Audiences and Connections

Audiences: Who you will communicate with and why

If you target everyone, you target no one. Consider targeting your communication to specific audiences with common characteristics, such as:

• Demographics: eg age, gender, abilities, location, religion, income levels or literacy
• Psychographics: eg values, social interests, desires, personal goals, interests or lifestyle
• Knowledge and mental models: eg level of disaster risk knowledge, risk perception and current behaviour.
• Influence and power to change the situation: Targeting the most at-risk groups and urging them to take action may place an unfair burden on them. Consider other decision-makers who can influence the situations.

Connections: How you will reach and engage audiences

Your previous work in understanding the media environment will help you to identify the best way/s to engage with your target audience, including the best communication channels, formats and styles to use. Based on this understanding, make decisions about the right channels and formats for your purpose:

• Reach: What channels reach your target audience, and at what times of day? For example, radio might be widely popular, but inaccessible to fishers when they face storms at sea. Remote, mountainous populations may have mobile phones, but leave them at home for safekeeping when they are out farming in areas at risk of landslides.
• Trust: Which information sources does your target audience trust most, and for what type of information? Consider individuals, such as grassroots leaders, as well as media sources.
• Preferences: How does your target audience prefer to share and receive information? When and how do they want news, entertainment and alerts? When sharing their opinions and experiences, do they want anonymity or open exchanges? Does this vary depending on the topic? What formats are most accessible and understandable to them?
• Your objectives: Select media and communication formats that match what you are trying to achieve. For example, conveying technical information, challenging social norms or generating inclusive public discussion at scale will require different tools.
• Previous efforts: What does your target audience think about any current or past disaster risk communication efforts? How successful were they in achieving their objectives or goals? Every communication plan will differ based on its goal and context, but insights from past efforts can be useful in tailoring new approaches.
• Your budget: Which combination of channels and formats are the most feasible match for your aims, ambitions and budget?

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