“Always keep the audience in mind for the ‘audience is the hero’ while the influencer is only a guide,” said eminent social media pioneer Amy Jo Martin speaking at a discussion titled ‘Influencers Win the Communication Race’ on the opening day of the ninth edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) at Expo Centre Sharjah today (Wednesday, March 4).

Author of Renegades Write the Rules and host of the Why Not Now? Podcast, Amy Jo Martin spoke on the rising influence of social media and the role of influencers in promoting government communication strategies to foster behaviour change in societies.

Governments across the world have harnessed the power of digital influencers in carrying forward their messages to society as part of their engagement strategy with the public. But  its effectiveness depends on several key factors, she said. “Delivering value to your target audience is about knowing when, where and how they want to receive your messages. It is never about the influencer; it is always about the audience.”

A government’s engagement with the public does not have to be on the extreme ends of being serious and authoritarian or cool and casual in tone of voice and language, she noted. “The middle ground is where the wisdom and influence lie. Choosing either end of the spectrum wouldn’t sound authentic; people would see through it and trust would be broken.”

Describing how leaders can choose the middle path to take their messaging to a larger audience, she cited the example of former US President Barack Obama whose communication strategy, she said, “allowed him to stay human and resonate with the audience while still carrying authority and gaining respect.”

As the social media landscape continues to evolve, the dark side of bullying and negativity that is widely prevalent on digital channels are a serious cause for concern, she admitted. “The anonymity that comes from social media is one of the biggest challenges we face today. People behave very differently behind a screen when their identity does not have to be revealed and they don’t have to take responsibility for their actions.”

If governments want to have more people involved, having a regulatory system in place to ensure that people take responsibility for what they are saying is a key element to stem this negativity, she added.

However, social media is not good or bad, asserted Amy Martin, a front-runner in the social media revolution. “It is an extremely powerful tool that is quick, efficient and effective. How we as humans decide to use it determines what is good and bad. I truly believe that every individual has full control and endless opportunity to leverage this space and utilise it for purposeful impact.”

The session was moderated by Hass Dennaoui, host, Pulse 95 Radio of Sharjah Broadcasting Authority..

IGCF is organised by the International Government Communication Centre (IGCC), a subsidiary of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. IGCF 2020, which concludes tomorrow (Thursday), focuses on four pillars: ‘Embedding a culture of engagement in government’, ‘Technology as a community enabler’, ‘Communication through culture’, and ‘Holistic wellbeing’.