Cities and counties, more than any other level of government, understand the need for quick and efficient customer service.
Alameda County has taken this key tenant of local governance and applied it to the web.
It was announced on Tuesday, September 3 that Alameda County has been honored with the top prize in the county category of the annual 2013 Best of the Web (BOW) competition. Austin, Texas, Alameda County and the state of Tennessee were awarded the best local, county and state agency website, respectively.
The competition is sponsored by the Center for Digital Government. According to their website, “The 2013 Best of the Web awards program showcases governments whose websites demonstrate innovation, usability and functionality for users. Best of the Web honorees have sites that display effective governmental efficiency and service delivery.”
Alameda County was commended for its clean design and seamless ability to connect the main site with its mobile counterpart. Alameda has also received accolades for its array of innovative apps, including agency-specific applications that connect residents to library services, public works, and the fire department.
Alameda is also quite active on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and even Pinterest.
According to the Center for Digital Government, a key component of their success lies in the emphasis they have placed on citizen engagement.
Alameda was not the only public agency in California to make the list of finalists. Orange County took third place in the county category, followed by Sacramento County in fourth. In the city category, Riverside was narrowly beat out by Austin, Texas and finalists include LA, Palo Alto, and Santa Monica.
Read more about Alameda County’s digital presence and what makes a great government site here.