The emergence of new media has been a key item for changing the role of traditional media in contemporary society. The Internet has greatly facilitated two-way communication and, over time, increased interactivity between authorities and their public. In order to investigate the characteristics of the use of social media within the scope of local self-governments, a survey was conducted in the Zadar County. Qualitative research included two cities - Benkovac and Biograd na Moru and 13 municipalities - Polača, Gračac, Kolan, Stankovci, Zemunik Donji, Sukošan, Sveti Filip i Jakov, Preko, Pašman, Kukljica, Tkon and Vir. Using an in-depth interview with representatives of city and municipal leaders who are responsible for creating content on social media of their administrations, the research showed that local government in 90% of cases uses only Facebook profile, while Instagram and Twitter are not recognized as a quality tool for communication with local community. Based on the conducted research and analysis of the official websites of city and municipal administrations, the possibilities of using social media within the scope of local self-governments were presented. Given that communication roles in public relations are large, it is necessary that trained and educated professionals work in this field, as well as the hiring of specialized public relations agencies or community management, which provide social media maintenance services. On the other hand, the negative effects of the existence of social media in the work of local governments are presented, which ultimately reflect on the end users - the citizens of the local community.