Communications are a vital part of any project, programme, or event, to ensure that there is awareness and understanding around what you are doing and why. It may also be important that you not only communicate but engage target publics or demographics with your work. This set of guides will help in both planning and delivery of your communications and engagement activity. 

Introduction 

Planning your communications is a vital part of sharing the story of your research project or event with the wider University community and public. 

Planning your communications 

62.3% of the world’s population now use social media. If utilised well, it can be a hugely impactful part of your communications. 

Storytelling through social media 

A series of easily implemented steps to ensure that your communications are accessible to all. 

Creating Accessible Communications 

Advice on what to include in a press release, how to make your story stand out, and who to contact at the press office. 

Generating Press and Media Coverage 

Guidance on creating promotional assets, internal communications, and who to contact about social media, events, and press. 

Promoting Events at the University

Browse and Access the Guides

### Can't find what you're looking for? 
Get in touch with the team and let us know, we still may be able to help you: [artsandculture@exeter.ac.uk](mailto:artsandculture@exeter.ac.uk)

*© Copyright Arts and Culture, University of Exeter 2024. All rights reserved.*

Can't find what you're looking for

'Brave New World' exhibition at MakeTank in November 2019. Credit: Jim Wileman.

A person using a phone t take photographs of artworks on a wall 

Planning your communications is a vital part of sharing the story of your research project or event with the wider University community and public. 

It should not be an afterthought and is something that needs considering in the early stages of your research or event planning to ensure that there is sufficient lead in time for communications development and delivery.   

To start, it is helpful to define what we mean by communications, marketing and engagement. Often, they are used interchangeably but each has a very different (and important) function in relation to the overall promotion and awareness of your project/event.  


Introduction

Communications and Marketing meaning 

Build the foundation of your communications and engagement plan by considering these three things: 

Building a communications plan

Building comms plan foundations 

When developing your key messages think about the following:  

### An Example of Key Messages 

Below are Arts and Culture's key messages for our recent Arts Commission 'All That Glitters'.  

We always considered and referred to these when creating communications and engagement activity for the commission to ensure that audiences understood and remembered what the commission was about. This can be especially important when sharing communications around complex research themes or topics. 


Examples of key messages 

Example: key messages for our 2023 Arts Commission

### Understand who your key audiences are 

Once you understand what you’re going to be communicating, you need to consider who you are going to be communicating this to. By defining your audiences, you will be able to be better able to tailor your marketing, communications, and engagement activity. 

It’s important that you can identify who these different audiences are to help inform how you communicate and engage with them.  

Understanding your key audiences 

### How to reach your audiences 
There are many ways you go about can reaching and engaging your different audiences so where’s best to start?  


How to reach your audiences 

Marketing activity 

Once you have considered the ‘What’, ‘Who’, and ‘How’ of your project/ event you will have the foundations of your communications plan and can begin think about what specific marketing activity to employ to engage your different audiences.   

### Download
If you are University of Exeter staff or a student, you can download our [Communications Activity Planning spreadsheet template](https://universityofexeteruk.sharepoint.com/:x:/s/ArtsandCulture/EQAlLLzIsNRKsCiIr9JjNtkB-y5_720c2Uu-jiJ6Kh1Eww?e=iH4AiA) which will help you plan your communications activity across your project or in the lead up to your event or launch of your project. 

It will help you identify what kind of activity you are going to be doing, when you’re going to be doing it, who is responsible for making it happen, and whether there will be a cost involved.   

Building the plan 

Planning Your Communications

[University of Exeter Faculty Press Team Contacts  ](https://news.exeter.ac.uk/contact/)   

[University of Exeter Internal Communications Team Contacts](https://www.exeter.ac.uk/departments/communication/communications/internal-comms/#a12) 

[University of Exeter Student Communications Team Contacts](https://www.exeter.ac.uk/departments/communication/communications/studentcomms/)

[University of Exeter Cornwall Communications and Marketing Team Contacts](https://www.exeter.ac.uk/departments/communication/communications/cornwall/) 

[University of Exeter Social Media Team Contacts](https://www.exeter.ac.uk/about/socialmedia/)

[University of Exeter Design Studio Contacts](https://www.exeter.ac.uk/departments/communication/communications/design/) 

[Audience Agency – Audience Spectrum Segments](https://www.theaudienceagency.org/audience-spectrum) 

[Download a Communications Activity Planning Spreadsheet ](https://universityofexeteruk.sharepoint.com/:x:/s/ArtsandCulture/EQAlLLzIsNRKsCiIr9JjNtkB-y5_720c2Uu-jiJ6Kh1Eww?e=iH4AiA)(for Unviersity of Exeter staff and students only)

Useful Links and Downloads

Planning Your Communications 

The latest estimates from the Department for Work and Pensions' Family Resources Survey indicate that 16 million people in the UK had a disability in the 2021/22 financial year. This represents 24% of the total population.

