Since the first spin of the wheel, civilization has been implementing new technologies to help make life easier. The development of a written language allowed for messages to be sent, unspoken. Telephones brought the spoken word to audiences near and far. And in the twentieth century, the development of the radio, television, and Internet brought ideas from across the world directly into our homes.

With such great advancements in technology, society has benefited as much as it has been awed. Modern technology may be your best friend in the battle to keep citizens in your community engaged in their government. The following resources relay the benefits of technology for local government professionals:

• In the article “7 Emerging Trends in Citizen Engagement,” learn about the interesting way that San Diego is engaging its citizens.
• This blog post about social media and citizen engagement highlights the important distinction between the awareness and influence of your social media strategy.
• This blogger attended a panel hosted by the Brookings Institution and wrote about the lessons he learned in a blog post about the potential for social media to influence civic participation.
• Learn about the initiatives of some of your peers in this question about the platforms that managers use to engage their communities; and you can learn all of their engagement secrets in this question.
• In the August 2013 issue of PM magazine, the article author offers an analysis of the best ways to engage your online constituency.

For more advice on engaging your community, check out the Knowledge Network’s Technology, Citizen Engagement or Internet topic pages.