2023- 2025 SIGNAL HILL COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
PRESENTED
JUNE 27, 2023
CONTENTS
- City Overview
- Communication Trends
- Key Messaging & Target Audience
- Platforms
- Citywide Survey
- Initiatives
CITY OVERVIEW
Signal Hill has a rich and colorful history. Most famous for discovering oil in 1921 and commonly known as an “oil town,” the City is now a diverse community with an “oil history” and a bright future. With 2.2 square miles in area and nestled in Los Angeles County, Signal Hill is located high on a hill and is completely surrounded by the City of Long Beach. Signal Hill was incorporated on April 22, 1924, and currently has a population of 11,016 with a median age of 36.
Huddled in a most unique pocket, the City of Signal Hill is the halfway point between Los Angeles and Orange County and adjacent to the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. With three major freeways along its perimeter, the City is conveniently located from almost any direction, making it highly accessible and business-friendly. With a bustling shopping area, the City is home to large retailers (Costco, Best Buy, Target, and Home Depot), thriving auto dealerships (BMW, Telsa, Dodge, Cadillac, Jeep, Honda) and small businesses alike (restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, boutique stores).
Signal Hill boasts six parks and several notable monuments for a small city. The true gem is the unique Hilltop Park area featuring breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean from San Pedro to Newport Beach, Catalina Island, the Santa Monica Mountains, downtown Los Angeles, and Long Beach. Not to be outdone, the area around Unity Monument, which is dedicated to the victims of September 11, has stunning views of the San Gabriel mountains and the valleys below. Along with our spectacular views, the City of Signal Hill has some of the best hiking trails covering several miles with grades. The City’s trail system is open year-round for everyone from novice to experienced hikers alike.
The best way to describe our City is one of a neighborhood feel that is quiet and quaint. With beautiful views, tree-lined streets, parks, recreation, and a community that takes pride in its City, Signal Hill is a great place to live, work, and play.
Because of our small footprint, City staff is accessible, and we are able to communicate with our entire residents in a very personalized manner.
COMMUNICATION TRENDS
With the advent of digital technologies, it is only commonplace to expect that the majority of residents receive their news via mobile channels.
Social media presents a massive opportunity for local government marketers and advertisers. The U.S. Census Bureau places the average user group in Signal Hill between 30 and 39 years of age.1 According to Pew Research Center findings, half of adults under 30 have at least some trust in the information on these social media sites, the share falls to 36% among those ages 30 to 49, 25% among those 50 to 64, and just 20% among those 65 and older. In turn, older Americans, particularly those 50 and older, are often more likely than younger Americans to express trust in national and local news outlets.2
While each generation has specific communication preferences, knowing their preferred method is just the start of developing a relationship with the community. Ultimately, the correct course of action is to take a multi-faceted approach to provide information to each diverse group with appropriate methods. Currently, the City of Signal Hill uses the following communication methods:
1. Face-to-Face: in-person meetings, events
a. Age group – Adolescent to Mature Audiences
2. Print Media: newspaper, posters, flyers
b. Age group – Generation X to Mature Audiences
3. Digital mobile app, (email, website)
a. Age group – Generation X to Mature Audiences
4. Mobile (social media): individualized platforms
(Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn)
a. Age group – Teens to Generation X
1 https://data.census.gov/profile?g=160XX00US0671876
2 https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/10/27/u-s-adults-under-30-now-trust-information-from-social-media-almost-as-much-as-from-national-news-outlets/
KEY MESSAGING & TARGET AUDIENCE
The City of Signal Hill strives to provide clear, concise, proactive, transparent, and timely information to our residents, businesses, employees, and media outlets. To ensure this Communication Plan is beneficial to the public, we have developed the following principles as part of the implementation strategy:
1. Our City recognizes its diverse audience includes residents, businesses, staff, the media, and the City Council. We acknowledge that our residents may have different language preferences and accessibility needs.
2. Our City wants to create an atmosphere that promotes transparency and honesty. We will listen to feedback from residents and businesses and allow these discussions to continue guiding its efforts to communicate effectively.
3. Our City will use an omni-channel approach to communications by providing multiple mediums for residents and businesses to engage with the City Council and staff, including its website, social media, and platforms that may emerge through new technology.
