Background
Since May 2023, Mashrokit Digital has partnered with the Bat Yam Municipality, an Israeli city, to manage its public-sector social media and digital channels. The initial goal was to transition the city's main social media page from a static informational bulletin board into an engaging digital space where residents actively participate.
While the ongoing work focused on video strategy and content creation, the operational environment shifted dramatically in October 2023. The outbreak of war required a rapid pivot from routine digital management to deploying life-saving digital channels during an emergency.
The work
When the national emergency began, residents faced severe uncertainty and flooded municipal call centers and social media channels with a recurring issue: they did not know the locations of the nearest public shelters. Recognizing the need for an accessible solution, we worked alongside the client's in-house team to rapidly develop a location-based landing page.
The concept was straightforward and highly functional. Upon entering the page, a resident could click a single button, and the system automatically identified the three closest public shelters based on their current location. This digital tool provided clarity for residents under pressure.
The response to the shelter page was immediate, recording tens of thousands of visits within a few days. This rapid deployment not only provided residents with critical information but also significantly reduced the strain on the municipal call center, earning public praise from the Minister of Defense for efficient citizen service.
From our work
Ongoing scope
Beyond emergency deployments, we run the city's ongoing social media channels alongside the client's in-house team. This includes executing a comprehensive video strategy, identifying relevant trends, producing videos, and writing scripts—including content for the mayor—to deliver municipal updates clearly and authentically.
Any comment moderation on these channels is conducted strictly under the client's written policy, ensuring a structured and compliant environment for public discourse.
What transfers
Local governments worldwide face the dual challenge of routine citizen engagement and sudden operational shifts during emergencies. This case demonstrates how to rapidly deploy functional digital tools, like location-based services, to alleviate pressure on physical call centers. It also highlights the value of maintaining a strong, ongoing video strategy to build an audience that can be reliably reached when critical updates are necessary.
Results & Impact
The consistent digital strategy has yielded clear operational results. In an analysis of 346 posts published during this period, resident engagement increased by a factor of 1.9. Simultaneously, the reach of municipal content grew 4.3 times, demonstrating that well-managed, direct communication effectively connects with broader audiences.
“I couldn't have asked for higher quality and more talented professionals.”