LinkedIn (business) vs. Facebook (the people)
Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2025 5:58 am
How Mayors Are Using Social Media Now
After a quick count on Linkedin you see that in the Netherlands the majority of mayors use LinkedIn as a social media channel. While on Facebook and Twitter we see far fewer mayors who use this channel from their position as mayor. And this is striking, because LinkedIn is a business channel to mainly spread business messages. But do you really connect with your own residents via this platform?
So although many mayors are active on social media, the question is whether they are achieving the right goal among residents. If you look at the graph below, you can see what percentage of Dutch people are on which social media channels (age 16 - 65). Here you can see that Facebook is far above LinkedIn (28%) with 73%. As a mayor, aren't you missing a huge opportunity to reach your own residents via the platform they use the most?
Why use Facebook and Instagram as a mayor?
A question (or objection) that may now occur to you: if your municipality is already active on these channels phone number library why would you as mayor also take on your own role in this? Shouldn't you be one voice to the outside world and adopt the voice of the municipality?
We know from experience that residents do not see and experience this in this way. They want to feel connected to the figurehead of their municipality and they want to feel involved and be able to identify on a personal level. When mayors themselves use social media to connect with their residents (so not for business use), they show themselves as a person within their function. And this creates an enormous sense of connectedness and involvement.
After a quick count on Linkedin you see that in the Netherlands the majority of mayors use LinkedIn as a social media channel. While on Facebook and Twitter we see far fewer mayors who use this channel from their position as mayor. And this is striking, because LinkedIn is a business channel to mainly spread business messages. But do you really connect with your own residents via this platform?
So although many mayors are active on social media, the question is whether they are achieving the right goal among residents. If you look at the graph below, you can see what percentage of Dutch people are on which social media channels (age 16 - 65). Here you can see that Facebook is far above LinkedIn (28%) with 73%. As a mayor, aren't you missing a huge opportunity to reach your own residents via the platform they use the most?
Why use Facebook and Instagram as a mayor?
A question (or objection) that may now occur to you: if your municipality is already active on these channels phone number library why would you as mayor also take on your own role in this? Shouldn't you be one voice to the outside world and adopt the voice of the municipality?
We know from experience that residents do not see and experience this in this way. They want to feel connected to the figurehead of their municipality and they want to feel involved and be able to identify on a personal level. When mayors themselves use social media to connect with their residents (so not for business use), they show themselves as a person within their function. And this creates an enormous sense of connectedness and involvement.