About Tim Price

About Tim Price

Digital Content & Social Media Manager, Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet

In a sentence, why are you passionate about social media and digital communications for government?

If it is done correctly, it has the power to inform the community on issues that really matter to their lives.

Tell us a bit about your background - how did you get to where you are today?

At the dawn of the internet, I started my own fan website. As the internet grew it became extremely popular so I shifted course in my career to attempt to do something I really love and am passionate about. Luckily it paid off and I have had some amazing and rewarding roles for some fantastic organisations.

What’s been your biggest learning to date?

If you really want to be good at your role, it is less about the technical knowledge and more about building relationships with people. If you can form those connections it will have a dramatic effect on your ability to make a positive change.

Who - agency or individual - do you most admire for their work online?

Having worked in the space I definitely have an affinity for emergency services organisations. The police, ambulance, SES, etc social media channels across Australia and New Zealand have done an amazing job in keeping their channels engaged so that when something happens and critical communication needs to get to them, they get it. I also have enormous respect for anyone who worked in the health space during covid, it was a constantly changing space and the communication in the social media space was extremely well done.

What’s your favourite social channel and why?

I think the one that is undervalued is LinkedIn. I see it becoming a really strong platform for good content. It is interesting to me to overhear conversations of people who have left Facebook but regularly check LinkedIn. I also have a theory that it does not need to just be corporate/job related content. I have had success with really fun and different content. I think as the platform changes to focus on content creators and becomes less about having a profile for your resume/CV, we could see the channel really transform over the next few years. 

What’s the most amazing/unusual/valuable thing you’ve personally achieved via social media?

I am amazed at some of the content I’ve produced that has gone viral. You never really know what is going to capture the attention of an audience. For me it was a video about the hidden bars of Melbourne shot on my phone that got over 3 million views, I’ve also had success with paramedics doing the running man, a man walking the city with a giant carrot and Darth Vader busking! :)

Let’s get warm and fuzzy for a moment - why did you join the GDLN and how do you hope to help create a better public sector?

I’ve been involved in similar groups before and I’ve often seen them fail for various reasons. I’m very passionate and invested in making this a success and sharing our knowledge across the sector. So many of us in comms roles within Government go through similar experiences but we rarely share those experiences to help others.  I also feel like I have enough experience at this point in my career, that I want to be a leader and help drive the sector forward and groups like this are a perfect avenue for that.

What would you say are your areas of expertise on social, if people need advice?

I am super interested in creating engaging content that connects with people. I’m always looking for the best ways to do storytelling in an ever-changing social media landscape. Trying to take government content and turn it into something interesting and engaging is always a challenge I’m up for. 

What’s the best way for people to contact you?

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-price-82913a11/