City and county governments in Michigan are using social media in unique and interesting ways to stay in touch with their citizens.

There are hundreds of pages and accounts, so we'll just highlight a few big players on Twitter.

The City of East Lansing (@CityofEL) has more than 16,000 followers. They are using Twitter to keep people updated about city services and remind everyone to register to vote!

The City of Detroit has more than 9,000 followers.

They are using Twitter to help highlight a vital program in their area – Grow Detroit's Young Talent – and the mentors that make it happen. Check out this video they posted recently:

They also use their account to make big economic announcements, like this one:

Grand Rapids boasts more than 14,800 followers. They recently shared an interesting event on Twitter – a Bike Share study open house!

The city also used the platform to get input on the next city manager:

Ann Arbor has one of the largest Twitter presence, with more than 18,500 followers

Their recent Twitter posts include construction alerts, events, and helpful infographics. Check out this post where they reached out to the LGBTQ community in their area:

Kalamazoo has nearly 3,000 followers.

Their recent posts have really worked to reach out to the public by making community leaders more personable. Check out this comical post about the mayor:

They are also posting lots of news alerts, including warnings and advisories in bad weather.

These social media account have been shown to improve government-constituent relationships and encourage open dialogue and participation from citizens not before inclined to take part in local affairs.

Some local governments are branching out past Twitter and Facebook to get right in your neighborhood by joining Nextdoor.com. Through this app, they can provide community specific information and keep a thumb on the pulse of that neighborhood's concerns.

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.