Communications Strategic Plan
Marcello Pavan, Director of Communications
The last year has seen a flurry of activity in CAP communications as we started implementing the Communications Strategic Plan. We are happy to report that the initial phase of the Plan is almost complete in that:
- a new website was launched
- a new “electronic newsletter” (dubbed “eFlash” and eNews”) plan has been implemented
- our social media activity was ramped up (see report below)
- we undertook a comprehensive rebranding initiative, culminated by the recent launch of the new CAP logo and new @cap.ca e-mail addresses for the office staff and CAP President, and
- the CAP had a full-time Communications Coordinator in the office until the end of June, replaced for the near term with a communications professional on a part-time consultant’s contract.
A request for proposals has been sent out for a new “customer relations management” (CRM) system for the office, which when implemented will greatly improve the CAP’s ability to process memberships, event planning, and communications.
All in all it has been an exciting year that sets the foundation for the CAP to tackle other aspects of our overall Strategic Plan.
CAP Social Media Campaign Report
Prepared by Jenna Saffin, CAP/SNOLAB intern 2017
The CAP, once again, used social media at Congress 2017 to share snapshots of the conference and important information. In keeping with the CAP’s ongoing strategic communication plan, after Congress we created a report to evaluate this social media activity to measure our success and determine what steps the CAP can take to strengthen and grow its social media presence.
During Congress 2017, the CAP gained followers on Facebook and Twitter, and saw a surge in the number of impressions our content generated. Content that made physics relatable to more general audiences was more popular and had a wider reach – in some cases far beyond our own social media followers.
Knowing who our social media audiences are (and that they may not be the same demographics as the CAP’s membership) is key to seeing growth and success on these platforms. Inviting two-way engagement with our audiences and posting/tweeting consistently are two strategies that can help us grow our social media presence moving forward. It is encouraging to know that social media is a valuable tool the CAP can use to share and celebrate physics in Canada.
The CAP’s Communications Strategic Plan is a work in progress. As always, we look forward to hearing your feedback and your comments about any aspect of the plan. Please email your input to the Communications Coordinator at capcomms@uottawa.ca .