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Oh, hi!
If 2016 is trending again, let’s talk about how my team’s work in Gilbert, Arizona turned digital communications into a civic superpower.
By then, we weren’t new to digital but we were ready to go bigger. That year’s Digital State of the Town didn’t just inform residents, it inspired them. It spotlighted local businesses, community wins, and real momentum. And it looked and felt like something built for today’s audiences, not a government check-the-box moment.
We paired it with the launch of a new podcast, Government Gone Digital, and an intentional focus on modern engagement: reaching people where they were, in formats they actually wanted.
Three things you should know:
1️⃣ Gilbert used 2016 to raise the bar on digital storytelling, combining video, podcasting, and social into a cohesive civic brand.
2️⃣ The Digital State of the Town wasn’t the first but it was a high-production, people-centered leap that modeled what’s possible.
3️⃣ With Government Gone Digital, we opened the playbook—sharing wins, risks, and strategies in real time.
This part really matters: Digital tools didn’t just make us modern. They made us more human, more accessible, more trusted, more aligned with what residents actually value.
What you can do:
Choose one outdated comms channel and ask, “If we built this today, what would it look like?”
Explore podcasting as a low-lift, high-impact way to show your city’s voice. Interview a teammate or local partner.
Don’t just push updates—create connection. Residents don’t want perfection. They want presence.
What’s your boldest digital comms move—so far?
Hit reply and tell me—
What digital experiment from your city still makes you proud?
Thanks for tuning in,
—Dana
🎤 Want me to speak at your next event?
From virtual keynotes to in-person workshops, I partner with city teams, associations, and organizations to talk about what’s next in digital engagement, citizen experience, and government storytelling.