It is vital, therefore, that when developing your communications that you put accessibility first. All of the below are easy things to implement and can make a huge difference to people.

Language 

Think about using an app to help test the readability of your text. 

# Online Accessibility 

Those who are visually impaired may use screen readers to assist them in reading web content. This includes website pages, online newsletters and social media. It is important that this content, including text and images, is readable by this software. You also need to think of those who with conditions such as dyslexia or for those of whom English is not their first language.

__Here are some tips to ensure that your online communications are accessible:__

Online Accessibility 

Images and Text

### Writing ALT Text for Images 
ALT text stands for alternative text and essentially means an image description which can be read by a screen reader used by visually impaired people. Descriptions should be kept short (to one or two sentences) and if your image includes any text remember to include that as part of your description. 

[You can find out best practice for creating ALT Text here](https://design102.blog.gov.uk/2022/01/14/whats-the-alternative-how-to-write-good-alt-text/). 

__Example of ALT text for image below:__ *'Tom Jackson-Greaves, a male performer in his early thirties, wearing an all-white boiler suit, leaps into the air in a balletic dance move above a large circular sandpit. Theatre lights bath the sandpit in an orange and yellow hue whilst a spotlight highlights him.'*

Writing ALT Text for Images 

Tom Jackson-Greaves performs in 'All That Glitters', our 2023 Arts Commission. Credit: Steve Tanner.

A male performer in his early thirties wearing an all-white boiler suit, leaps into the air in a balletic dance move above a large circular sandpit. Theatre lights bath the sandpit in an orange and yellow hue whilst a spotlight highlights him.   

Audio/Visual Content 

Social Media 

Online Meetings, Events, and Workshops 

Accessible Communications

[CharityComms - Fostering More Inclusive Communications 
](https://www.charitycomms.org.uk/accessible-communications-a-starting-point-for-fostering-more-inclusive-comms) 

[AbilityNet - Advice and Best Practice
](https://abilitynet.org.uk/)   

[Digital Culture Network - How to Make Your Online Content Accessible
](https://digitalculturenetwork.org.uk/knowledge/how-to-make-your-online-content-accessible/)


Useful Links

Creating Accessible Communications

A press release is a written document prepared specifically for media and news outlets to share something noteworthy.  They shouldn’t be overly promotional but instead interesting, relevant and compelling for their readers. 

Each faculty at the University of Exeter had a Press and Media Manager, who is responsible for creating and sharing press releases on the [University's News site](https://news.exeter.ac.uk/) and with the local and national media. [You can see a list of contact details for each faculty here](https://news.exeter.ac.uk/contact/). 

In the first instance we suggest contacting your relevant press representative to talk to them about sharing your story. They will be able to offer advice and guidance on the best approach to take. 


What is a press release 

What information should I include when contacting the press office?    

### Use a strong supporting image if you can
We cannot stress enough the importance of a strong visual image to accompany your story especially for creative and arts based stories. The image should engage readers and help tell the story of what people are about to read. Ensure that you have the correct copyright permissions and crediting line and this information is passed on to the press office. 

See below for examples of press images used for some of our recent projects. 

some other things to consider 

Example press images 

### Do you have other supporting images or video that could be included as part of the story?

 For example, if pitching a story to radio, it could be useful to include the quotes as recorded soundbites which could be used on air. If you’re sharing news about an exhibition, are there other images you could include or filmed interview footage you could include for use on news outlets social media channels? You can send additional content via a file sharing service such as Sharepoint or WeTransfer. 

send additional audio visual content if you can 

### Consider the different angles to your story

Where might there be potential to draw out different parts of your story to appeal to different media or publications?  For example, if you’re working with a Cornwall based creative practitioner, it may be worth tweaking the press release to make this a leading point when contacting Cornwall based press. The University’s press team will be able to advise on this. 

consider the different angles to your story 

### How far in advance should I contact the press office?

It is best to give the press office at least a 2-3 week turnaround time. This will give them time to discuss your project with you, create a draft press release and share it with you as well as schedule in time to add it to the University of Exeter news site.   

You can get an idea for the kind of stories being published by visiting the [University of Exeter News site here. ](https://news.exeter.ac.uk/)

How far in advance to contact press offcie 

[Find out more about the work of the press team at the University of Exeter](https://www.exeter.ac.uk/departments/communication/communications/press/)  

[University of Exeter Faculty Press Contacts](https://news.exeter.ac.uk/contact/)  

[University of Exeter News Website](https://news.exeter.ac.uk/)


Useful Social Media and Links

Social media are websites and/or applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking. 

