Oh, hi!
Many local governments aren't allowed to use TikTok because of state laws or organizational policies restricting the app on government devices.
TikTok has changed how people expect information to be delivered.
Short. Visual. Human. Easy to understand.
People aren't comparing your city to the government down the street anymore. They're comparing your communication to everything else they watch every day.
That's the new reality. And while TikTok shouldn't be anyone's only source of news, it has reshaped how millions of people discover information. The question isn't whether your city should become an influencer. The question is whether your communication feels relevant to the people you're trying to reach.
Residents don't just compare government to government anymore. They compare you to every great communicator they see online.
Three Things You Should Know
Social media is reshaping where Americans discover news. One in five U.S. adults now regularly gets news from TikTok, and among adults under 30, that number is even higher. Whether they're watching TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts, short-form video has fundamentally changed how people consume information.
Attention has changed before trust has. Residents may discover information through social media, but they still look to trusted sources to confirm it. That's where local government has an advantage. No one is closer to the source than you.
The format matters as much as the message. A five-page PDF and a one-minute video recap can contain the exact same information. One is simply easier for people to understand and share.
This part really matters: You don't need TikTok to communicate like it's 2026. You can apply the same storytelling principles anywhere: Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn video, Facebook, your website, or your newsletter.
What you can do
Borrow the style, not necessarily the platform. Create 30-60 second videos answering common resident questions. Publish them wherever your organization is allowed to communicate.
Start with the question, not the announcement. Instead of "Road Closure on Main Street," try "Wondering why Main Street is closed this week? Here's what's happening…"
Show the humans behind local government. Introduce the engineer explaining a bridge project. Follow a parks employee preparing for an event. Let residents see the people serving them.
Think beyond social media. Those same short videos can live on your website, appear in newsletters, or be shared during community presentations.
Try this
Choose one service your department provides.
Now explain it in 45 seconds without using government jargon. If your neighbor would understand it, you've found the right story.
If they wouldn't…
Keep simplifying.
This is basically the whole reason I started Oh, hi! Stories. Every episode is a conversation with someone who thinks about how we connect with and show up for the people around us: former mayors, public servants, storytellers, a former Sprint CEO, my old MTV mentor. People who, in their own way, make their corner of the world work a little better.
If this issue resonated, the podcast is the longer version of it.
Hit reply and tell me:
If your organization could produce one short video every week, what topic would you cover first?
Thanks for reading,
Dana
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About Dana
Former Emmy-winning television producer and Chief Digital Officer. Built Gilbert, AZ's national award-wining Office of Digital Government. Now helping city communicators tell stories that build trust.
Oh, hi! Stories Podcast: Spotify | Apple Podcasts
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