Did you know that over 80% of communicators from organisations, projects or campaigns working in civil society feel they know how to defend their positions on societal issues but more than 60% say they don’t have a guide or policy to help them navigate reputation management? *Amplify Mobilise Change sector communication survey 2023.
At Amplify Mobilise Change we drive the idea that communication practitioners in social development are in a prime position to argue for or advocate for an organisation’s views and positions online. This entails not simply publishing information and content that is visible and seen by many but by operating in the more ephemeral and unpredictable spaces of ‘community management’ – replying to, engaging with online responses, comments, and questions that emerge after something has been published.
In our practice, we see this layer of communication as critical for sustaining conversations that shift hearts and minds. Indeed, as people show interest in our ideas and methods, we have a chance to talk to them and help them support us or take steps towards our solutions.
While an expert within an organisation may pen an op-ed or guide a campaign, they are not usually the ones engaging with the ensuing online conversation around a piece of information, or seeking out people and opinions in other channels, accounts, or conversations online to harness the potential of a moment.
Community management can be overlooked in broader advocacy and social leadership communication strategies. Here are two reasons why you need to prioritise it;
📌Its activities offer tremendous potential for extending the reach and quality of our thought leadership and advocacy work.
📌By seeking out the less visible spaces and people, we can explore and respond to what society is talking about, put forward important contributions to necessary topics, and help extend what we believe in, in nuanced ways.
And, this form of communication is not always easy going – it’s unpredictable and quite demanding. This is why we need to value and trust those who do it, and equip our communication teams with the knowledge and authority to engage appropriately on behalf of our movements and work. What does this look like?
🎯Make sure your communication team knows your positions and arguments well and can confidently hold a conversation about them.
🎯Make sure you map out what to do if things go ‘wrong’ – whether this is if the conversation ignites hurt or anger, if the nature of the conversation is combative or if it escalates and there is a bigger risk of reputation damage.
🎯Offer guidelines on how to argue for your positions and values or beliefs – what language to use, tone and style.
🎯Protect them (and your organisation) with a formal guideline and policy that offers a framework for why and where you communicate.
Equipping a communication team with the skills to handle these situations will not only support them in practice but also give them the security of knowing there is a policy framework to lean on. People do their best work when the boundaries are clear.
The contents of these frameworks can vary and should speak to your organisation’s approaches and policies.
Looking for some more guidelines?
Take a look at a relevant extract of Toolkit 3 : Book 4: Healthy and Safe Content Practices
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