PLATFORMS
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
National Night Out
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Spotlight on Small Business
PRINT MEDIA
E-NEWSLETTER
CITY VIEWS MAGAZINE
DIGITAL SERVICES
Website
DIGITAL SERVICES
Mobile App
SOCIAL MEDIA
PLATFORMS
The City of Signal Hill currently engages in various means of communicating with the public. With a median age of 36 years, and an adult range from 18 to 64, our City uses a variety of communication methods to share information across a broad spectrum of users. Currently, the City of Signal Hill uses the following types of engagement mediums:
Public Engagement:
City Council Meetings provide an opportunity for public attendance with an exchange of dialogue between the community and elected officials on City matters. This is by far the most formal type of communication between the City and its residents.
Events
Our citywide events appeal to a diverse age group. From Flag Raising and Holiday Celebrations to Concerts in the Park and National Night Out, there is something for everyone. These are incredible face-to-face opportunities for City staff and elected officials to meet with our community in an informal setting.
Business Development:
New for 2023, each month we spotlight a Signal Hill small business owner. We value the commitment and dedication each one of our businesses offers our community and share their unique story and information with the public via our social media channels, eNewsletter, and City Views Magazine.
Print Media:
For those members of the public that visit either City Hall, Community Services, and our Library, we have events and news readily available in print in the form of flyers, handouts, and posters (both print and in digital format on our monitors).
PLATFORMS
eNewsletter: (Produced monthly and delivered via email) To reach those that prefer receiving their City news via email, we publish a monthly eNewsletter. Our eNewsletter communicates our monthly Community Services events, Library activities, Community Development progress, Public Works improvements, Business Development, Human Resource employment opportunities, and upcoming City dates, meetings, and events.
City Views Magazine: (Produce three times a year and mailed to every Signal Hill Address) In 2023, it is hard to conceive that all of our residents are not on an electronic device to receive City news and information.
However, for those that are not and or appreciate print, our City publishes a glossy 20-page magazine three times per year, showcasing everything that makes our City so unique.
Website & Mobile App (My Civic Utilities):
Our City website hosts a wealth of information and provides in-depth information from every department. Our residents are also able to interact by paying bills, applying for permits, renting City facilities, applying for a business license, and receiving important news and announcements.
Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn):
Our City recently joined social media and in just a short time, we have managed to grow to over 2K followers along various channels. Social media requires serious attention and detail to craft messaging that showcases our City’s offerings. We use written content, photos, and videos to tell our stories: City crews maintaining our streets, Police providing safety and security, Community Services park events, employee engagement, Human Resources employment opportunities, senior outings, and after school student activities…The list of community updates and information provided through social media is extensive.
CITYWIDE SURVEY
In order for the City to have an effective communications strategy, it is essential to base our efforts on input and analytics from our community. We offered the public the opportunity to give valuable feedback on their preferred method of City news and information by creating a digital and traditional survey. The digital portion was advertised on social media, the City website, eNewsletter, and City Views Magazine. For those preferring a more conventional approach, staff also provided paper copies at City Hall. The survey had 19 respondents and the results are below and on the next page.
4. HOW DO YOU RECEIVE YOUR INFORMATION?
0 25 50 75 100
(36.8%) MOBILE
(84.2%) ONLINE
(36.8%) PRINT
(47.4%) WORD OF MOUTH
(15.8%) COMMUNITY EVENTS
(5.3%) CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
53%
WOMEN
42%
MEN
5%
NON-BINARY
2. HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY?
83%
17%
3. DO YOU LIVE IN SIGNAL HILL?
YES
NO
0 10 15 20 25 30
(5.6%) 18-24
(27.8%) 25-34
(16.7%) 35-44
(5.6%) 45-54
(27.8%) 55-64
(16.7%) 65 & OVER
1. AGE POLLED
5 94.7% - SMARTPHONE
5. TYPE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICE USED
73.7% - COMPUTER
21.1% - TABLET
CITYWIDE SURVEY
10. DO YOU USE THE CITY’S MOBILE APP
TO REPORT MAINTENANCE REQUESTS
OR GET INFO?
