THE GOVERNMENT

As social media becomes more fixed as a communications tool, there is a corresponding need for the creation of
internal—and, eventually, public—social media policies for government offices. The following guidelines can
also be used as a template for individual agencies’ social media handbooks.
It is assumed here that you already use social media, at the very least in a personal capacity.
Social media identity
Social media accounts must firmly, continuously establish that they represent a government body. Naming
conventions, coordination, and uniformity among social media assets representing government offices will add
to the credibility of each account and strengthen their online presence overall.
Naming conventions
The following recommended naming conventions will help establish that your social media account represents
a specific government body:
For Facebook: Use the name of the agency in full.
For Twitter: The username needs to be recognizable, even if the platform and its limited character count
insist on brevity. Thus, you must use the abbreviation by which the agency is most known. If the username is
unavailable, try appending “PH” to it (“PHL” is also acceptable, but “PH” is preferred). For example: @DOJPH,
@DepEd_PH, @TourismPHL.
Sub-accounts: Avoid diluting the agency’s presence in one platform—this divides the audience’s attention,
which makes it harder to establish a credible online brand. For offices under the agency that require its own
account—due to specialized content, for instance, as with the distinction between @phivolcs_dost and @dost_
pagasa—be sure to indicate the mother agency in the description line.
Descriptions or “about” pages must note that a feed is the official account of the agency on the platform, and the
most known abbreviation of the agency’s name should be indicated; eg, “This is the official Twitter account of the
Department of Education (DepEd).” For accounts with specialized content, indicate the agency or department to
which it belongs. Always provide a link to the agency website. (If the agency has a public social media policy, the
description line or “about” page is the best place to put it.)
It is recommend that your social media accounts be verified as soon as possible, as this lends an added credibility;
follow the procedures set by each social media platform.
Coordination of online assets
Social media accounts provide an opportunity to more firmly establish the agency’s corporate identity. Use the
agency logo as the account’s profile picture. For Twitter cover photos—which simply enhance the visual appeal
of the account—use either a solid color (preferably from the agency’s colors) or a photograph of the agency’s
headquarters. Facebook cover photos can be periodically used for promotion of content; however, it is advisable
to have a default cover photo, following the specifications for Twitter cover photos.
A link to the agency website must be displayed prominently on every social media account; the agency website
should likewise feature all its official social media accounts on its front page.
STYLE GUIDE FOR THE GOVERNMENT
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