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PROVO — Provo Mayor John Curtis has been known for his widespread use of social media to publicize city events, and now he has been recognized by Forbes for his efforts.
An article published on forbes.com on Aug. 28 credited the success of Curtis’ term as Provo mayor to his heavy use of social media. Curtis gained attention after his marketing of the Google Fiber announcement in April 2013, which has since been named as one of the defining moments of his tenure as mayor, according to Cheryl Conner, a Forbes contributor.
Google Fiber wanted the news to stay secret for several weeks before the announcement, so the PR campaign was spread on social media with the hashtag #provoepicannouncement. Curtis said in a recent interview that his team helped build the enthusiasm and anticipation for the announcement and credits the word “epic” for making the news go viral, Conner wrote.
Curtis also used Twitter, Instagram and his blog to publicize Provo’s ranking as a top city in Outside magazine’s “Best Place to Live” contest. For several months, he encouraged residents to vote for Provo by using the hashtags #VoteProvo and #ProvoRocks.
“Other mayors are afraid of social media,” Curtis said in the Forbes article.
Curtis said he believes social media has helped him to be transparent and to help people get to know him as an individual as well as a mayor.
For some of Curtis’ tips on how to effectively use social media, read the full article on forbes.com.
