The National Park Service (NPS) is a government organization that cares for more than 400 national parks in the United States. The 107-year-old agency helps to preserve the local heritage and create green spaces for people to get outside, be active, and have fun.
With the help of their current social media specialist, Matt Turner, their online presence has become more vibrant and engaging than ever. Before, the NPS had no trouble posting pretty pictures. But with a little touch of personality and humor, it has evolved into a place where people regularly swing by for funny content and stay for educational information like safety tips, a dive into park resources, or even a fun fact.
Turner credits the unexpected birth of these funny posts to pairing a standard National Park photo with unconventional captions. You simply wouldn’t think that a heading like “Everyday I’m rustlin” or “Mountains… like flat land, but at an angle” came from a government agency. He shares that ideas might spring from a great photo that can be easily referenced to a meme or a pop culture moment. Other times, a quote or possible caption pops into his head, and he starts searching across park accounts for photos that bring it to life.
The National Park Service's presence online as a whole aims to foster an educated community that cares about the environment, teach the importance of parks, and preserve land heritage. Additionally, behind the funny captions, there is usually a serious message that teaches people how to act around wildlife. Posts about bear safety, a week dedicated to bats, and rules for survival spread information about animals that might be shaped like friends but totally aren’t.
The mix of awkward, funny, and beautiful photos of animals combined with hilarious captions encourages people to come back for more and share them with others. Since starting this personalized strategy, the National Park Service's social media has taken off. As of November 2023, it has 5.5 million followers on Instagram and over 1.2 million followers on Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter). As Turner looks into the future, he is hopeful that social platforms will remain a great tool to bring people together and inspire them to learn and connect with their parks like never before.
Studies have found that in 2013, there were a total of 1,362 social media pages associated with federal organizations, with Facebook and X being the most used ones. Despite social media’s emergence in the early 2000s, it’s still one of the newest ventures in government communication strategies. At first, official authority accounts acted as communication channels to share public service announcements, safety information, and news.
Currently, agency accounts are increasingly starting to let their human side shine through, putting aside the official, robot-like tone. They’re experimenting with using an authentic, conversational voice, which helps gain trust and build a genuine connection with communities. The IRS, responsible for federal tax laws and audits, often pairs its tax-filing reminders with something less stressful, like pictures of food, rubber ducks, and dogs. How can you be mad at such a reminder when it’s done through arguably the internet’s most favorite animals? There's no need to feel sad, cat lovers.
