An online giveaway for reality show tickets was hosted on Taicang’s official microblog. The microblog, or weibo, is a low-cost platform that allows Taicang to communicate with residents.

Government agencies and public service institutions began adopting weibo in 2012 to convey information and communicate with the public. A total of 54 government organizations in Taicang currently have their own weibo. The microblogs have attracted many netizens.

Convenient communication

Yu Ming is an old weibo user who follows news on official weibo websites, including news from Taicang. She said that these official weibo connect the government and ordinary people and can provide interesting and useful information.

Joining weibo is a vital way to achieve informationization of the government. The sites can help the government understand social conditions, give them a chance to respond to heated discussions, and communicate with and serve the people.

Taicang Fabu has a strong weibo presence. Although it was created later on, the website has come out in front among all official weibo in Suzhou in terms of followers, influence, liveliness, transmissibility and coverage.

Short but influential

Weibo language is short but influential, measuring less than 140 words.

There are many examples of the platform’s growing power. One typical example is the case of a patient in Taicang who was infected with H7N9. The information about the case was illustrated in detail via weibo, easing fears among citizens in a timely way. Official microblogs can deliver credible information in a timely manner.

Promoting network politics

A report about the development of government microblogs pointed out that official weibo involve people in government work directly by making government affairs transparent online. Official weibo are prompt and open, short yet powerful. Under the current circumstances of an open government, official weibo have important implications.