Trial and Error at the White House

The White House is taking advantage of social media tools to create platforms for citizens to engage with one another.

Facebook really falls into allowing citizens to engage, said Erin Edgerton, senior social media strategist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who is on detail at the White House as a new media analyst.

"When we post content [on Facebook], it really spurs discussion among people," Edgerton said Monday at the 2010 American Council for Technology/Industry Advisory Council Executive Leadership Conference in Williamsburg, Va. "We don't delete comments, we're simply posting and allowing people to use that as a platform for discussion."

For example, on the White House Facebook page as of Tuesday morning, a story posted nearly 24 hours ago on the past week, had about 350 comments and nearly 1,370 who "liked" the video.

Other new media goals at the White House include amplifying the president's message by producing videos that include "real people [and] real stories," she said.

They also look for people to participate by hosting live chats and using Google moderator in its Open for Questions feature where users vote on the question they want answered.

Yet, Edgerton said determining what constitutes as meaningful interaction is a challenge.

"How can we make sure that people feel engaged? It's really trying new activities, listening to the feedback. Sometimes we get it right, other times we don't. . . . [There's] no easy way to figure out what people want to do. It's trial and error."