SCOTT QUICK to use Twitter to ‘tell it all.’

‘Tell it all’ his social media strategy, he says

If Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. were to add a disclaimer to his Twitter bio, it might be “retweets mean you should see this.”

“Retweets are not endorsements” is a common disclaimer used on the social networking site that is meant to indicate that reposting another user’s statement doesn’t reflect alignment with their position.

Scott said he had those four words in his bio before he was elected mayor and ran out of room amid other resume bullets on his digital profile.

The mayor often uses his Twitter account to broadcast local events and initiatives, and others’ praise for them, and to retweet ideas that others mention to him.

So what’s his social media strategy?

“Tell it all,” Scott said with a laugh. “I mean, I’m a millennial. I’m just a creature of my generation, I think, and I think it’s past time for the city of Little Rock to share its story.”

Scott, 36, said he runs his own social media accounts on platforms that include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. He said he uses tweets and retweets to disseminate information that he believes should be shared, especially positive items.

Thanks to the widespread appeal of the internet, digital platforms have increasingly become a place for political and civic engagement.

Social media provides a useful avenue for politicians who no longer need newspapers or television to get a message to an audience that can boost their public image, said Jared Schroeder, an assistant professor at Southern Methodist University whose research focuses on democratic discourse and emerging technologies.

“It’s really helpful for them because they can skip the traditional gatekeepers,” Schroeder said.

Scott said he wants people to know about the good things Little Rock is doing, and he often uses the site to drive conversation about ideas.

“This may sound crazy, but I dream of the day when Little Rock will have a modified light rail system that interconnects our city,” Scott tweeted the day after Thanksgiving.

The post drew more than 330 “likes” and a variety of supportive responses, many of which Scott retweeted.

“Well, if you’re crazy, then so am I!” Ward 4 City Director Capi Peck replied to Scott’s post.

A light rail system from downtown to west Little Rock isn’t something that can happen immediately, but it’s something people should be thinking about,” Scott told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The mayor said he asked Rock Region Metro, the transit agency for Central Arkansas, for a long-term plan and told the agency that he believes a modified light rail system should be included in the plan.

The tweet also falls in line with Scott’s desire to begin laying the groundwork this year for long-term goals for the city.

“There will be things that we will be looking towards that may not even be feasible financially, logistically, within the next three years,” Scott said, “but it’s seeds to sow in the mindset of citizens.”