Twitter plays key role in White House communication

The White House uses Twitter!

Robert Gibbs, the White House’s press secretary and his deputy, Bill Burton, have both signed up for separate Twitter accounts and together they aim to use the world’s first micro-blogging site as a way to give President Barack Obama’s policies and message a more informal feel, as well as offer a glimpse into life inside the Oval Office. But Gibbs admitted that the learning curve has been steep, since writing 140 character tweets in a compelling manner can be a challenge for someone schooled in the art of formal press releases and lengthy journalistic analysis. Gibbs admitted that at first the “whole language of numbers and symbols” evaded him, and he added that he might be well advised to turn to his son, in order to get a better grasp of this increasingly powerful form of communication.
But the initial difficulties aside, Gibbs and Burton have already developed a very effective modus operandi when using Twitter to spread Obama’s policies to the most technologically savvy generations. For example, Burton will regularly start tweeting while Gibbs is still hosting a press conference at the White House and is in the process of elaborating on Obama’s policies. Burton’s role is to offer extra nuggets of information that clarify some of Gibbs’ points and potentially pre-empt questions that journalists might have.
Macon Phillips, the White House director of social networking and new media, added that Twitter offers administration officials the opportunity to hear the questions of “ordinary” citizens in raw form, rather than just the input of the politically savvy media elites of Washington, DC. Gibbs has managed to attract over 35,000 followers since his Twitter debut late last year.