Last month I shared the process for cat 1 responders (like councils) to get their official Twitter accounts verified and be endowed with a coveted blue tick.
The process wasn’t well known – it’s only down to Carolyne Mitchell that I knew about it and had managed to get Nottinghamshire County Council verified – so it seemed like the obvious thing to share it.
I’m not sure why but it was a surprise to me just how popular that post proved – and how many people started tweeting that they had popped an application in for their council. I am sure there was someone at the Cabinet Office who was cursing my name at the sudden flurry of emails about blue ticks.
Anyway – just to show that sharing is a good thing – those councils who applied back in January have now seen their blue ticks appear. A few more have picked up on the post as a result of the first cohort sharing their success.
It looks like 38 councils have recently been verified by the network meaning people have an extra level of assurance that the accounts are used as official communication and conversation channels. This can be particularly valuable during emergencies where the blue tick gives credibility to information and advice at a time when rumours often abound.
I’m glad to have been able to help a few more councils start the process to verify their accounts and hopefully now the way to do it is out there other councils will be able to find the information when they need it.
If your council has been verified then don’t forget to share the link to the ‘how to’ post to pay the knowledge forward!
~
You can find me on Twitter (no blue tick for me!) or writing words about music on Louder Than War.