STRATEGIC SOCIAL MEDIA

Communications Corner

STRATEGIC SOCIAL MEDIA

Essential for effective regulatory communications

Collette Deschenes

When it comes to effective regulatory communications, engaging with your audiences (stakeholders) through a variety of communication channels isn’t just beneficial; it’s essential .

Here’s where social media comes into play. Social media platforms are an efficient communication channel for regulatory bodies to engage with key audiences including registrants, applicants, students, employers, and the public. If it’s used strategically, social media can also be an effective and impactful channel to educate, inform and encourage your audiences to act.

Is your organization aiming to start socials, expand or enhance your presence? Are you wondering where to start? The key consideration is always strategy.

Your organization is likely managing multiple communication priorities as you aim to build and maintain trust and transparency. You don’t want to simply put content out there on social media and see what sticks. Instead, you want your efforts to be:

• Purposeful : Every post should have a clear objective

and contribute to the regulator’s larger strategic goals.

• Measurable: Aim to consistently evaluate the effectiveness of your organization’s social media activities.

Start by planning before implementing. The preparation phase is crucial as it sets the foundation for how you’ll disseminate key messages on social media. Again, you want your messages to be impactful and delivered with purpose.

Optimizing your organization’s socials

If you’re looking to optimize your organization’s existing social media presence, start by reviewing your current efforts.

Conduct a social media audit to examine and evaluate the effectiveness of your socials, your reach and how your efforts align with overall organizational strategic goals. Aim to look at your current social media profiles,

including any active or inactive accounts, to ensure they are still relevant platforms and align with your organization’s role as a regulator.

As you review, you’ll want to take a deeper dive into understanding your audience demographics. For example, if your organization uses socials primarily to communicate with registrants, assess your social presence in comparison with registrant demographics. Take a broad look at how your organization compares to other regulatory bodies both in and outside of the profession your organization regulates.

Thoroughly review social media performance metrics. This data provides insights you’re your organization’s best performing platforms and content as you look for areas to improve and enhance your social media presence.

Through your social media audit, you’ll identify your social media strengths, possible gaps and opportunities to improve. This information is key as you develop a relevant social strategy.

Leveraging social listening

Social listening should be an integral part of your social media strategy. It allows you to monitor and analyze conversations around specific topics, keywords, competitors, or even your organization itself. Your organization can gain invaluable insights that lead to more informed decision-making and strategic planning. This not only helps in managing your reputation but also enhances engagement by tailoring your communications to meet the real and current needs of your audiences.

Start now, not later

It's no secret that communication is rapidly evolving, with digital and social media at the forefront, reshaping

how we connect, engage, and inform. Digital-first communication reflects the continuous changes in expectations particularly among younger demographics.

If your organization is aiming to establish a social presence, there’s no better time than now. Strategic socials will set yourself up for success, ensuring that your regulatory communications are not only heard but are also impactful and responsive to the needs of today’s digital-first audience.

As you look ahead, remember that the digital transformation journey in communication is continuous, and starting with a robust strategy today will better prepare your organization for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.

Interested in elevating your organization’s social media presence? Connect with me at collette@mdrstrategy.ca.

At MDR, our team of regulatory communication professionals specializes in refining your strategic social media efforts and supporting your social listening. From initial development to final deployment, we’re committed to ensuring your communications are delivered with clear intent and measurable impact. Join other regulators who choose the MDR solution to deliver their messages with meaning and purpose.

www.mdrstrategy.ca

" Ultimately, you have to embrace changes and have a public and consumer vision to ensure that, as operators, we are doing what needs to be done."

– Maureen Harquail

Maureen Harquail, Registrar and CEO, Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council