DNR CONNECTS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

Sawyer Briel

Choose a direction — left, right, up, down. Look in that direction and chances are you'll see someone using a smartphone, tablet, laptop or some other type of technology.

Like it or not, the world we live in today is dominated by what's new, what's popular and what's easy. But with new technology comes new opportunity.

Here at the Department of Natural Resources, we're working hard to use today's technology to keep people interested and engaged in Wisconsin's beautiful outdoors. The new Hunt Wild Wisconsin mobile app is our latest example of that — see DNR's next 50: Thriving in a digital age for details.

Another big way we are striving to do this is through social media. Everyone has their opinion of social media and its role in society. Whether you think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread or the downfall of Western civilization as we know it, there's no denying social media is incredibly useful to share stories, engage with others and learn something new.

The beauty of social media lies in the fact that there truly is something for everyone. Are you a budding wildlife photographer? Instagram has your name written all over it. Do you take your GoPro video camera on every hike? Sounds like YouTube is right up your alley. We now have more opportunities than ever to find a community that suits us online.

How does this relate to the DNR? Quite simply, we need to reach people. We need to share content. We need to share timely updates. We need to share news about our daily work. We need to do all these things, and we need to do them efficiently.

Enter social media. In a time when it has become seemingly more difficult than ever to get people interested in an outdoor lifestyle, we're using social media to show you can make your way into the great outdoors and bring your smartphone with you. In fact, we want you to do just that!

So, time for a roll call. What tools are being used by DNR to reach all of you, our customers? We'd like to think we have a pretty diverse portfolio, and we're always looking to learn more and expand when it makes sense. Here's where we stand at the moment.

• Facebook — Facebook is the catch-all for social media. Videos, photos, comment sections — you can do it all here. Chances are you already have an account, but have you checked out our page? We share everything here, from our followers' own stories to an inside look at DNR's work and how it directly relates to you. Engagement is the name of the game here — ask questions, share your opinions and learn new things.
• Instagram — The DNR Instagram page is filled with high-quality photos and videos of all kinds. The bonus here is that we love to share your stuff. Here, you can use hashtags, tag people and show off your chops as a photographer or videographer. We're putting a lot of horsepower behind sharing interesting things daily including cool photos, great videos and other content for our users.
• YouTube — Whether you are looking to find a new place to enjoy the outdoors or thinking about building a bat house in your backyard, our YouTube page has all the content you need — lots of do-it-yourself videos to help you learn more and find a new hobby in the outdoors. Here you'll also find Wild Wisconsin — our podcast and web series (more on that below).
• Twitter — Think of it like reading a newspaper on your phone. Head to the DNR's Twitter page for daily news updates and other helpful information, plus plenty of tweets and memes from other Twitter users.
• LinkedIn — Want to work for us or know someone who does? Interested in learning about the research being done through the DNR? LinkedIn is a great way to check out job listings online and we always list the biggies on our page. We also keep the page up-to-date with the latest reports and studies being published by our staff.
• Pinterest — Recipes? Hike suggestions? Tons of other cool DIY? If these are the sorts of things you want, you're going to enjoy Pinterest.
• Web series and podcasts — Going beyond social media, there's lots more out there if you are looking to learn about DNR and the outdoors. In 2017, the DNR launched its own web series — Wild Wisconsin — dedicated to all aspects of hunting and also started a podcast channel called Off the Record to reach additional users. Podcasts are audio-only, and DNR is using them to make complex topics more digestible.

What does it all mean?

The moral of the story here is that the world is changing at a rapid pace, not just in terms of how we interact with others but how we provide and receive information. Here at DNR, we know as well as anyone that to stay relevant and continue to get people interested in the outdoors, we need to adapt.

If you've already checked out some of our social media content and enjoyed it, we're flattered. It also means we're doing our job. If you haven't given us a look or a "Like" yet, we hope you will soon.

With social media, we're able to show just how much there is to this agency and provide a direct channel to interact with our users — you!

Sawyer Briel is an administrative policy coordinator who handles communications for DNR's Division of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.