SamantK
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No 1 govt organisation on Facebook is Indian Army
The Army’s social media cell is run by only two officers. Army presence on social media is soft and disciplined.
VISHAL THAPAR New Delhi | 20th Dec 2014
The Army’s Facebook page
This is not a conventional military operation but the Indian Army has blitzed a new battlefield in a manner which has taken even its generals by surprise. The Indian Army is now the world's most talked about government organisation worldwide on Facebook.
Its Facebook page (ADGPI — Indian Army) has stormed Facebook Leaderboards. In the week ending 15 December, it had the No. 1 position in the government organisations category, with 9,22,735 PTATs or "People Talking About That".
According to Facebook Leaderboard data compiled by MeltwaterLLC & Appdata LLC, NASA was a distant third with 427,396 PTATs. The US Army was No. 6 with 3,25,449 points. The only other Indian government organisation which made it to the first 20 positions was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's PMO India with 181,340 PTATs.
The Indian Army's Facebook page, only a year-and-a-half after its social media debut, boasts of 2.1-million dedicated followers. The traction it generates in being the most talked about is even more remarkable given that it only has the 29th highest dedicated followers.
Initially hesitant to step on to social media, the interest generated even by its reluctant first steps has given the Indian Army confidence. "Last year in December, we had only 38,000 'Likes' on Facebook. We've come a long way since then. Our current campaign on the commemoration of the 1971 War and the Great Battle series have generated a lot of interest," says Major General Shokin Chauhan, the head of the Army's Public Information division. The Army has posted rare pictures from the battles it takes pride in.
The coming of age moment for the Army's social media cell, which is still run by only two officers, was the Kashmir flood in August. Amidst a complete communications breakdown in the Valley, the Indian Army's Facebook and Twitter accounts provided the only means to tens of thousands of people wanting to know about their near-and-dear ones stranded in the floods. Social media inputs led to specific rescue missions by the Army. It also responded to every single anxious message on Facebook and Twitter, sending out reassuring messages to worried families.
While its debut has been a resounding success, the Army is far removed from social media combat. Its presence is soft, and focused on its image as a reliable, disciplined Army.
In contrast, sample a tweet on Saturday from Pakistan's DG Inter-Services PR, Major General Asim Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR): "Rumours related to ongoing ops, their effects in the air. Disinformation a possibility in fluid envmt. Pl verify facts. Will keep you informed".
The purported Twitter account of the Pakistan Army Chief, General Raheel Sharif (@GenOfPakArmy), is furious, bellicose and war-like, giving an impression that he's in a battlefield. Some tweets on this handle on Saturday: "Over 52 terrorists gunned down in 24 hours. This is called nation's revenge", "I want khoon ka badla khoon #CrushTTP".
The Army’s social media cell is run by only two officers. Army presence on social media is soft and disciplined.
VISHAL THAPAR New Delhi | 20th Dec 2014
The Army’s Facebook page
This is not a conventional military operation but the Indian Army has blitzed a new battlefield in a manner which has taken even its generals by surprise. The Indian Army is now the world's most talked about government organisation worldwide on Facebook.
Its Facebook page (ADGPI — Indian Army) has stormed Facebook Leaderboards. In the week ending 15 December, it had the No. 1 position in the government organisations category, with 9,22,735 PTATs or "People Talking About That".
According to Facebook Leaderboard data compiled by MeltwaterLLC & Appdata LLC, NASA was a distant third with 427,396 PTATs. The US Army was No. 6 with 3,25,449 points. The only other Indian government organisation which made it to the first 20 positions was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's PMO India with 181,340 PTATs.
The Indian Army's Facebook page, only a year-and-a-half after its social media debut, boasts of 2.1-million dedicated followers. The traction it generates in being the most talked about is even more remarkable given that it only has the 29th highest dedicated followers.
Initially hesitant to step on to social media, the interest generated even by its reluctant first steps has given the Indian Army confidence. "Last year in December, we had only 38,000 'Likes' on Facebook. We've come a long way since then. Our current campaign on the commemoration of the 1971 War and the Great Battle series have generated a lot of interest," says Major General Shokin Chauhan, the head of the Army's Public Information division. The Army has posted rare pictures from the battles it takes pride in.
The coming of age moment for the Army's social media cell, which is still run by only two officers, was the Kashmir flood in August. Amidst a complete communications breakdown in the Valley, the Indian Army's Facebook and Twitter accounts provided the only means to tens of thousands of people wanting to know about their near-and-dear ones stranded in the floods. Social media inputs led to specific rescue missions by the Army. It also responded to every single anxious message on Facebook and Twitter, sending out reassuring messages to worried families.
While its debut has been a resounding success, the Army is far removed from social media combat. Its presence is soft, and focused on its image as a reliable, disciplined Army.
In contrast, sample a tweet on Saturday from Pakistan's DG Inter-Services PR, Major General Asim Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR): "Rumours related to ongoing ops, their effects in the air. Disinformation a possibility in fluid envmt. Pl verify facts. Will keep you informed".
The purported Twitter account of the Pakistan Army Chief, General Raheel Sharif (@GenOfPakArmy), is furious, bellicose and war-like, giving an impression that he's in a battlefield. Some tweets on this handle on Saturday: "Over 52 terrorists gunned down in 24 hours. This is called nation's revenge", "I want khoon ka badla khoon #CrushTTP".
