The Big Picture

HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT

This step-by-step guide will help you create a clear digital communications strategy for rethinking your social media strategy.

If you do not have an organisational communications strategy, you should refer to the IFEX Communications Strategy Step by Step guide first, which provides an overview for creating a full communications strategy. A digital communications strategy is an important component of that full communications strategy. If you are unclear about your organisation’s overall strategy, you should consult the IFEX Strategic Planning Toolkit for guidance on drafting a strategic plan.

THE VALUE OF A CLEAR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

Creating a well-planned digital communications strategy will ensure that the time and energy devoted to your online efforts is well spent. Your goal, as with your overall communications strategy, is to create a digital communications strategy that is:

1. Clear
2. Targeted
3. Achievable

Why is a digital communications strategy essential?
A digital communications strategy is important as it helps ensure that:

• Your digital communications strategy and overall communications strategy are aligned.
• Your organisation’s strategic plan, vision and mission align with your digital communications strategy.
• Your digital communications are consistent and clear.
• The time your team spends on digital communications activities is well planned and directed.
• You have included ways to measure the effectiveness of your digital communications
• You have the information you need to adjust your activities if they are less effective than you would like them to be.

This will ensure that your organisation’s messages are heard by the audience(s) you are targeting.

ALIGN YOUR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY WITH YOUR COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY AND ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGY, MISSION AND VISION

HOW THE PIECES FIT TOGETHER

DETERMINE WHERE YOU WILL FOCUS YOUR EFFORTS

WHERE SHOULD YOU FOCUS YOUR EFFORTS?

Your Website Is Your Foundation: In most cases, the foundation of your digital communications strategy will be your organisation’s website. (See section Rethinking your website for specifics on analysing and updating your website.)

Your website should:
• Reflect your strategic plan, mission and vision
• Be aligned with your overall communication strategy.

Ask yourself: Is my organisation’s website up to date and aligned with current organisational strategic plan, mission and vision and current overall communications objectives and goals? If the answer is “No,” then you should make rethinking your website your first digital communications strategy objective.

Social media helps you engage with your audience(s): Your social media efforts are essential in allowing you to engage with your audience(s).

Through social media, you can:
• Engage in conversation with your audience(s)
• Direct them to valuable content and resources housed on your website
• Create connections with other content creators and curators
• Listen to what members of your audience(s) are saying on key issues
• Ensure that your organisation is seen as contributing to the online conversation around your key issues.

Should your website be your top priority? In most cases, it will be. But not always.

When should your social media efforts be a higher priority than updating or maintaining your website?

• When a fast-breaking issue or crisis requires that you rethink your communication priorities and plans: It may be that your communications strategy, digital communications strategy and website plan all made perfect sense when they were approved for your current year’s workplan. But what if a major crisis—an unexpected new piece of legislation that threatens press freedom in your country, or a military crackdown on free expression—occurs? Ideally your website’s structure will be flexible enough to allow you to cover and respond to this issue on the site. But it may make more sense to focus your efforts on social media, which allows for a more nimble, quick response. In this circumstance, you may decide to shelve your website priorities, and focus instead on social media activities.

• When your organisation and its website are being targeted or hacked by opponents: As an individual organisation, you may lack the security sophistication to ensure that your website stays up in the face of persistent attacks or targeting. Social media sites may allow you to more effectively keep getting your message out when your website is down or under attack.