YES
63% NO
37%
8. DO YOU USE THE CITY WEBSITE?
84%
16% YES
NO
7. DO YOU READ CITY VIEWS MAGAZINE?
84%
16% YES
NO
NEVER HEARD OF IT
68%
21%
11%
9. DO YOU READ CITY’S MONTHLY
E-NEWSLETTER?
84%
16%
68%
21%
11%
YES
NO
NEVER HEARD OF IT
VERY SATISFIED
SATISFIED
NEUTRAL
UNSATISFIED
VERY UNSATISFIED
68% 11%
11%
5%5%
11. DOES THE CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
DO A GOOD JOB WITH COMMUNICATIONS?
6. PREFERRED SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
YOUTUBE
TIKTOK
NEXTDOOR
SNAPCHAT
44%
33%
11%
7%
5%
INITIATIVES
To continue working to promote the City and enhance communication with residents, staff recognizes the need to develop specific initiatives that will guide the Communications Division’s efforts over the term of this Communications Plan. The section below highlights proposed initiatives that will guide the City’s communications efforts.
Be the first and most trusted source for news about Signal Hill for residents No matter the demographic, Signal Hill has every method of delivering information covered. From in-person and print to email and social media, every resident can feel confident that up-to-date news information is readily available. As communication methods change and evolve, our Communications Division will keep abreast of technology and implement it Citywide.
Increase social media engagement by creating a departmental Communications Committee We will ask each department to designate a person to provide the Communication Division with important information that can be shared with our community on one of our communication methods.
Highlight City department employees
The Communication Division will spotlight various employees by providing insight (day-in-the-life), and editorial perspectives of the importance of their work to the City, their department and the community. The Communications Division will use photography, video, and written content to exemplify employee dedication to their jobs by posting on social media, eNewsletter and City Views.
Promote Employment Opportunities
The Communications Division will assist all departments by promoting employment opportunities in Signal Hill through social media, including LinkedIn. These efforts will broaden the City’s reach and attract new potential qualified candidates to Signal Hill.
INITIATIVES
Work with the Police Department to establish a crisis communications plan In the event of a crisis and or a citywide emergency, the Communications Division will liaison with the City Manager, Deputy City Manager, and the Police Department to disseminate information to various media outlets and the public. The Communications Division will hold quarterly meetings to discuss tactics, best practices, and standard operating procedures to provide a unified front in times of duress.
Provide short form videos to showcase City events, highlights, programs, and information The Communication Division will continue to record various City events and edit into short form movies to share on social media to inform, educate and popularize our offerings.
Establish a strong working relationship with local media outlets to promote positive news stories about the community The Communication Division will share important news stories with various media agencies via social channels, and online and print newspapers to promote our City as a community of diversity, fun, and safety.
Promote the City as a destination for economic development; showcase the City’s business-friendly environment and market competitiveness in the region
Working with the City’s Economic Development team, the Communication Division will use its marketing and media insights to appeal to those looking to expand into our City as a premier boutique hub adjacent to everything Los Angeles and Orange County attractions.
Create a Signal Hill Leadership Academy
To promote two-way collaboration with our residents and provide important insights into City operations, the Communications Division will work with the City Manager’s Office to develop a Leadership Academy. The Leadership Academy will provide a cohort of residents with a six-week course on local government; this initiative will provide residents with opportunities to learn about all City departments and interact with staff. The Leadership Academy will also help the City learn more about resident perspectives and neighborhood issues.
VIDEOGRAPHY
Over the course of the past 12 months, the Communications Division used videography to document various events and spotlight individuals.
Videos were shared on our social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn). Please find some of the videos below:
Signal Hill Police Department – Cadet Hailey Ramirez - 2023 https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/834584740
LGBTQ+ Pride Month and Harvey Milk Day Flag Raising - 2023 https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/829512975
Discovery Well Park Reopening - 2023
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/825675430
National Library Week - 2023
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/820713736
Spring Fest - 2023
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/816322690
Saint Patrick’s Day Senior Bingo Luncheon - 2023
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/808499572
Concerts in the Park - 2022
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/771816163
National Night Out - 2022
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/771815974
Halloween Carnival - 2022
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/765821181
State of the City - 2022
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/765870662
THANK YOU