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Engaging Traffic Updates: @wsdot_traffic's Unique Approach

Discover how @wsdot_traffic adds personality to traffic reports, making them engaging and informative. Learn about their growth, humorous content, and role in providing timely information for travelers. Follow their journey from a small following to a wide audience, including international followers. See how they use humor appropriately and use visual content like memes to enhance their updates. Explore their use of Storify to highlight important events and engage with their audience effectively.

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Engaging Traffic Updates: @wsdot_traffic's Unique Approach

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  1. Traffic information with a twist @wsdot_traffic utilizes personality to make basic traffic information engaging TransComm 2014 Skills Competition Scottsdale, Arizona Lars Erickson Director of Communications Washington State Department of Transportation

  2. Information and more from @wsdot_traffic Seattle-area Twitter account brings life to traffic reports

  3. We’re real people! The @wsdot_traffic Twitter feed’s use of humor and personality to connect with motorists gives a human voice to what otherwise might be a dry government agency traffic account.

  4. Helping drivers make informed decisions While @wsdot_traffic engages people with humor and personality, the primary job is to get people timely, accurate information to help them make the best decisions for their trips.

  5. Traffic account shows impressive growth in past year On May 1, 2013, the @wsdot_traffic account had 12.8 thousand followers. By June 10, 2014, the number had grown to 46.6 thousand and was on pace to reach 50 thousand by the winter. From motorists looking for the most timely information, to media, to partner agencies to those who simply follow for the entertainment value, there is a wide range of people who regularly check in with the account. How wide-ranging? Thirty-four percent of the followers aren’t event registered in Washington state. Some followers are even from overseas, and we make them feel welcome, too!

  6. Not always fun and games The traffic account only uses humor when appropriate. Some times, like when a helicopter crashed near the KOMO news building, or when a deadly mudslide struck State Route 530, @wsdot_traffic became a go-to source for the latest information.

  7. Supplementing Twitter As they say, pictures are worth a thousand words, and @wsdot_traffic uses memes to convey what mere words can’t.

  8. Keeping track of our wins It’s important for us to remember what we’re doing right, and we often use Storify for that. Among our popular threads were: • A house falling onto I-5 (https://storify.com/wsdot_traffic/house-spills-onto-i-5) • A live-tweeting event with the Incident Response Team (https://storify.com/wsdot_traffic/a-unique-ride-as-morning-guy-rides-along-with-irt) • An especially horrible traffic day (https://storify.com/wsdot/being-personable-pays-off) • An expansion joint breaking on I-5 during the A.M. commute (https://storify.com/wsdot_traffic/broken-expansion-joint-on-interstate-5)

  9. When you can’t see it, improvise

  10. Showing traffic reports can be just a little bit more While always keeping the focus on helping motorists, @wsdot_traffic shows that governmental communications can connect with wide audiences in a personable way.

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