As technology becomes more advanced, many government agencies and organizations are taking part in the digital government transformation. With government agencies moving more of their services online, a lot of people are encountering things like engagement data and wondering, “what is an engagement strategy?”
It’s important for government agencies at all levels – local, state, and national – to understand what engagement data is and how it can be used to create an engagement strategy. This is because leveraging engagement data to create an effective engagement strategy will help them better connect with citizens, have more positive interactions with the community, and increase citizen satisfaction with their government.
We’ll start by defining what engagement data is, then tackle the “what is an engagement strategy?” question. Finally, we’ll discuss how to create an engagement strategy so your agency knows where to start.
What is Engagement Data?
Engagement data simply refers to all ongoing communications and connections between a government and its citizens. Engagement includes everything from voice calls to digital interactions on social media, email, or the agency’s website, and the type of interactions will differ between agencies.
Most government agencies deal with a large volume of engagement every day, and the proliferation of communication channels can make it hard to find a unified view of all engagement data. However, it’s crucial to have a comprehensive view of all of them to create a good engagement strategy.
What is an Engagement Strategy?
The simple answer to a question like “what is an engagement strategy?” is the merging of data and communication strategies to create a plan for interacting with citizens.
But this just scratches the surface of what an engagement strategy is. And, if you’re wondering, “what is an engagement strategy?” it’s important to get a broader answer to enjoy all the benefits of a good strategy.
An engagement strategy uses engagement data to create a plan to not only have more positive interactions with citizens but to take your customer service from reactive to proactive.
The engagement strategy includes all forms of engagement from any channel, whether it be digital, over the phone, or in person. The success of an engagement strategy relies on the quality and quantity of engagement data collected, hence why it is important to have a unified view of it all.
What takes an engagement strategy from good to great is considering how your staff interacts with citizens when connecting on their own, in addition to the ways your agency can take the initiative to actively engage.
How to Create an Engagement Strategy
Now that you have the answer to “what is an engagement strategy?” you’re likely curious about how to create a good one. The plan your agency lays out will be the blueprint for success, making it important to take the time to think as strategically as possible. Obviously, engagement strategies will differ from one government agency to the next, but if you follow these steps we’ve laid out, you’ll be on the path to success.
Define the Scope
Some government agencies are much larger than others, so start off by defining the scope of your engagement strategy with your team. It will help to answer questions like:
- Why are we doing this?
- Who will be affected?
- What is the project timeline?
- What is our goal?
- How will we measure success?
Know Your Limitations
Being clear with the limitations of your project will help keep the whole team on track and help you hit your goals. The most common limitations are time, finances, resources, and legislative or judicial barriers. In addition to knowing what the limits are, it’s also good to ensure the team knows why these limitations exist.
Choose Channels to Focus on
Even with little to no limitations, it isn’t feasible to expect your engagement strategy to focus on every communication channel. We recommend focusing on the channels you and the community use most so you get the most benefit out of your strategy.
