3.3 Planning Communications

Who are the people you intend to see or hear this communication? Use the guidelines in section 2 to define a group of God’s children, the audience, as specifically as possible. Think about their challenges, desires, and goals in relation to the message you are communicating. Their ages, education levels, and current understanding of the subject will affect the words you choose. What does your audience need to think, feel, and do? How can you serve their needs?

Note the example of this communication using a focused message.

Consider the reading and language level of your audience, which may be different from your own. The ability to read and write may be influenced by formal education, gender, health, age, social and economic status, culture, and other factors. Keep in mind that being able to read the text is not the same as being able to understand the text. Comprehension may be influenced by sentence length, complexity, and word difficulty.

For example, the average adult in the United States reads at about an eighth-grade level. In some geographies, some adults may have greater or more limited reading skills. Children and youth understand a simpler vocabulary than adults.

You can check the reading level of English-language content (based on US grade levels) using tools such as these:

• readabilityformulas.com
• datayze.com
• Microsoft Word readability function

Best Practices

List specific information about your audience (see 2.0), including details such as:

• Geography: area, country, language, cultural heritage, physical environment.
• Demographics: age, gender, family status, race, ethnicity, education level, technology proficiency, Church experience.
• Perspectives: attitudes, values, interests, receptivity, needs.
• Psychographics: personality, values, attitudes, interests.

When preparing a communication that will be translated:

• Involve the translation team early on to avoid common missteps.
• Before introducing a new concept, word, or initiative name, have the translation team confirm global viability.
• Use global examples or provide cultural context. For example, referencing a “home run” is not globally understood.
• Avoid using idioms and jokes that do not translate well.
• Avoid using acronyms, such as CTR.

As much as possible, adjust communications for each local audience to make content and examples relevant and comprehensible.

When preparing communications for an audience with limited language ability:

• Keep the content at an appropriate reading grade level (see the links on page 52).
• Write short sentences, usually under 10 words.
• Favor short words with one or two syllables, when possible.
• Define Church-specific words—for example, “Primary, the Sunday School classes for children.”
• Avoid difficult words, idioms, and culturally based or figurative language.
• Use words that show sequence (such as first, next, finally) and cause-and-effect relationships (such as so, because, therefore).

Think about the reason for your particular communication effort. Identify which category best fits its purpose: inform, inspire, invite, or teach. While a communication may fit more than one category, consider which is the primary one. Use best practices to help meet that objective. For example, a video about a family history event might primarily highlight a date, time, and place to inform the audience about the event, while it may secondarily inspire the audience.

Inform

This category tells your audience about things like an event, a product, or a policy. Informational communications may be shared within a Church organization or with the public.

Informational communication most often:

• Shares fact-based information.
• Uses links and cites references when appropriate.
• Keeps writing short and to the point.

Examples:

• Church workforce memo
• Event announcement
• Workforce training

Inspire

Communications in this category help your audience build faith in God and Jesus Christ and seek personal growth. This type of communication uplifts, encourages, invites the influence of the Spirit, and creates a sense of belonging. These communications should feel warm and personal rather than formal or institutional.

Inspirational communication most often:

• Helps people feel God’s love.
• Presents gospel truths and invites the Holy Spirit.
• Shows gospel principles in action.
• Focuses on people and stories.
• Uses people’s own words, when appropriate.

Examples:

• Strive to Be music
• Social media posts

Invite

This category asks your audience to do something at a specific date or time. An invitational communication may also inform and inspire, but it is typically used only for a limited time.

Invitational communication most often:

• Includes specific details: dates, times, links, next steps.
• Is specific and persuasive.
• Encourages action.

Examples:

• Email inviting people to sign up for RootsTech
• Social media post inviting people to watch general conference

Teach

Teaching communication most often:

• Helps people understand true doctrine.
• Uses clear and accessible language.
• Encourages pondering, discussion, and application.
• Helps prepare people to feel the Spirit.

Examples:

• Magazine articles
• Come, Follow Me
• General Handbook

What is the message of your communication? Message refers to the main idea of a communication. It should always be related to one of the Foundational Messages (see 1.3).

For example, the message of a podcast might be the blessings of repentance and how they relate to God’s eternal plan of happiness. The message of a press release might be the announcement of a new webinar series about family history, which reinforces the Foundational Message “Family Is Central to God’s Plan.”

