When the European Commission is trying out eMarketing (Social Media Optimization)

I recently ventured on a blog dedicated to media in the EU and stumbled on an article about the recent shift in the online communication of the European Commission, especially in terms of SMO (Social Media Optimization).

Indeed, it seems that the DG Information Society and Media has created a Fan Page on Facebook entitled “Sea, Sun and SMS” with the objective of promoting the new regulation about roaming lowering significantly the prices of phone calls and text messages (1 July 2009).

After the successful experience of the European Parliament which campaigned in June to raise awareness on the European Parliament Elections 2009, the European Commission is finally exploring the potentialities of social media – which is as itself and excellent news.

In my opinion of eMarketer, and after having  been scrutinizing the online communication in the EU bubble, this initiative is interesting at least for three reasins:  not only the European Commission is adopting a new communication channel thus reaching a new and possibly broader audience, but the informal discussion that has been set up makes it very singular – knowing that no subcontractor would be involved! For the moment, the Facebook Fan Page has reached about 900 fans and seems to generate positive interactions with its open community of roaming fans. Let’s acknowledge it! The chaps of the web team at the DG INFSO have done a good job. I wish them more and more fans!