Delaware County has been launching informative and often entertaining TikTok videos to reach residents, thanks to a Delaware County millennial and Gen Z comms team.
The videos combine snappy humor with public service announcements. They are similar to the ones used by Zohran Mamdani in his bid for New York City mayor last fall, writes Denali Sagner for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Information covers everything from finding the best Delaware County park to sit and scroll on your phone to where to get tested for sexually transmitted infections.
Underpinning the videos is a desire to take Delaware County government viral.
“If we’re reaching people and getting in front of their eyes and getting in their minds about what our government does for them, we’re doing a good thing,” said Mike Connolly, 39, who leads the county’s public affairs office.
The county’s face for the TikTok videos is often 23-year-old communication specialist Liam O’Murchu, along with cameos from Delaware County Council members and the Register of Wills.
The TikToks offer a more energetic face for local government, which is often saddled with the dullness of waste management, district court administration, and property tax assessments.
It’s all about reaching people. The videos haven’t gone viral yet, but some have reached beyond 10,000 views.
“We know that it has reached some people. It’s not as many as it’s going to reach in the future,” Connolly said.
Read about how TikTok became an outlet for Delaware County communications in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
