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Case study · Town of Middletown, RI
Every department, one voice.
Middletown, Rhode Island, brought KMC Digital in as its fractional public affairs officer. We audited how the Town communicated, wrote one plan for every department, and grew its audience organically during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The client
Middletown is a town of more than 15,000 people on Aquidneck Island, next door to Naval Station Newport. Its residents include service members, military families, and the NAVSTA Newport community.
The role
KMC Digital served as the Town’s fractional public affairs officer under a sole-source agreement, working with the Town Administrator and department heads across government.
What we found.
A communications audit in December 2019 documented every tool and channel staff used.
Two Facebook pages each claimed to be the Town’s official page.
Website posts were pushed to social media automatically, which limited real two-way conversation with residents.
There was no published vision and mission to anchor governance and communications.
In the Town’s 2019 community survey, 60 percent of residents said they use the website for town information, more than any other method.
What we built.
One plan, one brand, and a reporting rhythm the Town could keep.
Communications plan
- Vision, mission, and guiding principles for all Town communications
- Audiences, from residents and businesses to boards, employees, the media, and NAVSTA Newport
- Key messages tied to the Town Council’s strategic goals and policy priorities
- Channels ranked by what residents said they actually use
- Metrics for awareness, growth, reach, engagement, and share of voice
Brand and operations
- Town brand guidelines so every official channel is recognizable
- Managed social media for the Town, police, fire, and beach profiles, with a plan for each
- Quarterly performance reporting
- Recommendations for a media relations policy, communications training, and an internal staff newsletter
Results.
Third quarter of 2020 compared with the second quarter, across the Town’s social profiles. All organic; no paid promotion.
Source: Town of Middletown Q3 2020 cross-network social media report (July 1 to September 30, 2020, compared with March 31 to June 30, 2020). Facebook paid impressions for the quarter: 0.
Why it worked.
Public affairs discipline, applied to a town.
- Start with an audit of what already exists
- Write one plan every department can follow
- Let departments keep their voices inside a shared brand
- Report every quarter so leaders see progress
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