Comments on: Google – The New Citizen Engagement Portal http://www.iantruscott.me/google-%e2%80%93-the-new-citizen-engagement-portal#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Hi, I'm Ian Truscott here are a few of my thoughts about our industry, content management and engaging over the web… Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:26:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Contented Management > Does rationlalisation reduce cost? http://www.iantruscott.me/google-%e2%80%93-the-new-citizen-engagement-portal/comment-page-1#comment-107 Contented Management > Does rationlalisation reduce cost? Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:12:46 +0000 http://www.persuasivecontent.com/?p=523#comment-107 [...] to rethink procurement, particularly of technology. You can’t argue with the idea, and as Ian Truscott points out, there are good reasons for reducing the number of websites from a user experience perspective as [...] [...] to rethink procurement, particularly of technology. You can’t argue with the idea, and as Ian Truscott points out, there are good reasons for reducing the number of websites from a user experience perspective as [...]

]]> By: Ian http://www.iantruscott.me/google-%e2%80%93-the-new-citizen-engagement-portal/comment-page-1#comment-106 Ian Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:33:51 +0000 http://www.persuasivecontent.com/?p=523#comment-106 I should replied to this Paul - sorry, something up with my notifications. I'll be honest, while I absolutely see your point and your observations are an excellent addition to this post - I'd be in over my head to discuss very specific use cases around how people interact with government. I am making an observation on the COI strategy that they are considering Google as an entry point to citizen advice, information and services. I would imagine that once they think about the search engine as a portal, then it wouldn't just be about reducing sites, but also of utilizing and optimizing their position in those searches. I don't know that - we just had an hour and this was one topic of a dozen or so we covered! I should replied to this Paul – sorry, something up with my notifications.
I’ll be honest, while I absolutely see your point and your observations are an excellent addition to this post – I’d be in over my head to discuss very specific use cases around how people interact with government. I am making an observation on the COI strategy that they are considering Google as an entry point to citizen advice, information and services. I would imagine that once they think about the search engine as a portal, then it wouldn’t just be about reducing sites, but also of utilizing and optimizing their position in those searches. I don’t know that – we just had an hour and this was one topic of a dozen or so we covered!

]]> By: paul canning http://www.iantruscott.me/google-%e2%80%93-the-new-citizen-engagement-portal/comment-page-1#comment-105 paul canning Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:43:14 +0000 http://www.persuasivecontent.com/?p=523#comment-105 Not necessarily. Think of people pushing services to encourage make damages claims. Search results offer an opportunity to waylay traffic from government sites. Same with visas. In some areas government has to be more aggressive and probably use SEM to help public get the right information. this is definitely the case with one area I cited: suicide prevention and I've blogged about how crap the approach is here. http://paulcanning.blogspot.com/2008/04/why-suicide-prevention-charities-are.html Not necessarily. Think of people pushing services to encourage make damages claims. Search results offer an opportunity to waylay traffic from government sites. Same with visas.

In some areas government has to be more aggressive and probably use SEM to help public get the right information. this is definitely the case with one area I cited: suicide prevention and I’ve blogged about how crap the approach is here.
http://paulcanning.blogspot.com/2008/04/why-suicide-prevention-charities-are.html

]]> By: Ian http://www.iantruscott.me/google-%e2%80%93-the-new-citizen-engagement-portal/comment-page-1#comment-104 Ian Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:30:57 +0000 http://www.persuasivecontent.com/?p=523#comment-104 Hi Paul, Thanks for your comment - absolutely - I don't think that COI are saying that a government website is the only source of help and information in every circumstance – my point was that there are certain times when they are - it's just that there is no point in them competing for those same spots in a search engine results page. I would imagine that fewer search results from government can only be helpful for other agencies, charities and commercial organisations - allowing people to find a broader choice of advice, help and information around those subjects, where there isn’t a clear single answer – like “how do I apply for a UK visa”. Thanks! Ian Hi Paul,
Thanks for your comment – absolutely – I don’t think that COI are saying that a government website is the only source of help and information in every circumstance – my point was that there are certain times when they are – it’s just that there is no point in them competing for those same spots in a search engine results page. I would imagine that fewer search results from government can only be helpful for other agencies, charities and commercial organisations – allowing people to find a broader choice of advice, help and information around those subjects, where there isn’t a clear single answer – like “how do I apply for a UK visa”.

Thanks!

Ian

]]> By: paul canning http://www.iantruscott.me/google-%e2%80%93-the-new-citizen-engagement-portal/comment-page-1#comment-103 paul canning Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:14:05 +0000 http://www.persuasivecontent.com/?p=523#comment-103 'If you are a Government agency that provides services, advice or benefits for your citizen you are not competing for clicks – you are the authority, the source; you have the likely #1 search result the searcher needs.' Actually there are some services where commercial sites can and do slot themselves into search results - passports and visas is one, anything where insurers or claims agents have an interest is another. The worst example, and one where there has been a lot of controversy, is help for the suicidal. ‘If you are a Government agency that provides services, advice or benefits for your citizen you are not competing for clicks – you are the authority, the source; you have the likely #1 search result the searcher needs.’

Actually there are some services where commercial sites can and do slot themselves into search results – passports and visas is one, anything where insurers or claims agents have an interest is another. The worst example, and one where there has been a lot of controversy, is help for the suicidal.

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