It is a bold initiative that will set us apart from other Valley cities. The City of Mesa has launched a Facebook page in Spanish, or Facebook En Espaol at www.facebook.com/CiudaddeMesa.
The new Facebook page is part of a comprehensive effort by the City to encourage its residents to use social media to engage and be informed which is part of the Mesa City Council's Transforming Neighborhoods strategic priority.
According to Simmons National Hispanic Consumer Study, Hispanics are active digital consumers with 61 percent saying the Internet is their first source for information. The study also shows 94 percent of online Hispanic adults use social media and share content five times more often than non-Hispanic users.
Mesa's population by ethnicity is 28.1% Hispanic. Mesa Public Schools have a majority minority population of 42% Hispanic while Mesa Community College has a student population that is expected to be 25% Hispanic in 2018.
The City of Mesa has five social media goals:
Connect - be there
Inform - provide important information
Promote - tell our story
Engage - interact with and help people
Innovate - put user experience front and center
In addition to the goals for our mainstream social media outlets, there is one additional Spanish language social media goal - provide a hub/one stop location for consistent communication with our Hispanic, Spanish speaking and/or bilingual residents.
The City will utilize Facebook to begin with and then strategically identify if there is a need for new social media platforms. An Espaol team of City employees is creating content for the Facebook site. They are also promoting it at numerous public events including Celebrate Mesa Saturday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pioneer Park, 526 E. Main St.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/CiudaddeMesa, www.mesaaz.gov/espanol or contact us at preguntas@mesaaz.gov.
Public Information and Communications
Contact: Steve Wright
Tel. 480-644-2069
steven.wright@mesaaz.gov