The New Playbook: Winning at Social Media in Local Government with Sam Toles | Ep.3

In this episode of Gov360, Chris Mann sits down with nationally recognized digital strategist Sam Toles, the founder and CEO of CiviSocial. Sam shares actionable insights from his travels across the U.S. training cities and counties on how to modernize their social media strategy. They dive deep into why local governments must stop ignoring social media’s influence, the dangers of disengagement, and how to use storytelling to build community trust.

Sam explains why outdated communication approaches are failing and outlines what cities are getting wrong—from fragmented messaging to over-reliance on tools like Canva—and what they can do instead to build public trust and resilience in the face of growing civic disengagement and online hostility. This conversation is both a warning and a roadmap.

💡 Key Learnings

• Local government is still trusted — and that trust can be leveraged through authentic, human storytelling.
• Ignoring negativity online isn’t a strategy; it’s a liability.
• The “STPs” (Same Ten People) often dominate the conversation, but they don’t represent the silent majority.
• Content culture starts internally — the most effective content comes from staff, not expensive media firms.
• Effective social media is strategic — it requires planning, alignment, and platform-specific approaches.
• A better Instagram feed can win the recruitment war.
• Empowered employees tell better stories — and those stories build morale, credibility, and community connection.

🔍 Featured Topics

• The dark side of social media and its impact on local government morale and safety
• Why decentralized, uncoordinated accounts are hurting your agency
• Platform-specific strategies: why Facebook ≠ Instagram
• How to empower internal teams to tell your city’s story
• Recruiting the next generation through authentic content
• Real-world success stories from cities like Calimesa, CA and Plainville, CT
• Why Canva isn’t always your friend — and what to do instead

📚 Resources & Links

• 📘 The Social Media Playbook for City and County Managers by Sam Toles

Available on Amazon (also free directly from Sam)

• 🔗 Learn more about CiviSocial
• 🧠 Follow Sam Toles on LinkedIn for more insights and updates

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Tags: Gov360, Local Government, City Manager, Public Sector Leadership, Gov360 Podcast, Municipal Leadership, Public Information, Civic Engagement, Government Podcast, CAPIO, Public Service, Chris Mann, City Manager Chris Mann, Leading Local Gov, Inside City Hall, Public Service Matters, Local Gov Pros, Podcast for Government, Government Leadership, Sam Toles, CiviSocial, The Social Media Playbook for City and County Managers