Digital Content: Identify Channels

To communicate a technology or service launch, change, or retirement, use the right channels to reach your audiences where they are.

In this article:

About Communication Channels

This section is relevant for the Channel column of the communications plan. Access digital content plan templates: Digital Content Plan: Launch, Digital Content Plan: Change, Digital Content Plan: Retirement.

Depending on the audience, their needs, and the urgency or timeliness of the message being sent, there are a variety of channels you can use to share information. These channels include mass email through Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Gmail, MyU, Brief newsletter, and pop-up or in-app notifications.

Identifying Channels

  1. Open your digital content plan.
  2. Add or edit desired channels for each communication in the Channels column.
    • The digital content plan templates come pre-populated with a variety of communications with different channels. Using a variety of channels with staggered timing ensures your audience(s) will have multiple opportunities to read your communications.
  3. Review the message types and channels to decide what types of messages you should send using which channels.

Understanding Message Types

Multiple communication channels can be used in a digital content plan. There are two main types of communications: awareness and action required.

Understanding Awareness Communications

  • No action is required for impacted users.
  • Changes to user interface that do not require users to change their behavior.
  • New feature or tool is available, use is optional.
  • Policy updates.
  • Request for proposal (RFP) progress updates.

Understanding Action-Required Communications

  • Action is required by impacted users.
  • New sign-in process.
  • New feature or tool is available, use is required.
  • Data migration, website migration.
  • Service or technology transition.
  • Seeking feedback from users, needing to make contact with certain users.
  • Required training.

For each communication in your digital content plan, add Awareness or Action Required to the Key Messages & Links column. 

Reviewing Communication Channel Criteria

Use the following criteria to determine appropriate communication channel(s) for each message and fill in the Channel column of the digital content plan.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud mass email

Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SMC) is a University-wide platform that is used to send messages to all IT staff across the University (IT@UMN list), technology or service user lists pulled by SMEs, and other lists or data extensions.

Recommended use: Almost all plans should include at least one email notifying key audiences before the technology or service launch/change/retirement date. Plans that include multiple audiences or action required messages for users should contain multiple emails.

Gmail and Google Groups mass email

Gmail is the University's email platform that is often used in conjunction with Google groups to communicate with individuals and groups.

Recommended use: Gmail/Google groups can be used for internal emails with specific IT Google groups. Gmail should not be used to communicate with user groups outside of IT or for any messages that need tracking or data. 

MyU

MyU is an enterprise portal that provides timely information and access to multiple University systems. OIT uses MyU news to share important updates to multiple University audiences and MyU notifications to alert audiences about system-wide initiatives and reminders.

Recommended use: Share a message through MyU news when you want to reach a broad audience. MyU news can be delivered to specific audiences (Undergrad Students, Graduate Students, Employees, Faculty, Instructors, All), systemwide, or by campus. Most plans should only include one or two MyU news posts. MyU news posts must be submitted at least one week ahead of the publication date.

In OIT, we use MyU notifications less commonly than news posts. Notifications appear on the top menu bar in MyU and are only used for crucial system-wide announcements.

Brief

Brief is a weekly newsletter sent to all systemwide University of Minnesota employees on Wednesdays.

Recommended use: Sending important notices to staff and faculty. Most plans include at least one Brief submission. Submissions must be sent to the Brief editor by Friday at noon a week before the newsletter is published.

Considering Audience Communication Needs

When completing the digital content plan, make sure to note the audience and ensure that the Key Messages & Links are in-line with their level of skill and understanding.

Many audiences can be impacted by the same launch, change, or retirement. Audience members can often have varying understandings of the technology or service, and thus, the messages you send should be tailored to each audience.

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