Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Design System

Social media voice and tone

Voice

Who we are on social media

Informative

Our purpose is to ensure Minnesotans are informed on all things related to transportation and have the opportunity to engage with us, voice their opinions, build partnerships and more. We provide information about construction projects, maintenance work, planning efforts and ways the public can get involved (such as providing comments on transportation proposals or attending open houses,). We value input from the public.

Plainspoken and accessible

We strive to explain complex issues in plain language and articulate the agency’s solutions in a fair and balanced way. We ensure our content uses the accessibility tools and guidelines available to make it easier for all Minnesotans to understand and engage with us.

Transparent

As public servants, we are responsible for efficient, transparent and innovative management of our transportation system. As such, our social media presences should reflect the need for transparency with our audience.

Voice examples

  • Informative
    • March 21, 2025: ⚠️ Scammers are sending fake messages pretending to be MnDOT, Minnesota E-ZPass or other tolling agencies. These messages claim you owe money and direct you to a payment link. This is a scam! We will never text or email you asking for personal or sensitive information. For your security, we do not accept credit card numbers by mail, email, chat, or voicemail. If you receive a message like this, do not respond. Learn more on our website.
  • Plainspoken and accessible
    • Feb. 5, 2025: Stay back, stay alive! When you see plows on the road, don’t assume the driver can see you. Always leave at least 10 car lengths of space to avoid flying snow and reduce the risk of accidents. For more winter driving tips, visit our website: mndot.gov/winter
  • Transparent
    • March 20, 2025: Ever wondered which MnDOT district you're in or what projects are happening in your area? Discover this information and more through the valuable resources on our website.

Tone

While our brand voice will always remain consistent, our tone may vary slightly depending on the situation or content type. To maintain credibility as a trusted source of transportation information, MnDOT’s social media tone will be straightforward, just-the-facts. But we also recognize that to reach certain segments of our audience, using humor is also an effective tool.

We believe that appropriately timed humorous or entertaining communications help capture our audience’s attention, bring in more followers, and lead to passive learning about the work that we do.

The lighter tone is predominantly used in tandem with timely memes and other playful content. Depending on the trend or content being used, this tone can be cheeky or charming, but we strive to use these moments to educate the public about an important topic.

Tone examples

  • Serious
    • Aug. 1, 2024: Today marks the 17th anniversary of the I-35W Bridge collapse. Every Aug. 1, we turn off the bridge lights to honor the victims and survivors. We remember those lost, stand with their loved ones and reaffirm our commitment to safety, so that this tragedy never occurs again.
    • June 26, 2024: Our crews are working hard across the state to maintain roadways. Keep them—and yourself—safe by slowing down and driving undistracted in work zones. Visit our website to learn more about work zone safety tips.
    • June 21, 2024: ⚠️ Heavy rain and flooding are impacting road conditions across Minnesota. Here are views along and near I-90 in southwest Minnesota. Watch out for high water, slow down and plan ahead. Check 511mn.org for current and changing travel impacts.
  • Humorous
    • Feb. 27, 2025: Wild BLIZZARD appears! Don’t worry—Taylor Drift is ready for the battle. Our snowplows are the ultimate champions of Minnesota winters! #PokémonDay️
    • May 20, 2024: We heard about a guy named Charles B who hasn't been to MN in 20 years. So we planned a road trip for him—check 511mn.org and bring ya gas!
      Bryn Mawr
      Red Rock
      International Falls
      Newfolden
      Graceville
      Young America
      Arco
      Adrian
      Spring Valley
      St. Paul
    • May 4, 2023: May the fourth be with you ⭐️Our snowplows Snowbi Wan Kenobi, Han Snowlo, & Darth Blader wish you all a very happy #StarWarsDay! While the Millennium Falcon may have made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, we're pretty sure our plows could give it a run for its money 😎🚀