When I started my career, there was no social media. We had note pads, fax machines and the occasional disposable camera. (Which helps you understand why I’m still a pen-and-paper gal.) I knew how to communicate with my audience, but have learned a lot since then as communications continues to evolve.

What I didn’t know was the strategies I lean into most wouldn’t actually see a lot of evolution. The tactics change, but the strategies are the foundation of strong communication skills (and plans).

What sets us apart…

When it comes to government communications, we have a luxury when it comes to reaching our audiences. When we need to get a message out, our communities are looking for us, especially during a crisis. They want to hear our message or directions on what to do next. Influencers may not have the luxury, as their audiences don’t always seek them out. Instead, they work with the algorithm and hope to reach their audience though the noise that is social media.

Instead, when our message may literally be a matter of life and death, people want to know what we have to say. If we’re doing it right, we’ve already positioned ourselves as an official voice of authority so our community knows we will share trustworthy information. Be sure your information is verified, accurate and available to your audience as soon as possible. This is not about being first; it is about being accurate.

What I wish someone told me when I started in communications:

When I started my career, I had mentors who guided me with their experience and expertise. What I didn’t realize then (that I do now) is we were doing what we knew. We also were reactive in our messaging because in reality, our bandwidth was so tight, we couldn’t market ourselves the way we can now.

So for those who are new to government communications, please know you’re not alone. Here are five things I wish someone told me when I was handed my first legal pad and agency-logo’d pen and sent me off into the world of media.

1. Metrics matter, but not the ones you think.

I will never say metrics don’t matter, because they really do. However, I spent way too much time focusing on vanity metrics, such as likes, comments, shares and number of views. These are important in their own way, but conversion rates were so much more valuable.

The importance of conversion rates not only helped to see if our efforts were successful, but it helped to shape our revisions to the campaign. For instance, if we created a campaign around emergency alert sign-ups, we would want to look for conversion rates from a few places. Not only would be look at website traffic and actual opt-ins, but we’d want to see where that traffic was coming from.

Did they come from the…

• Blog post on your website?
• Reel(s) you posted on Instagram and Facebook?
• Story you posted with a link to the opt-in page?
• Newsletter article your partner agency included in their weekly email blast?

Look further than some of the vanity metrics because while going viral is great for exposure, does it even matter if you don’t convert them into followers?

2. Coffee dates are the most productive thing on your calendar.

If you know me at all, you know I’m all about networking. I love to visit with others at trainings or conferences, but I especially love standing coffee dates with counterparts I work with often. I find the relaxed environment offers an opportunity for folks to chat more openly, which can lead to productive conversations, collaborations and more ideas than you can imagine.

My favorite meeting during my PIO tenure was the quarterly coffee meeting with other government communicators in my area. There was never an agenda, but instead everyone gathering at a local coffee shop with their favorite beverage, talking about what each agency has coming up. It offered us the opportunity to collaborate on overlapping messages, upcoming social media posts or in-person events.

More than anything, it doubles as an address book to keep at your fingertips should you need help when everything “hit the fan”, so to speak. When it comes to crisis communications, you never want to fumble to find who your contact may be at a neighboring agency. Instead, the relationship is already established, so you can get to work quickly and collaboratively.

Pro tip: seek out others in communications that are not in your industry. The strategies and tactics we can learn from those in private sector are endless. I didn’t understand this I was well into my career, mainly because we tended to stay within our industry. Don’t shy away from social media influencers, business marketers and the like. We can learn a lot from them and effectively apply their strategies to government communications.

3. Competition has no place in government communications.

When it comes to marketing and communications in the private sector, it’s common to view others as competition. Whether they work for a competing company or they’re killing it with their sales, a healthy dose of competition can be fun. However, in government communications, we are striving for the same result:

To reach our community during and outside of an emergency.

And guess what? We all have similar goals, but each have a different target audience. This means, community over competition is key. It is important we learn from each other, as someone’s genius idea may work really well with your community. On the flip side, what works for one agency may not work at all for yours, depending on the circumstances.

Instead of being jealous of the agency next door whose social media is growing exponentially, ask them what they’re doing. By helping each other, this does not negatively impact their strategies, tactics or target audience. You are trying to reach different groups because in government, the one thing our audience has in common is the geographical location where they live.

So working together and learning from each other has huge potential for all involved. As a government communicator, do not reinvent the wheel. Instead, ask questions, offer suggestions, share what you’ve learned and be a resource for others.

4. Strategy is more important than any viral content you produce.

As a government communicator, there is nothing worse than creating a beautiful piece of content and it flops when you post it. Or you create viral content that brings you no additional followers. Our goal for government communications should focus on turning our followers into ambassadors, not creating viral content for the masses.

Without a strategy, it doesn’t matter how:

• Eloquently your newsletter was written
• Beautifully your b-roll was shot and pieced together
• Thoroughly your article was researched
• Helpful your social media post was considered

…if you don’t have a strategy in place to reach the right audiences.

The “what” you’re producing isn’t as important as “why” you’re going to deploy them. Again this goes back to having the right strategies in place, as opposed to the tactics (which will change over time). You want to understand where your audience(s) are, what kind of information they want to see from you and how you’re going to evaluate your effectiveness.

If you build the right strategy now, I promise it can serve you for years to come. Revisions are important, but the building blocks will already be in place. Imagine how great it would be to set and forget your strategy, then focus on revising your tactics as needed?

5. Plotting your revenge against internet trolls isn’t productive.

Last, but certainly not least, let’s address the topic of trolls. We all deal with them, especially if you manage social media platforms. Let me tell you – as a bright-eyed public information officer in 2009 who was eager to launch and watch my agency’s social media succeed, I did not have thick enough skin.

After spending way too much time plotting my revenge against each one, I no longer let the trolls get to me. I only wish it didn’t take as long as it did. I vividly remember names of certain folks who decided to take cheap shots from behind their screens, which didn’t entice me to keep posting to the platform. While it was discouraging, we don’t have the option to “shut it down”. Instead, I had to keep my head high and remind myself that we are the experts. While constructive criticism is welcomed and a way to grow, the “constructive” part is essential.

The truth is: the comments that are not productive, do not ask a question or are simply “for show” do not require a response. They also do not need to take up space for you. Take it from Elsa and let it go.

Final thoughts as a seasoned government communicator:

Over the course of my career, I have had many duties. From lead public information officer handling media inquiries and interviews, to social media manager who created content for and managed three platforms daily, to laying out print documents to writing articles to building campaigns to “additional duties as assigned”, the list feels endless. Sometimes it was because the industry was trying to pivot and keep up with the evolution of communications, especially in the form of technology.

But if we’ve ever chatted in real life, you’ve heard me say: strategic communications is crucial. Define your strategies, identify your tactics and train your team to understand why you’re doing it this way. Having a strategy is much more than having a Facebook account or taking photos at an event. Build strategies that serve your audience and your agency because I promise it will pay you back tenfold in the relationships you create.