PREPARED BY: Communications Department
DATE: September 23, 2024
SUBJECT: August 15, 2024 - September 14, Communications Update
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE:
Provide regular marketing and communication updates to the Board of Health.
| SOURCE | August 15 – September 14 | July 15 – August 14 | DIFFERENCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| News Releases, Media Advisories and Statements, or Notices Issued | 8 | 12 | -4 |
| Media Requests Received | 17 | 9 | 8 |
| Wechu.org pageviews | 104,790 | 128,126 | -23,336 |
| YouTube Channel Subscribers | 1,786 | 1,780 | 6 |
| Email Subscribers | 6,986 | 7,007 | -21 |
| Emails Distributed | 10 | 14 | -4 |
| Facebook Fans | 19,414 | 19.398 | 16 |
| Facebook Posts | 68 | 72 | -4 |
| Twitter Followers | 8,646 | 8,658 | -12 |
| Twitter Posts | 70 | 74 | -4 |
| Instagram Followers | 1,724 | 1,702 | 22 |
| Instagram Posts | 36 | 37 | -1 |
| LinkedIn Followers | 1,759 | 1,756 | 3 |
| LinkedIn Posts | 7 | 12 | -5 |
Media Exposure |
105 | 124 | -19 |
Data Notes can be provided upon request.
Media Exposure Overview Graph
Notes: From August 15 – September 14, we experienced two main peaks in media exposure:
August 19 – The WECHU issued an update to a previous news release regarding a blue-green algae bloom off the shore of Lake St. Clair.
August 21 – Following the provincial review of Consumption and Treatment Service sites, it was announced that SafePoint would not reopen. In response to the announcement, the WECHU issued a media statement to confirm.
Website Overview Graph
Notes: From August 15 – September 14, we saw a decrease in website traffic compared to the previous month, which may be attributed to fewer news releases being issued.
Social Media Overview Graph
Lighter blue line represents the current month, darker blue line represents the previous month.
Notes: We are experiencing continued growth on our Meta platforms (i.e., Facebook & Instagram) with variable changes on our other platforms. The WECHU actively uses Meta for paid campaigns, which could account for the growth.
Discussion - Weekly Beach Water Testing
On September 6, 2024, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit announced that the beach water testing season had concluded. The 2024 season launched the week of May 13 and included 17 weeks of test results. Over these 17 weeks, Public Health Inspectors sample water from eight public beaches once per week. The samples are sent to a lab for analysis and the results are shared with the public as well as municipality representatives for on-site signage.
The Communications Department shares the test results with the public through a variety of channels, including emails to our General Subscribers and Media lists, social media posts, website content updates, and a voicemail recording of the weekly results.
During the season, the beach water test result webpage is consistently one of our most-viewed pages, always ranking in the top five of our weekly report. Additionally, the social media post is widely shared from our platform, giving it very high visibility throughout our community. Some of the key metrics from this public health practice are listed below.
| Communication Item | Metrics |
|---|---|
| Facebook posts |
Total reach – 262,023 Total shares – 941 |
| Webpage | Total views – 36,434 |
| Emails to General Subscribers | Total opens – 35,524 |
| Media coverage | Stories – 84 |