62.3% of the world’s population now use social media (as of January 2024)* with users across the globe now passing the 5 billion mark. Not just a communication tool, social media also allows you to engage, converse and collaborate with those who may be interested in your work and if used in the right way, it can be a really impactful part of your storytelling and communications activity. 


### Choosing the best channels to use for your project 

Each social media platform is slightly different, designed to cater for a particular audience demographic or content type. Before deciding on which platform(s) to use we suggest you consider the following three things:   

Choosing the best channels for your project 

Deciding on a social media channel

### How does Arts and Culture use social media?

We currently run 6 main social media channels: Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, YoutTube, and Soundcloud. The two latter channels are mainly used as hosting platforms for our audio visual content.

We use social media to:

How does arts and culture use social media

Arts and Culture uses for social media 

### How often should I post?

It depends on the kind of content you have to post and the time you have to create or gather it. High quality content is the driving force behind social media platforms. We don’t just mean images or video, but also well-written and relevant blogs for example. We would advise focusing on this as a central factor for the frequency of posting rather than picking a number at random and trying to find content to share just because you have to.  

How often should I post

If time is an issue, think about using a social media content management system to schedule and manage your posts. 

think about using a social media system 

### What do you use to generate visual content for social media?

We use an online platform called [Canva](https://www.canva.com/) to help to create our social media content. There are many different templates you can choose from which are already set up with the correct dimensions for different platforms. They also offer the ability to add in simple text and image animation to help make your content more visually appealing. Canva is free platform with paid optional extras. 

What do you use to generate content 

### What is a hashtag and how should I use them?

Hashtags are ways of labelling your content so it can be more easily found by those interested in certain subjects/themes/places so we’d suggest including a few where you can. You may see people including these directly within the post itself or as a comment, either way is fine and using one way or the other will not make your content any more discoverable.  

We’d suggest not including more than 3-5 hashtags per social media post. Too many hashtags can decrease your posts performance and dilute your message. On X hashtags can use up vital characters and on Instagram it can look spammy if you include too many, so it’s important to strike a balance. Remember to make them relevant and specific if possible. 

Hashtags 

### Accessible social media 
Around a quarter of the UK population has a disability** and it is therefore vital that you make your social media as accessible as possible.  

** [House of Commons Library, UK Disability Statistics](https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9602/#:~:text=How%20many%20people%20have%20a,24%25%20of%20the%20total%20population.) 


accessible social media 

Tips for making your social media accessible

### Use ALT text on all images
ALT text stands for alternative text and essentially means an image description which can be read by a screen reader used by visually impaired people. [You can find out best practice for creating ALT Text here](https://design102.blog.gov.uk/2022/01/14/whats-the-alternative-how-to-write-good-alt-text/).

Example of ALT text for image below: *'A male performer in his early thirties wearing an all-white boiler suit, leaps into the air in a balletic dance move above a large circular sandpit. Theatre lights bath the sandpit in an orange and yellow hue whilst a spotlight highlights him.'*

Adding ALT Text to Images 

Tom Jackson- Greaves performs as part of our 2023 Arts Commission 'All That Glitters'. Credit: Steve Tanner. 

How do I add ALT text on to my images on social media? 

Read our [Accessible Communications](https://www.artsandcultureexeter.co.uk/resources/get-creative/accessible-communications) guide for more information on making your content as accessible as possible. 

Accessible marketing 

Storytelling Through Social Media 

[University of Exeter Social Media](https://www.exeter.ac.uk/about/socialmedia/)

[University of Exeter Staff Social Media Policy ](https://www.exeter.ac.uk/staff/employment/hrpoliciesatoz/socialmedia/)


This section offers guidance on promoting events, workshops, and performances at the University of Exeter, including who to contact and the information you'll need. 

What information will I need for my event?

### Where can I promote my event at the University? 
Depending on who your audience is, below are some suggestions for promoting your event. We also suggest contacting the Internal Communications team who may be able to provide further assistance on specific internal newsletters and promotional opportunities: [internalcomms@exeter.ac.uk](mailto:internalcomms@exeter.ac.uk)

Where can I promote my event at the University? 

Internal E-Newsletters

Who else can help with promotion?

### Can't find what you're looking for?
We still may be able to help you, contact us on [artsandculture@exeter.ac.uk](mailto:artsandculture@exeter.ac.uk) if there is something specific you would like to know.  

Communications and Engagement

Can't find what you're looking for?