The literature perceives governments’websitesas an effective tool for increasing information delivery, user interaction, and the government services’ supply, being the most visible aspects of citizens concerning public management. However, the interaction ofcitizens with governments is still unclear. The practical implications of conducting e-government, capable of expanding this relationship, are still invisible. This study aims to provide an understanding of how governments’ websites are used as an e-government tool in local governments, highlighting how e-government concepts have been empirically employed. The study takesa qualitative approach, examiningfive municipalities in a microregion in the Brazilian state of Bahia. We gathered the data using a triangulation process that includedsemi-structured interviews, analysis of the websites, and opinion questionnaires to the citizens. Our research shows that governments lack compelling actions and coordinated internal procedures, resulting in a gap between practice and digital governance policies, resulting in low citizens' participation,and unfamiliarity with government communication channels.The study contributes to the e-government literature by offering further insight into how people and organizations influence technology use, providing elements that can guide motivated public managers to increase relationshipsand communication with society. We highlight the need to investigatethe phenomenon of digital transformation in governments at the organizational level