How do you know if a public affairs strategy has achieved its purpose? Unless you measure its impact, you won’t.
In this episode of Gard Talks, Chelsea Punian, Director of Public Relations and Public Affairs, talks about measuring the impact of a public affairs strategy and also sizes up how social media has changed public affairs.
How do you measure the impact of a public affairs strategy? At the heart of any public affairs strategy is shaping the narrative and avoiding negative media coverage. You can also measure success in other ways, such as the volume of engagement with elected officials. In some of Gard’s recent campaigns, that has meant over 60,000 emails being sent to decision-makers. Building coalitions is another powerful tool. The stronger and clearer your message, the more partners it’ll attract. Ultimately, public affairs is all about relationships – staying connected, cultivating trust and leveraging networks. With deep ties across Portland, Gard helps clients turn these connections into meaningful strategy.
How has social media changed public affairs? The rise of social media in digital advocacy has significantly impacted public affairs. Legislators and elected officials are now much more skilled at using social media. Previously, leaders posted only occasionally, but now they share updates daily, weekly or across various platforms to connect with their communities in multiple ways. This provides more opportunities to communicate actively. However, managing multiple platforms with different messages can make maintaining consistency a challenge.