GovDelivery Announces Key Milestone in Direct Citizen Communications
GovDelivery, the world's leading email and digital subscription services provider for the public sector, announced that government organizations sent 120 million emails to the public using the GovDelivery platform in the first quarter of 2008. Millions of Americans have now signed up to receive personalized information via email, text message or RSS feed on topics ranging from local emergencies and community events to national health alerts and critical financial data.
To read the full press release, click here.
To read the full story published by GCN (Government Computer News), click here.
GovBenefits Uses GovDelivery to Aid in its Mission of Improving Government Accessibility
GovBenefits is a partnership of Federal agencies that formed in 2002 to provide improved, personal access to government assistance programs. Information that was previously distributed among 31 million different web pages has been consolidated and organized by GovBenefits, allowing over 26 million Americans improved access to information. In April 2008, GovBenefits implemented GovDelivery’s Digital Subscription Management service and made it possible for stakeholders to receive immediate updates on benefits information and topics that interest them most. In the two months since launching the service more than 14,000 citizens have subscribed to receive updates on topics such as the quarterly e-Newsletter or the Housing Counseling Assistance Program.
To subscribe to GovBenefits email updates follow this link: http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits_en.portal.
To read GovBenefits announcement of GovDelivery's service in their newsletter, click here.
To view the portion of GovBenefits 6th Anniversary Webinar that highlights the entity's mission and features GovDelivery’s service, click here.
To view an Overview Sheet on how GovDelivery is working for GovBenefits.gov, click here.
FEMA Continues to Offer Email Updates on Vital Emergency Information
Since September 2007, FEMA has been offering email updates to reach thousands of people when urgent situations arise. To reach citizens in a specific region or location, FEMA utilizes GovDelivery’s filter or query feature, allowing the agency to collect not only a subscriber's email address, but their zip code as well. "This enables us to send bulletins to subscribers in a disaster area declared by the president, by county, state, or territory. Many of our subscribers sign up for notifications such as emergency and major disaster declarations and news releases," reports Eugene Luke, an Emergency Management Specialist for FEMA.
Since implementing the service, FEMA has made over 95 topics available to subscribers and sent over 14 million email bulletins. Over 74,000 citizens have registered for the updates with an average of nearly 7 subscription items per user.
FEMA invites you to visit http://www.fema.gov/.
To read the full story, published in Government Computer News, click here.
To read a complete case study on how FEMA has utilized GovDelivery’s DSM system since launching, click here.
Client Spotlight: Office of the Director of National Intelligence
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence launched GovDelivery’s digital subscription management service in February 2008. Shortly after, in May 2008, the agency launched their new web site featuring expanded content, improved navigation tools and the new digital subscription management service.
The DSM service has been a huge success with more than 3,100 stakeholders signing up to receive an average of over 9 updates per user. The agency has already delivered more than 100,000 email updates.
To view the new site or sign up for the subscription service, visit www.dni.gov.
To read a full press release, detailing the new web site launch, click here.
Client Spotlight: The State of Indiana
The State of Indiana launched GovDelivery's Email and Digital Subscription Management service in an effort to expand its online services to make it easier for citizens to get the information they want and need. Indiana's "email wireless updates" service allows the State to reach out to the public proactively with automatic email, RSS and wireless device updates. The GovDelivery Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform allows for uniformity/interoperability; application reliability and security; and optimal value for IT budgets and information technology.
The State of Indiana invites you to visit www.in.gov/lg/ to register to receive updates on the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and other state agencies.
To read a full press releases from the Indiana Office of Technology, click here.
For more information on which State of Indiana agencies have implemented GovDelivery and the metrics to-date, click here.
Client Spotlight: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services launched GovDelivery in March of 2008, and has realized immediate results having sent more than 21,000 emails to-date. Additionally, the agency is communicating with 1,500 residents on a daily basis, all of whom have subscribed to an average of 16.35 topics. The agency’s mission of "helping people live better lives" is being met as they are able to keep residents informed of important health alerts and emergency information.
