What exactly is 'social impact communications'?
Our April #SocialImpactComms newsletter is here!
Hey Channels network,
It’s been a minute since we sent our last monthly newsletter! We’ve been taking some time away, and it has been restful, but it has also been a reset.
It’s also given us the distance to get a new perspective on the work we’re doing, the amazing community we have, and the intersection between communications and social impact. And let me just say: we have some cool stuff coming up that we hope will meet and exceed all of your expectations.
We’re excited to keep showing up for our community, and that means you. Yes, you! Hi, hello!
If you’re new here or a long-time friend, go ahead and comment on this post with a brief introduction about yourself so we can all get to know each other better. 💙
In this month’s newsletter, we want to start fresh by talking about ‘social impact communications’ in general. For us, #SocialImpactComms isn’t just a buzzword: we have an actual definition we use. Farther down, we’ll share some recommended listening and reading from our community that we hope will help all social impact communicators out there.
Thanks for being here, and we look forward to hearing from you all.
— Gabriella
What exactly is ‘social impact communications’?
At The Channels Network, we talk a lot about social impact communications, but what does that even mean? We asked our LinkedIn followers what they thought the definition was, and got some interesting results. Sometimes, it’s useful to go back to basics. So let’s explore…
Social impact communications is the use of communications to generate positive social change. As we see it, this involves two simultaneous processes: communicating about social impact and generating social impact through communications.
And even though comms remains largely undervalued, we believe both simultaneous processes are crucial in creating a better world.
Communicating about social impact
The first process, communicating about social impact, involves sharing information about the work that organizations and individuals are doing to address social issues. This can take many forms, such as:
Nonprofits sharing their work on social media, websites, and other platforms to reach new audiences and raise awareness about their causes.
Governments and public agencies using communications strategies and platforms to inform citizens about policies, initiatives, and programs that are designed to address social issues.
Media outlets covering social issues and causes; using their platforms to inform and educate the public.
Generating social impact through communications
The real magic happens when we use communications to generate social impact. This second process of social impact communications involves using communications as a tool for generating positive social change—and this is the part that goes beyond posting your impact work on social media. This can take many forms, such as:
Advocacy campaigns that use communications to raise awareness about social issues and advocate for change.
Strategic communications that aim to influence public opinion and policy around social issues, or even behaviors.
Social media campaigns that engage and mobilize audiences to take action on certain social issues.
The potential for social impact communications is vast, as it has the power to influence public opinion and policy, mobilize communities, raise awareness, and even enact change around important issues. When used effectively, social impact communications can be a powerful tool for creating positive change in society.
For us at Channels, and we’re sure our large community will agree, social impact communications is a largely undervalued but critical tool for addressing social issues and creating positive change in society. By communicating about social impact and using communications as a tool for change, we genuinely believe we can make a meaningful impact on the world around us.
So, what do you think? Let us know!
Add more thoughts in the comments below. 🤔
Introducing Comms for Good:
We’re very excited to be partnering with Kenza Essalama, host of the Comms for Good podcast, an amazing resource for all things social impact communications.
The first season of Comms for Good just ended, and it’s been an absolute hit so far! Featuring incredible speakers such as Jasmine Anouna from The Bloom and Thomas Coombes from Hope-based Comms, Kenza dives into topics such as intentional communications, tokenism, and community building.
We may be a bit biased because Channels founder Gabriella was interviewed in the season finale episode along with a live audience which included Channels members such as yourselves! Listen wherever you get your podcasts or here: https://linktr.ee/commsforgood.
Wanted: Heroes without makeup
Honest, effective communications has the potential to influence, drive change, and improve everything it touches, says Channels member Pilar Balet.
In the latest post on The Channels Blog, Pilar argues that we are ready for—and need—a new type of leader: a ‘hero with no makeup’, leaders without filters that are true to themselves and everybody else.
"We communications strategists know that the important thing is not what we tell people but the response it provokes in our listeners."
Read more:
Opportunities from Channels
We rounded up 40+ new opportunities in our latest #SocialImpactComms Job Board!
Our very own Tanya K continues to share invaluable #SocialImpactComms opportunities based around India on LinkedIn!
Hiring and want more eyes on your job/opportunity? We now have a job sponsorship package, so you can advertise your job opening or other opportunities to a highly-engaged group of top social impact communicators!
Want to share your profile with our network of 10k+ followers on LinkedIn? Fill out our member feature form here.
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