www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

Learning  from  &  working  with  other  disciplines:  

Communication  

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

What is science communication?!Presenting science related topics to non-experts to :!

•  inform and influence!

•  motivate people!

•  change behaviours!

•  empower people!

•  increase knowledge and understanding!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

The single biggest problem with

communication is the illusion that it has "

taken place."""

George Bernard Shaw!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

4 Cs of communication...!

1.  Customers (audience)!

2.  Channel !

3.  Content!

4.  Community!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

1. Customers/audience!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

Source: timidmonster.com!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

Segment your audience!

Geographic!

Behaviour patterns!Demographic!

Activities and "lifestyle!

Attitudinal/"psychographic!

Geo-demographics!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

Research tools for segmentation!

Journals!

Surveys – online, telephone,"mail, face to face!Online databases!

Government "agencies eg CDC!

Public libraries !

Focus groups!

Other agencies!

In-depth "interviews!Casual observation!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

2. Channel!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

Source: socialmediatoday.com!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

“We know that people are out in social media channels

seeking information "and researching. "

We need to use social media to influence behavior.”!

Source: Harvard Business Review

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

Liking, following, linking, tagging, stumbling: social media is changing the nature of [science]-related interactions!

Report: The heart of the matter

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

Source: worldofdtcmarketing.com !

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

3. Content!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

Writing great content!•  know your audience!

•  share your knowledge !

•  provide valuable information !

•  use your authentic voice and be consistent!

•  show relevance!

•  use stories, pictures, real examples!

•  NO JARGON!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

Top tips!1.  Use bite-sized pieces of content!

2.  Prioritise by user need!

3.  Evaluate or separate calls to action!

4.  Connect sharing to individual pieces of content!

5.  Vary images for visual distinction!

6.  Make navigation features clear (for online)!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

!

!

!

!!

Source: Melissa Marshall, TEDGlobal 2012 University, Talk Nerdy to Me!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

4. Community!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

Creating community!•  Your message needs to be community-worthy !

•  Identify the call to action!

•  Appoint champions !

•  Encourage conversation!

•  Provide the tools for engagement!

•  Regular community engagement!

•  Promote, promote, promote !

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

6 steps of measurement!

1.  Know your goals!

2.  Define your audience!

3.  Define benchmarks!

4.  Define metrics – what is success to you?!

5.  Select data collection tools and media!

6.  Measure – be data informed not data driven!

www.melkettle.com.au! @melkettle !

 @melkettle  

mel@melkettle.com.au