Better #32

Kia ora friend,

I love communications advisors, I really do.

But I also think there is just waaaaaaay too much comms out there.

We fire out comms like a hose on full blast, drenching our audiences with key messages and updates about what our organisations are up to.

It’s too much - even for our most engaged (thirsty?) followers.

And worse, it’s a terrible way to use our channels. Each platform has unique strengths, yet organisations can treat them all the same, flooding every available space with ‘stuff we want people to hear’.

Sure, there’s a time and place for critical updates, but from what I’ve seen, the relentless demand to communicate stuff constantly isn’t just exhausting - it’s counterproductive. It makes our channels feel like they exist for us, not for the people we’re trying to reach.

That’s why we need more of the other stuff. The stuff beyond comms. The kind of content that encourages interaction for interaction’s sake, or makes people feel something - rather than always shoving key messages in people’s faces or asking them to hAvE YouR sAY!.

Today’s edition of Better is all about giving generously and expecting nothing in return. It’s about creating the kind of content that comms advisors don’t always prioritise but that is absolutely crucial for effective digital strategy in 2025.

I hope you enjoy it (but hit reply to this email and let me know either way).

Cheers 👋
Seamus Boyer

This is the part where I usually introduce the coming article but honestly I’ve already ranted enough so we can just get going.

Without further ado, here are five ways to be more effective on your channels (without just doing comms all the time) 👇

1. Put more letter into your newsletter

Imagine sitting down with an old friend over coffee, catching up on life, sharing a few laughs, and leaving the conversation feeling a little lighter.

That’s what your EDM should feel like.

But instead, thanks to platforms like Mailchimp making it ridiculously easy to chunk newsletters into tidy little sections - drag an image here, plonk a box there, sprinkle some colourful thingamajig on top - most newsletters feel like a corporate bulletin board. Neat, structured, but completely impersonal.

The problem? All that stuff is distraction.

Newsletters give us a rare opportunity to talk directly to our audience, one-on-one, in an intimate setting.

As the newsletter legend that is Ann Handley puts it:

“We focus on what we want to say and all the amazing things we want to talk to our audience about. But in my opinion, that’s the wrong way to think about an email newsletter. It’s not about the news, it’s about the letter. It’s about that opportunity you have to speak directly to one person at one time, and that’s a very powerful place.”

So here’s the challenge: less news, more letter. Instead of writing at our readers - filling their inbox with polished, overproduced updates - make the experience of reading your newsletter a pleasure in itself.

A conversation, not an announcement. A letter, not a laundry list.

2. Make me less bored, not more, on social media

Guess what? I’m not on social media to find out what you organisation is up to all the time. Odds are, I just want a momentary escape from my crappy or boring day.

That’s not just my opinion, by the way - “killing time” is literally the second most common reason people use social media in New Zealand.

And I know people follow your pages so that they can maintain contact with you, but surely that doesn’t mean they want wall-to-wall recycling tips, library hours, and consultation reminders.

So, with that in mind, what are you doing on social to occasionally make someone who is bored feel slightly (and however briefly) less bored?

Brands get this - that’s why social media managers and marketers are forever frothing over the latest edgy tweet from Wendy’s. And that’s who we are competing with.

We’re not competing with other councils, government departments, or public sector comms teams. We’re competing with those clever brands we love, as well as the biggest, best-resourced content creators on the planet.

So before you hit post on that important update, ask yourself: why would someone choose to stop and pay attention instead of scrolling past to the next meme or funny video?

Do that, and then maybe people will listen to what you actually want them to hear. Maybe.

3. Make me feel special in the comments

I took the time to comment on your post. That means, for a split second, I cared enough to engage with you.

And you’re just gonna leave me hanging?

That’s the digital equivalent of walking into your office, heading to reception, asking a question … and getting blanked. Weird. Rude. Off-putting.

Sure, there is never enough time to respond to everything, but at least like the nice comments so that you’re rewarding positive behaviour.

I love the way Queensland Health replies to comments - and how deliberately they target certain posts.

In an earlier edition of Better, Queensland Health’s Caitlin Cash described the status post approach:

“Status updates are among our highest performing content on Facebook. They seem to ‘wake up’ our audience and stand out in-feed. We are able to have genuine conversations about health issues in the status’s comment sections with hundreds and sometimes thousands of people … The posts are short and simple, usually one or two sentences. The status copy is written to provoke a reaction or response. It could be surprise, shock (that a government channel has posted it), or amusement. We encourage our community to play along in the comments section.”

And play along they do.

People comment, Queensland Health responds, others chip in, people sympathise and support each other. It’s a beautiful thing.

Social media is supposed to be social. That means treating comments like a conversation, not an inconvenience. Reply. React. Keep it human. Because if you don’t, people will stop bothering - and worse, they’ll stop caring.

4. Take me down the rabbit hole

Not in a tinfoil-hat way.

But if I’ve clicked for more info, give me more info. Don’t just repeat what was in your post - expand on it, add depth, and make it worth my time.

Your website isn’t bound by character limits. That’s where you can really tell the story, answer the questions I didn’t even know I had, and pull me deeper into your world.

The best content doesn’t just inform - it hooks you, it rewards curiosity, and it leaves you wanting more.

Is this asking too much of government departments and councils? I mean, some of the subject matter is pretty dry, sure. But comms advisors and media managers and ex-reporters should know how to write a bloody yarn that reels people in for a couple of minutes, right?

So try it out. Go deeper every now and then. Make that article sing. Test my crappy excuse for an attention span.

And yes, I may just bookmark it to read later and never return to it, but dammit you still got me interested enough to act!

5. Add your unique POV (not just more noise)

I love a spicy op-ed.

Same as I love a strong, well-argued LinkedIn take from a CEO, mayor, or anyone with something to say.

But by god I hate a bland op-ed. A lukewarm “thought piece” that says nothing and takes no risks. Just corporate nothingness dressed up as insight.

Having someone with opinions can be a serious competitive advantage in today’s online landscape. And this is why Auckland mayor Wayne Brown’s LinkedIn page is working so well. He has a POV and he isn’t afraid to say what he thinks.

When I compare his bold approach to nearly every other mayor everywhere, it makes me sad that everyone is so terrified of saying anything that might actually be interesting.

And yes, I know it isn’t necessarily a comms problem - it’s the managers and media people and bloody strategic advisors that get involved in the process and reduce your bold and beautiful idea to a safe, weak, and forgettable press release.

But that doesn’t mean we stop trying. Does it?

If you’re going to speak on an issue, say something that matters. Take a stance. Have an opinion. Bring a perspective only you can bring. Otherwise, all you’re doing is adding to the noise - and trust me, we don’t need more of that.

That’s all for today 🥳 Hope you enjoyed my rant.

If you’re still reading, I want to know if you have any open jobs in your team you’d like me to help you advertise?

I’m thinking of including a couple of interesting NZ and Aus govt social or content job links in future editions of Better (we now have more than 550 subscribers!).

No charge (unless you are an agency, then cough up). I just think it might add a little something-something to these fortnightly emails. Hit reply and let me know.

And I’ll see you in 14 days for more tips on how to get just a little bit Better 👋