PSG Number: GM-14-005
Topical Area: Web Design and Development
Issue Date: 11/1/2013
Effective Date: 11/1/2013
Updated: 10/5/2015
Document Type: Guideline; Published (approved by Web Standards Group and GTA)
POC for Changes: Georgia.gov Interactive
Synopsis: Social media guidelines for social bookmarking for State of Georgia agencies.

Social bookmarking allows you to group, share and search online materials, such as articles and photographs. Labeled with keywords, or tags, the bookmarks make it easy for followers to learn more about particular interests - the Georgia National Guard, Georgia tourism or STEM education, for instance.

4.6.1 Benefits of Social Bookmarking

  • Allows your agency to group information based on topics
  • Encourages information sharing
  • Directs audiences toward your official agency website
  • Rates your content, which can help increase your web traffic
  • Helps you reach new, non-traditional audiences
  • Promotes search engine optimization

4.6.2 Tips for Social Bookmarking

  • Before you launch a social bookmarking effort, consider whether the functionality it offers will be of particular value to your agency. You don’t need to engage every social media platform, only those that suit your brand and you’ve determined you have the resources to maintain.
  • Plan for your campaign. Consider what content you’ll post and how frequently you’ll post it. It’s not enough to simply pin a lot of photos on Pinterest. You’ll have to consider your content strategy and engagement as well.
  • Share content that’s relevant to your target audience. On Pinterest, be “pinworthy” with engaging visuals.
  • Tie the content strategy for your social bookmarking campaign into the strategies for your existing social channels. No channel should exist in a vacuum.
  • Make sure to offer social sharing options on your official website.
  • Remember that social bookmarking is a form of two-way communication; assign a point person to engage with your followers and then do just that: engage. Don’t pin something and never look at it again. Be part of the conversation.
  • Identify content that performs well on social bookmarking sites, and focus on posting more of that content.

4.6.3 Security Considerations

  • Use a very strong password for your account, and change it often. The State of Georgia Download this pdf file. Password Security standards (PDF) recommend that you change your passwords every 45 days. Particularly make sure to change your password when an employee or intern who had access to the account leaves.
  • Before reposting a bookmark from another user, click the link and ensure the contents of the location link are what you expect, and are appropriate. (Some social bookmarking spammers will link to something inappropriate, disguised as something else).

4.6.4 Authentication for Social Bookmarking

  • Link to your .gov site from your social bookmarking profile. Link to your social bookmarking account from your .gov website.
  • Use your official logo or trademark as your profile photo.
  • Claim authenticity in your profile.

4.6.5 Examples

Resources