Government communication and outreach can be a complex process. Large institutions often struggle to put an agile strategy in place – especially when it comes to communicating with younger generations. Their message can be lost in translation, unheard, or misunderstood.
Sexual education, better health practices, voting or tax returns are all valid reasons for the government to reach the public. How effective the results are, however, is extremely questionable. So how can government officials reach the public in a way that actually engages it? They should turn to the latest trend in digital marketing: using social media influencers.
Using Influencers to Reach Younger Audiences
Communicating with millennials and generation Z can be particularly difficult. They tend to see governmental institutions as faceless, bukly dinosaurs. So instead of trying to speak in their voice, why not use someone who does it naturally?
This is one of the main benefits of relying on a vlogger or Instagram celebrity. They effortlessly speak to their young audiences in a language that resonates with them. It doesn’t feel forced, cringy or paternalistic.
Using Influencers to Improve ROI
Outreach campaigns are notoriously hard to track and measure. But with influencers, you get clear reports on engagement and reach – especially if you work with Join‘s elaborate tracking software. Social media are perfect platforms because they access large user bases, and best of all, you can create clear KPIs to see how they respond to your message.
Government Influencer Marketing in Practice
The ministry of Safety and Justice in the Netherlands launched a national campaign last November, focused on the certificate of conduct (VOG in Dutch). The idea behind the “What the VOG?” campaign was that a lot of employers asked their employees for a certificate of conduct when a youngster applies for a job. With this campaign they tried to avoid misunderstandings and answer questions about the certificate of conduct. Read more on this campaign here.
Dutch YouTuber Kaj Gorgels was hired to spread the message. He went out on the streets to ask youngsters about the certificate of conduct. This all came back in a YouTube video.
Conclusion
Government communication campaigns are often mocked for being behind the times. So instead of trying to catch up with your audience, why not hand it over to the pros? Influencers are already in high demand by traditional marketers. It turns out, governments have just as much to gain from their ability to communicate effectively with the public.