Since implementing GovDelivery's service, DHHS has taken full advantage of its capabilities in handling the recent severe weather in the Midwest. The agency has since created a webpage, Resources for Coping with Tornadoes & Severe Storms (www.hhs.state.ne.us/newsroom/features/SevereStorms/), and posted news releases related to the storms and resources regarding how the flooding may be affecting food safety and water quality. They have added this page to their list of available subscription items, allowing residents to receive ongoing updates on this very relevant and pertinent information. The severe weather web page also connects Nebraska residents to a number of other GovDelivery clients, specifically CDC, by linking subscribers to content hosted on the CDC's site.
Nebraska Health and Human Services invites you to visit www.hhs.state.ne.us/.
To read a complete case study on how Nebraska DHHS implemented the system, and is now using and promoting the service to citizens, click
here.
To view an Overview Sheet for the department, click here.
Client Spotlight: City of Vancouver, WA
Vancouver residents hungry for news and information from their city government can now decide what, when, and how they receive it. In March 2008, the City of Vancouver implemented GovDelivery's DSM service and has seen great results: more than 700 residents have subscribed to an average of 16.4 subscription items and more than 31,000 email updates have been sent. Additionally, the City of Vancouver continues to improve the power of the service by adding additional subscription items almost every month, currently offering over 170 different topic options.
But the positive impact isn't just in the statistics. The City Council views the service as an opportunity to save time and money, while supporting the city's sustainability goals. Additionally, Donna Mason, the city's media and communications director, sees the increased communication with greater convenience as a huge advantage: "We are very enthusiastic about this new service that will empower citizens to receive information as soon as it is available on topics of interest to them without waiting or searching. It puts customers in control of when, what and how they receiving information."
A list of available Vancouver topics and signup information can be found at www.cityofvancouver.us/Default.asp.
To read the full story, published by The Columbian, click here.
To read a complete press release from the City describing its newest DSM service, click here.
To view an Overview Sheet on the City of Vancouver's implementation and results to-date, click here.
New Whitepaper Available:
Maximizing Subscriptions for Email and Digital Subscription Management Systems
Unlike the private sector, public sector organizations do not track sales goals to measure progress. Historically, public sector organizations have focused on tracking website usage metrics as a key measure of the success of a website. An accurate indicator of the value of public sector content is the number of website visitors that choose to signup to receive updates to content. These "subscribers" are validating that content has continued value and relevance.
Subscriber counts are the number of people who register to receive email updates through your Email and Digital Subscription Management service. As your subscriber counts grow, you are able to:
- Keep the public up-to-date on day-to-day and urgent updates more effectively
- Demonstrate that your website is being used, validating your investment in the website content and services
- Provide an immediate channel to get important message(s) out to the public and to introduce/promote new online and offline services
Maximizing subscription rates starts with effective EDSM implementation on your website and continues with targeted promotion of the email subscription service.
To read the complete whitepaper on maximizing subscriptions, click here.
News & Events
Federal Consulting Group (FCG) Event: Featuring FDA
The Federal Consulting Group (FCG) and GovDelivery held a Proactive Public Communication Roundtable this past week, June 19, 2008, at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's L. William Seidman Center.
Featured speakers included FDA's Kris Mejia, Public Health Advisor; Ron Oberbillig, Chief Operating Officer of FCG; and Scott Burns, Chief Executive Officer of GovDelivery. The conference was geared toward Federal agency e-government team members, communications and public affairs staff, and information technology staff and webmasters, focusing on best practices for maximizing subscriptions and leveraging websites.
To view presentations from the event, click here.
GovDelivery Clients Reach Major Milestones
Congratulations to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on reaching 100,000 subscribers!
To view an Overview Sheet on the results of the CDC implementing GovDelivery, click here.
Congratulations to Somerset County, New Jersey on its newest milestone: 10,000 subscribers!
To read the most recent press release from the County describing its use of the service and its results, click here.
To read a press release announcing this milestone, click here.
GovDelivery Announces Reach the Public Blog
Please join the conversation at our blog: www.reachthepublic.com
A blog about government-to-citizen communication, latest trends, and other e-government issues.
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