PREPARED BY: Communications Department
DATE: April 18, 2024
SUBJECT: March 15, 2023 – April 14, 2024, Communications Update
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE:
Provide regular marketing and communication updates to the Board of Health.
| SOURCE | March 15 - April 14 | February 15 - March 14 | DIFFERENCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| News Releases, Media Advisories and Statements, or Notices Issued | 5 | 8 | -3 |
| Media Requests Received | 9 | 13 | -4 |
| Wechu.org pageviews | 83,421 | 94,555 | -11,134 |
| YouTube Channel Subscribers | 1,769 | 1,766 | 3 |
| Email Subscribers | 7,136 | 7,157 | -21 |
| Emails Distributed | 7 | 7 | - |
| Facebook Fans | 19,206 | 19,197 | 9 |
| Facebook Posts | 55 | 65 | -10 |
| Twitter Followers | 8,644 | 8,643 | 1 |
| Twitter Posts | 56 | 68 | -12 |
| Instagram Followers | 1,664 | 1,662 | 2 |
| Instagram Posts | 28 | 37 | -9 |
| LinkedIn Followers | 1,689 | 1,678 | 11 |
| LinkedIn Posts | 12 | 14 | -2 |
| Media Exposure | 80 | 88 | -8 |
Data Notes can be provided upon request.
Media Exposure Overview Graph
Notes: From March 15 – April 14, we experienced two main peaks of media exposure:
March 21 & 22 – On March 21, the WECHU issued a news release with tips to stay safe when watching the solar eclipse which resulted in 17 total stories between the two days.
April 12 – A story was released focused on Grey Bruce Public Health Unit’s funding. The article mentioned the WECHU for our similar budget reductions.
Website Overview Graph
Notes: From March 15 – April 14, we saw very similar website traffic patterns as the previous month, but with lower levels of traffic overall.
Social Media Overview Graph
Lighter blue line represents the current month, darker blue line represents the previous month.
Discussion - Solar Eclipse Safety
On April 8, 2024, a solar eclipse occurred in the middle of the afternoon. Parts of Windsor-Essex County were identified as falling in the path of totality (where the sun would be completely covered by the moon). Looking directly at the sun is always dangerous for an individual’s vision, and a phenomenon like a solar eclipse increases the likelihood someone may want to look at the sun. In light of this, the Communications Department worked with various departments at the WECHU to compile a comprehensive list of safety tips (i.e., vision safety, driving, food illness, and illness prevention).
To communicate these tips, a webpage was created and linked from our homepage (the page has since been archived). The webpage received a total of 6,283 visits over the four weeks it was published and was the most-viewed page for three weeks in a row. Six social media posts were issued, all of which linked back to the solar eclipse safety webpage. On Facebook, the posts were shared a total of 179 times.
A news release was shared on Thursday March, 21 which resulted in 17 media stories published online or in print linked to the WECHU. The Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Aloosh, also participated in a radio interview with AM800 in advance of the eclipse.
To ensure consistent messaging across our region, the WECHU connected with communication representatives at the local hospitals, school boards, and municipalities. Many of these groups shared social posts on their own platforms and referenced the webpage content in their own communication pieces.