Communication is Key to Community Connection

Kenneth Cummings, Communications Director

Social media has become a major part of the City of Jackson's communication to not only the media but to the citizens as well. The city of Jackson uses a number of methods to reach the community including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. In the first two years of Mayor Conger's administration, followers/likes have increased.

"When I started with the city, I saw a need to move us forward with social media," said City of Jackson, TN Communications Director Kenneth Cummings. "I remember one of the first meetings we had with department heads. I spoke up to let them know that we would make sure that each social media account related to our city government would be connected and shared; that we would all be on one accord -- from the Jackson Animal Care Center to our Recreation and Parks Department."

Cummings said that he saw a need to increase the city's social media presences by increasing engagement on the different platforms by producing graphics, videos, and photos.

Government Social Media Data

Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)

The City of Jackson, TN – Government’s Facebook page reached the 10,000 Likes milestone on July 26, 2021. Prior to the current administration and overhaul of social media pages with the inclusion of the communications director, only 810 accounts "liked" the city government page.

"The people in our city and those who visit should know what's going on when it comes to government-related information,” Cummings said. “I wanted to make sure our city was accessible to those who may have thought there was no way to connect to the city.”

With the inclusion of the main City Government's social media pages, the city is connected to 25 other social media pages including Jackson Police and Fire, The Ned, Sportsplex, and city venues, where anyone can access information quickly.

"I come from a background in journalism," Cummings said. "And as the way news and information was quickly and accurately relayed to the public, I felt as though city government needed to do the same.”

Cummings created a new Instagram account for City of Jackson, TN Government, which in 2-years-time has gained just under 4,000 followers.

Website/Newsletter

The City of Jackson’s current website was also a major update for communications to the city and the world.

“I was excited to bring the idea to Mayor Conger and IT Director Brian Taylor to change from a .net page to a .gov page,” Cummings said. “We were in the process of completely changing the look of our website, so to me, it only made sense to update our domain as well.”

Visitors to the .gov site are now able to find information related to specific departments as well as read full press releases. The website also has embed capabilities for videos.

“Social media continues to make an impact on our residents but there are still those who may not have a social footprint,” Cummings said. “Our website offers users access to read more in-depth information.”

Monthly newsletters are sent to subscribers recapping the previous month of news related to city government.

Connect Here

Transparency is one of the key components of Mayor Conger’s administration. Relaying government-related information to the citizens and visitors of our city is essential for the growth and development of our city.

“Something as simple as knowing when and how long roads will be closed is vital information to anyone driving through our city,” Cummings said. “Personally, if I know before heading to a destination that lanes will be closed, I’ll look for another route to take. Posts like those get some of the most engagement.”

Cummings said that he is proud of the work that has been accomplished in the first two years pertaining to communications. He said that city employees are now more connected with city government and government entities.

“I work with an amazing group of people who help keep the city connected to our residents and visitors,” Cummings said. “With over 20 different accounts associated with city government, it takes a team and I’m happy to work with them.”

You can connect with all city-government related accounts by visiting the City of Jackson, TN Social Media page.