Williamson County Public Affairs has been recognized for its exceptional work in the realm of communication, securing three top honors at the National Association of County Information Officers (NACIO) 2025 Awards of Excellence, the county reported earlier this week. The accolades include the best website redevelopment for the Williamson County Historical Commission's online portal, which saw an impressive uptick in visits by over 250% this past year, drawing more than 1,300 visitors alone to its interactive historical timelines.
In addition to the website recognition, the county was praised for its Quality of Life Campaign for the River Ranch County Park 20-Miler Program this innovative campaign celebrated the first anniversary of the park, highlighting the 20 miles of trails available to the community, the campaign was a tremendous success, leading to a surge in web traffic with the park's page receiving 600% more visits than any other within the county's parks network and social media posts relating to the campaign amassed over 6,800 views and nearly 300 interactions further showcasing the effectiveness of the communication strategy.
The third award went to their Crisis Response Campaign surrounding the January 2024 Winter Storm, moreover, during this event, Williamson County succeeded in disseminating crucial updates to the community, with a suite of 27 social media posts reaching 163,000 people in just a few days and a spotlight post thanking the Road & Bridge Division, which alone received 82,900 views, 775 likes, and 43 shares, demonstrating real-time efficient communication during a crisis situation.
Connie Odom, director of communications and media relations for Williamson County, conveyed the county's commitment in a statement, noting, "This recognition demonstrates that Williamson County is actively working toward that goal. It is a privilege to be honored by our peers across the country for our efforts," and supportive sentiments were echoed by NACIO President Schuyler Harding who commended all the winners for contributing to their respective communities through "innovative approaches and compelling storytelling."
NACIO, an active affiliate of the National Association of Counties (NACo), remains a staunch proponent of the significance professional PIOs and communicators hold for county governments, and through award programs like these, it continues to highlight and reward the transformative power of effective public communication.
