NPSC Blog

Let’s assume that you have a new project in your agency that requires thorough and structured (internal) communications. When you are writing up your communications strategy, how do you sell senior management on the idea of a blog as one of the key channels? What arguments can you bring to bear that might persuade them that the social media approach is the best way to achieve the business and communications objectives you have outlined in the strategy?

I can’t give you a silver bullet that will work in every case, but I have been testing some of these arguments and have found that, as generic exemplars, they could provide the foundation for a case for a blog as an internal communications tool.

An externally facing blog would require a different set of arguments, with some overlap, but I am assuming that if you are pitching a blog, you would want to trial it as an internal tool first…

Benefits

This is not an exhaustive list, more a starting point. Add any others you think might help the case in the comments.

Multi-purpose

A good blogging tool will support all your communications requirements. It will manage all content types. You can publish text, images, audio, video in just about every format. You can pretty much run your entire comms programme from the one platform.

A blog also gives you channel options. Staff can subscribe for email updates, subscribe to the RSS feed, visit the site, or you could push highlights of the feed onto your Intranet.

Corporate record

Because it is so self-contained, it makes for an excellent argument for your CIO: all the content is in the one place. The entire record of the campaign is easily accessible, searchable and portable. It is an archivists dream.

Make sure that you have a well-defined exit strategy. On the ‘About’ page, detail exactly what the blog is for (cut & paste from your strategic initiatives) and how it will be managed, including the wrap-up.

On that note, make sure that at the end of the programme you include post implementation review material so that the record is complete. This way, in several years time, colleagues will be able to look back and see the complete record of your thorough planning and meticulous execution…

Measurement

I see this as being one of the key points to sell to management as it is a standout: the ability to accurately track how your content is being accessed and consumed. Any half-decent analytics package will allow you to see unique visitors, time spent on each page, entry and exit pages etc. You will be able to track the most popular content (and content types) and manage your communications programme – in real time – accordingly.

Lightweight

Quick, easy and very cheap to install and maintain and integrate with your existing systems. For the range of functionality that is being delivered, this is a spectacularly cost effective and versatile (see next point) solution.

Extensibility

You can add all manner of plugins to enhance the functionality of the site to better achieve your communications objectives. This means that the blog can be specifically tailored to suit your, and your audiences, requirements.

Feedback

The other key point, of course, is the raison d’être of social media: the conversation. Staff can comment and it is completely transparent. You have the option of allowing anonymous comments, or require that people identify themselves in order to participate (see the risks). In any event, everyone will be able to follow the discussions and they will be captured for posterity.

Risks

In all honesty, for an internal communications programme, there aren’t all that many. There is a risk that not everyone will want to contribute, this could be mitigated by enabling anonymous comments, but I would advise you to accept the risk on the grounds that you would want to foster open, honest and transparent engagement.

The only other risk that immediately springs to mind is that all of the other business units will want one. However, I am sure you will be able to come up with some others.

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