City of HerculesExpress Communications Assessment Findings March 22, 2022
Why We Are HereHercules asked Tripepi Smith to analyze:1.Social media2.Print materials3.Digital materials4.Community engagement5.Other communication methods and processes
Assessment Process1.Dante Hall –City Manager2.Lori Martin –Administrative Services Director/City Clerk3.Edwin Gato–Finance Director4.Robert Reber–Community Development Director5.Michael Roberts –Public Works Director6.Christopher Roke–Parks and Recreation Director7.William Imboden –Police Chief
1.Dion Bailey –Mayor2.Alexander Walker-Griffin –Vice Mayor3.Dan Romero –Council Member4.Chris Kelley –Council Member5.Tiffany Grimsley –Council Member Discovery–12 Interviews with City Council and City Staff Assessment Process•Documentation–Verification of Facts Statements via Follow-Up with Staff•Analysis–Social Media, Website, Emails•Recommendations–42-page report with specific Action Steps in 9 Recommendation areas Why Communication Matters
Why Communication Matters•Support Transparency in Local Government and Establish Trust•Gather Community Feedback Before an Issue Becomes a Crisis•Educate Residents on Staying Informed
26,016
16,865
8,109 5,263 1,700 1,522 1,207 1,189 1,027 230 4 0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,00025,000
30,000
CityPopulationRegisteredVotersNextdoorMembersFacebook(PoliceDept.)Followers Instagram(PoliceDept.)Followers
Facebook(Parks andRecreation)Followers
Facebook(City)FollowersTwitter(PoliceDept.)Followers
eNotificationSubscribersTwitter(City)FollowersYouTube(City)Followers Hercules By the Numbers
•26,016 City Population•17,700 –20,900 Service Area Potential Facebook Reach Summarized ObservationsPotential Audience
ContentxDistributionIMPACT
Summarized Observations•Opportunity to formalize communication-related policies, procedures and planning.•Digital communication tools, including social media, can be optimized and improved. •Opportunity to establish media relations strategy. •Social media, website and email metric are not regularly reviewed and assessed.
Our Recommendations1.Establish Formal Policies and Proceduresa.Establish a formal Media Relations/Inquiry Policyb.Establish an internal and external Social Media Policy2.Establish a Cross-Departmental Communication Planning Process3.Optimize Email Communications
Our Recommendations4.Optimize Social Mediaa.Consider the addition of new platformsb.Develop a social media calendarc.Link social media to City website5.Develop Proactive Media Engagement Strategya.Strengthen relationships with local media6.Measure What Mattersa.Establish a regular schedule for collecting and analyzing metrics
Our Recommendations7.Develop a Brand/Style Guide8.Collaborate with Local Organizations and Community Groupsa.Strengthen relationships with key contacts9.Create Communication Plans for Major Initiatives
Looking Forward•Retainer Engagement–Bi-weekly Check-in Calls & Content Planning–NewsArticles& Press Releases–SocialMedia Management–MonthlyDashboardMetricsReport–Council Agenda Review / Monitoring–QuarterlyCommunications Calendar Planning Sessions Questions?Ryder Todd [email protected] [email protected] Villaseñ[email protected]