for the agency's social media presence. These goals should mesh with the agency's broader public safety goals. Following goal-setting for the social media presence, it must be determined what data and data collection procedures will be used to determine whether goals are being met. Tools needed and best suited for collecting, storing, and analyzing the performance data should also be identified. Another factor to be determined at the planning stage is the baseline status of the agency's performance prior to the beginning of the social media presence. This will enable the identification of any changes in agency performance due to the implementation of the social media presence. Also to be decided at the planning stage is the frequency of data collection and analysis to determine performance. The fact sheet concludes with brief profiles of existing tools for measuring the impact of a social media presence.