Communication Landscape
- People are bombarded with communication daily (avg. 4,000–10,000 ads/day).
- 4.8B people use social media (60% of the global population).
- 67% of global ad revenue comes from digital ads.
- 91% of organisations use video as a communication tool.
Communication Channels
- Definition: Ways people gather info about an organisation (e.g., social media, website, email, flyers).
Criteria for choosing channels:
- The Audience is active there.
- Supports the organisation’s goals.
- Provides positive ROI (Return on Investment).
Types:
- Digital: Internet-based (social media, email, website, YouTube, ads).
- Non-digital: Traditional (TV, radio, letters, newspapers, flyers, billboards).
- Organisations should ideally use both; at a minimum, a website + email.
Owned, Earned & Paid Media
- Owned: Direct channels controlled by the org (website, email list, organic posts).
- Earned: Others share/promote your org voluntarily (word of mouth, reposts, media coverage).
- Paid: Ads or sponsored placements to reach wider audiences (Google ads, paid social, event sponsorships).
- Channels can overlap (e.g., an owned Instagram post becomes earned when shared).
Social Media Guidance
- Match platform to audience demographics and content type.
- Facebook/Instagram: General audience, visual/storytelling.
- LinkedIn: Credibility, professional presence.
- TikTok/Snapchat: Younger audiences.
- YouTube: Longer-form video storytelling.
- Pinterest: Female-oriented, fashion/home goods.
- Twitter/X: News, advocacy, justice/reform.
- Most nonprofits benefit from at least Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Key Questions When Choosing Channels
- Where does your audience get information and spend time (online & offline)?
- Are you trying to expand reach (→ paid) or retain/engage current audience (→ owned/earned)?
- How can you encourage advocates to share your content (earned)?
- Is your investment of time/money delivering a good ROI (Return on Investment)?