County photographers and videographers now using Instagram to share compelling stories

(MIAMI, September 10, 2014) – A picture is worth a thousand words, and Miami-Dade County videographers and photographers are leveraging that with the launch of a new Instagram account that aims to engage residents through eye-catching visuals.

The new account — @miamidademedia — provides a view of our community through the lenses of the award-winning photographers and videographers of the County’s Community Information and Outreach department. Every day, this team captures colorful slices of Miami-Dade life while on the job, and now they want to share those stories through social media. Their first hashtag is #ourmiami.

Currently, the County manages more than 90 social media channels, including six existing Instagram accounts, which showcase an array of images that provide snapshots of County operations — from adorable shelter animals in need of adoption, to diversions available at County parks.

This is the latest development in a larger effort by the County to connect directly with residents, businesses, visitors and other jurisdictions using channels that are already popular with these audiences. Instagram has more than 200 million active daily users who have posted in excess of 20 billion photos. County leaders see this as an important element of an ongoing strategy to maintain open lines of communication with the public.

Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, himself an Instagrammer (@mayorgimenez), has enthusiastically embraced social media, recently hosting Facebook and Twitter town hall meetings on his proposed budget. He held his first such event in 2011.

“Increasing transparency in government has always been a priority of my administration. Social media has become an indispensable part achieving that end, while also creating a sense of community,” says Gimenez.