The City of Carlsbad, like many cities throughout the nation, is faced with a shrinking local media presence and a community that is increasingly utilizing digital channels for communication.  At the same time, through the recent recession, the city reduced its communication resources by nearly one third.  The city was challenged to find new, low cost ways of reaching community members in a way that was relevant and engaging.  The goal of establishing a presence for the City of Carlsbad on social media was to “meet the audience where they are,” meaning providing information and opportunities for input on channels already used by residents.  To accomplish this goal, the city launched a variety of social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, Vine and Pinterest.