The public is not your audience
As the old adage goes, one size does not fit all.
One communication platform does not reach all.
One style of communication does not engage all.
One message is not relevant to all.
This is true whether you are a business trying to sell your products or services, a researcher trying to share your science, or an NGO trying to help address a social or ecological problem.
Putting your audience front and centre influences many aspects of your communication strategy, including:
✔ The objective of the communication
✔ The styles of communications you create
✔ What platforms you use
✔ The tone/language of your communication
✔ What information you need to include, and what you can leave out
✔ How often you need to disseminate your messages to engage your audience
Putting your audience first does not necessarily mean:
❌ Ignoring certain groups of people
❌ Only creating one type of communication
❌ Focusing on just one platform
❌ Focusing on just one platform
Even if you want to reach a broad group of people, by targeting “the public,” you risk reaching nobody. Don’t let the fear of missing someone out drive your communication strategy. Taking the time to think about who you want to reach and creating your outreach for them will be much more effective and efficient in the long run.
