Covid-19 has become a common topic of conversation for all of us these past 2 years. It has provided numerous challenges from health problems to financial uncertainty.

In these times, governments have continuously tried to help their countries and states by offering up-to-date information about the pandemic, along with new policies and allowances. We quickly learned that timely, relevant, and factual communication is crucial to coping with the pandemic.

Under normal circumstances, leaders would host in-person townhalls or meet with citizens in the office. However, with Covid-19, quarantines, social distancing, and remote work created strong barriers in our communities, including between the government and its citizens.

All the traditional methods of communication had to change. We had to embrace digital platforms such as social media, emails, and SMS. Here are some examples of the method used widely during this pandemic:

Many government officials have their own Facebook page or Instagram account. They post content and the latest news so their followers can keep up. (In many cases, governments run ads as well).

Social media allows them to reach many people and deliver fast, easy, and visual information about today’s world.

However, relying on social media alone is not enough to announce public news and alert citizens. The majority of people use social platforms for entertainment, not for obtaining information.

According to Sproutsocial, the median engagement rate in Twitter is only 0.045%:

And there are similar stats for Instagram: 1.22%…

Lastly, Facebook continues to re-enforce this trend at only 0.09%.

So for businesses, social platforms are useful to boost traffic and revenue. However, for the governments this isn’t the best method to rely on since too many people do not receive the announcements.

This is familiar, right?

Not only governments but also lots of businesses are using emails for their marketing campaigns. However, just because it’s applicable for marketing doesn’t mean that it’s as effective for important government announcements.

Here’s why. The average open rate for email os 25%. For businesses, that means 25% of people could become potential customers and boost revenue. But for government officials, whose goal is to deliver announcements to all of their citizens, 25% is too low. That means the majority of their citizens aren’t hearing from them.

In addition, most people don’t see their emails right away.

Although most will check their email at some point during the day, it is not an immediate form of communication. Because we’re in the midst of a pandemic, many announcements are time sensitive. People need to be updated in minutes when it comes to health and saving lives.

Even though texting apps like Messenger or Whatsapp are popular with certain audiences, SMS is unique in that everyone who has a phone can receive them without downloading an additional app. It is the best way for government leaders to engage with their constituents.

Looking at this statistic, we can see that up to 98% of SMS text messages are opened, and 90% of them are read in only 90 seconds.

Governments can use SMS to announce emergency alerts and caution to their citizens when time is of the essence.

In addition, using SMS, citizens can actively text their government to report their health issues, their local problems and get responses immediately. This will build a strong relationship and increase engagement between the governments and their people.

It’s important to be aware that not every SMS tool has this two-way conversation feature where governments can message constituents and constituents can also reach out to their officials.

That’s why we developed Ascendant. This app can help you communicate with your citizens fast and effectively, making every voice feel heard.

So if you’re interested, here’s where you can find more details about us.

COVID-19 has brought us numerous challenges, especially in regards to interacting with the community. Therefore, we need to utilize digital communication tools.

As a government leader, communication might well be your #1 goal. Because together we’re stronger, right?

If you have any further questions please leave them in the comment below, I will answer them all!