The Digital Get Down: A Q&A with Digital Manager Lauren Farber
There are so many ways that digital platforms can be useful communications tools. From utilizing a newsletter to educate stakeholders on important issues or engaging new audiences with a social media campaign - the opportunities are endless for communicators.
Which is why we’re excited to announce the newest member of the Scott Circle Communications team, Lauren Farber. Lauren will be managing our digital campaigns and help us expand our capabilities so that we can better serve our clients, increasing their presence across all platforms! We sat down with Lauren to get some more insight into all things digital.
What do you think people think of when they hear the phrase “digital media” or “digital communications”? And what do you think “digital” really encompasses?
When people hear the term “digital,” they might think this refers to all of the ways their brand appears on the internet. However, the problem is people don’t necessarily always think about all of the channels that fall under this umbrella and how they intersect with and interact with one another. Digital communications encompasses everything from your website to your Twitter profile - it goes well beyond your social media channels.
Why is it so important to take digital assets into consideration when developing a comprehensive communications strategy?
To be effective, you should use your digital presence to reflect all of the important work you’re doing and find opportunities to leverage that work with your target audiences. Make sure the work that you’re doing offline, like hosting events or doing advocacy work on the Hill, is reflected online through your digital channels so people can get a sense of what your organization or brand is all about – and maybe even participate.
Your digital strategy should be treated like a living organism. You can’t just look at it once. You need to always be adapting your strategy so it’s responsive and relevant. Make digital platforms a part of your regular communications check ins so that you’re always thinking of ways that you can utilize your digital presence to promote the work you’re doing.
Can organizations get by with not having a digital strategy?
No, I don’t think any organization can get by without having somewhat of a digital strategy. At a bare minimum, you need to ensure that you own your online properties – if not, someone else could stake their claim to your brand and push out a message that is contradictory to your mission. Even if, for example, you might not need to utilize Instagram to reach your particular audience, it would be helpful to hold that handle so someone else does not misrepresent you.
Digital channels are an easy way to own your message and engage with people who care about the work you are doing – it’s a mistake not to utilize all of the tools at your disposal!
What’s the biggest mistake they can make (beyond not having a digital strategy)?
One of the biggest mistakes an organization can make is trying to utilize digital channels without truly understanding their own identity and mission – trying to do so is a quick way to amplify the things you don’t know about yourself and those weaknesses will be starkly evident online.
Another mistake is not considering what platforms make the most sense for your organization and your goals. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t try to force it. Just because Tik Tok exists doesn’t necessarily mean that your organization should actively be spending resources to use that channel. You need to understand what makes sense and factor in the time and resources at your disposal, as well as what will have the most impact for your audience. If you need to engage in real-time conversations, then you need to be engaging on Twitter. If you have a longer message that’s not as time sensitive that you want to make sure gets in front of a previously engaged audience, you need to utilize your organization’s newsletter and email lists.
With so many digital platforms out there, how can an organization best prioritize which one(s) makes the most sense for them to utilize?
Again, digital communications should never be an afterthought. It should always be a part of any campaign’s launch and integrated into your regular communications check-ins. You need to make sure you are having strategic conversations with your team before you launch into any initiatives.
Make sure you are asking yourselves the right questions: Who are you trying to talk to? What action do you want them to take? Where does that audience live online, and what is the best way to reach them? What are key assets at our disposal and how can we easily leverage them?
What’s the best way to build an audience?
The easiest thing to do is to engage those who are already engaged in some way. Ask your partners and allies to follow you and spotlight your role in their work online. For example, if you’re working on an initiative together, ask them to tag you on social media when talking about it. This helps you build an organic following of people who may already be interested in the topic at hand.
Think about actions you can take to drive people to subscribe and engage with your channels, making sure your asks are daisy chained. For example, on your website, make sure there is a sign up page for your newsletter. When people sign up, make sure your thank you page includes an ask to follow you on your active social media channels, and separately feature that prompt in your newsletter. When you post on social media, make sure to frequently link back to resources on your website and build in the ability to share them easily on social.
What’s your personal favorite form of digital communications and why?
Twitter. Although it can definitely be a cesspool for some truly terrible things, it’s how I stay informed and get my news. I’ve increasingly tried to be mindful about who I follow so it’s not just all political doom and gloom. I try to seek out perspectives and voices that may be different from my own, particularly when it comes to pop culture. Twitter can be both a great equalizer and a spotlight for some of our inherent biases, but I still think it’s the best way to gain a broader perspective on everything from the latest HBO show people are obsessing over to the bigger implications of breaking news.