A communications audit is the process of identifying and analyzing all of the messages that a company sends internally and externally through its various communication vehicles. While conducting such an audit can be a big time commitment, it can provide the following benefits:
Ensures the most up-to-date documents are in use
Over time and as a company grows, more and more communications are created and updated. Content owners change over time which can lead to inconsistency and version control issues. Further, electronic and hard copies may be stored in several locations, which can quickly lead to a lack of content governance. Regularly identifying and reviewing the various materials in play allows old pieces to be updated or retired and provides an opportunity to alert teams of new or improved materials at their disposal. It’s crucial to provide a consistent brand experience, and part of doing that is eliminating any legacy branding or messaging that may be in circulation.
Provides an opportunity to analyze communications plan and strategy
By wrapping your arms around all of the content used by your company, it allows you to take a more holistic look at the communications experience and identify areas of opportunity. What is working, and what isn’t? Are you getting the desired engagement from the audience? What is the team spending time on maintaining, and does it make sense? Taking a step back and looking at the entirety of a company’s content means that you can develop strategic messaging and deliver it in a way that makes sense, rather than trial by fire, or random acts of marketing.
For instance, perhaps it makes sense to combine or streamline the messaging of two emails into one, or there’s an opportunity to address communication gaps by adding new touchpoints. Generating a birds eye view of the current content lays the groundwork necessary to revamp or improve the overall communications strategy. It also allows you to analyze the effectiveness of current communications and identify ways to boost engagement.
Allows for a regular cadence of review by subject matter expert and legal
An audit ensures that all materials are included in your communications inventory. From there, you can develop a regular schedule and cadence for review by various company stakeholders, subject matter experts and legal. Planning ahead and allocating time to the review of communications material helps ensure that material is relevant and can safeguard the company from any potential inaccuracies.
Conducting a communications audit allows a company to assess its current communication practices, course correct, and identify areas of opportunity. To chat through your company’s communication strategy, send us a note.