Narrowing your focus to just one message makes your communication stronger. What one thing do you want the audience to remember from this communication? Ensure that the message relates to the core experience we want people to have:

We help all of God’s children feel His love by following Jesus Christ.

Examples

Magazine Article

• Message: Repentance can be part of your life every day.
• Plan: The article will define repentance; refer to scriptures about the power of repentance for all of God’s children; suggest ways to think about and act on repentance regularly; and share experiences of people who feel peace, joy, and a stronger closeness to the Savior through repentance.

Press Release

• Message: Free family history webinars begin next month.
• Plan: The press release will share the purpose and content of the new webinars, provide information about how to access the webinars, and explain that family history can help connect loved ones to each other and to their Heavenly Father and the Savior through sacred covenants.

Best Practices

• Before you create a communication, define the message in a sentence or two.
• Focus on one message to be most effective.
• Make sure all the text in the communication supports the main message.
• Be sure to explain gospel truths clearly so readers can easily understand them.

Think about the delivery format for your message. The delivery method (such as an email, web page, social media post, printed manual, speaking script, and many more) will guide how your message is crafted.

Email

Short, simple text is most effective in email communication. If you need to present a lot of information, use the email to link to a web page or use bullets and a simple format. As you write, be familiar with the purpose of Church email channels.

Email writing best practices:

• Include a clear subject line that previews the message.
• Be brief. Many readers will not scroll through an entire email.
• Use simple vocabulary.
• Add visual interest to the email when appropriate.

Web or Digital App

The format of a web or app communication will depend on the message (see 3.3.3), audience need (see 3.3.1), and purpose (see 3.3.2). Think about how the audience will view the digital communication. For example, on small mobile devices it is more difficult to read long, narrative paragraphs compared to bulleted lists or short, concise paragraphs. As you write, be familiar with the purpose of the Church website.

Web page and digital app writing best practices:

• Use headlines and subheads to organize text.
• Use short sentences and paragraphs.
• When appropriate, choose subheads, numbered sections, bullet points, or other methods to make the content easily scannable. (For example, subheads in a digital lesson outline make it easier to direct class members to a paragraph.)
• Consider bullet points and lists, which are more readable than paragraphs. Items presented in a list are easier to remember than a series separated by commas.

Social Media Post

The post text of social media messages often supplements images or videos. All elements of social media messages should be considered as you develop content. The length and purpose of the post text will need to be adapted for different platforms. As you write, be familiar with the purpose of Church social media channels.

Social media writing best practices:

• Include the most important information and keywords near the beginning. Some social media platforms initially display only the first part of the full text.
• When appropriate, use visual media (see 4.2.6). Posts with images generally perform better than text-only posts.
• Avoid words, phrases, and other jargon that might be unfamiliar to those not of our faith.
• Social media messages should facilitate connection to Deity and to one another. Messages should be delivered in normal and natural ways for the platforms where they are published.

Print

Print format covers a wide range of communication types—for example, pamphlets, flyers, labels, posters, or books. Print communication may be long (such as a curriculum manual) or short (such as a pass-along card). Consider the physical size of the communication as you prepare text.

Print writing best practices:

• Organize text clearly. For posters or flyers, you might need only a main header and a few paragraphs. For books or manuals, consider sections, chapters, and multiple header levels.
• When appropriate, choose subheads, numbered sections, bullet points, or other methods to make the content easily scannable. (For example, subheads in a digital lesson outline make it easier to direct class members to a paragraph.)
• If the physical size of the communication is small (such as a label or card), use less text so it can be easily read.

Video

Video can stand alone (such as a Bible story video) or support a communication effort (such as a video clip in a lesson outline). Think about how the audience will view the video and the context for its use. The purpose, channel, and audience attention span can help determine an appropriate length and content of a video.

Video writing best practices:

• Plan a script and storyboard to guide video content and production. Effective videos have a purposeful beginning, development, and conclusion.
• Work with the videographer or editor to consider a variety of camera views, angles, title screens, and subject matter. As appropriate, consider animation, B-roll video, overlay text, or other treatments to engage the viewer.
• Write captions to support accessibility needs and increase understanding and retention.
• Consider the size and amount of text that can be clearly seen and understood when viewed on mobile devices.