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Social Links

Project Overview

The Digital Lab designed and launched as an alternative to costly and unapproved third-party platforms. The easy-to-use Social Links tool was created with Mission personnel in mind and developed in collaboration with PD staff in the field. Social Links is installed on Mission Website Platforms and comes with security standards and branding options already in place.

Social Links is a tool that enables internal social media practitioners and content managers to provide their audiences with a secure way to view promoted content. Social Links enhances content strategy in a similar way as other popular tools on the market, such as Link in Bio or Linktree. The Social Links URL is placed in an Instagram account bio to drive traffic towards calls to action, access web properties and valuable content that your Mission wants to promote. 

Result and Impact

Third-party platforms, like LinkTree, are not approved by federal standards that focus on the security and protection of sensitive federal information within cloud technologies. 

By creating a DOS-owned version of these tools, Social Links enables Missions to easily activate and access a secure method for promoting content with security standards and branding options already in place, and also provides valuable benefits specific to our unique needs. The tool includes:

  • Security – using a third-party platform that is not FedRAMP approved poses security risks to the Department. Since Social Links is installed on the Mission Website Platform, it inherits the security standards already in place on your current website.
  • Branding – Social Links provides cohesive branding through two style templates that match both the legacy Mission websites as well as the new redesigned sites launched this year.
  • Traffic – using a third-party platform sends valuable traffic away from DOS web properties but because Social Links is hosted on your Mission website, all initial web traffic stays within DOS properties. Since Google Analytics is already installed in the Mission websites, access to powerful analytics for Social Links is available.
  • Access – Mission staff can easily access and manage Social Links through your Mission website administration site.