Five Things Your Communications Team Wishes You Knew
Surprise, your communications team does a lot more than post on Facebook. They play an essential role in your local gov organization, yet their struggles and goals often go overlooked.
Let's be honest. Local gov communications is its own world. The challenges are different, the audience is different, and the goals of a city org look nothing like those of a private sector company. That truth came through loud and clear at GovCo, where communicators from across Colorado came together to learn from each other and swap notes on what actually works.
Here's what we heard.
1. You Can't Force Residents to Engage
As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. The same goes for communities. You can lead a resident to information, but you can't force them to engage with it. Communications is about meeting people where they are and getting information in front of them, but whether they receive it is another story.
That said, setting realistic expectations around your communications campaigns isn't pessimism, it's strategy. Not every flyer gets read. Not every post gets seen. And that's okay. Your communications department's job is to be that consistent, extended hand, ready and waiting for when residents are ready to reach back.
2. City Communications Is Not Corporate Marketing
Communications in general are ever-changing and deeply audience-dependent. If your City tried to communicate the way a corporation markets its products, you'd likely get some raised eyebrows and a few strongly worded public comments at your next Council meeting.
The backbone of local government communications is trust. Residents should see their city as the go-to source for reliable information, not the next humorous viral sensation. That means doubling down on education over promotion. Yes, a well-timed trending post might rack up views, but if it doesn't build credibility or inform your community, what's it really doing for you?
Setting parameters around your communications campaigns that back your brand is key. The point of communications is not just getting the message in front of people but getting residents to engage, deepen their trust in local government and build a stronger understanding of the community around them. Intentional communications methods built on knowledge-based content will serve your city far better in the long run.
3. Communications Departments Are Undervalued and That's a Problem
What would happen if your communications department disappeared tomorrow? The water main break goes unannounced. The new city program nobody hears about. The council meeting nobody shows up to. The community that feels left in the dark.
Your communications team wears countless hats. They juggle collateral requests from multiple departments, campaign planning, resident inquiries, and the ongoing work of maintaining your City's image and brand. They are the bridge between your organization and the people you serve and yet they remain one of the most overlooked departments in local government.
The assumption that "anyone can communicate" is precisely the mindset that leads to burnout. When team members feel undervalued, on top of being overworked, you don't get efficiency; you get turnover. The more you invest in your communications team, the more your community gets in return.
4. Trending on Social Media Isn't Always a Win
Just because trending content is popular doesn't mean it belongs in your communications strategy. As we touched on earlier, local government communications is its own niche and needs to be treated as such.
Take the police department doing the latest dance trend, for example. It might pull views, but it can also quietly chip away at the credibility residents expect from public safety. Going viral shouldn't be the end goal. Ultimately, you should aim to always be a trusted source of information for your community. Everything your city puts out is a reflection of your brand and your brand is built on consistency with your core values. What you say, how you say it and where you say it all send a message.
Trendy content may rack up views, but it will rarely advance your overall communications strategy. The goal isn't just eyeballs, its trust. Stick to content that reinforces residents' confidence in their local government and deepens their understanding of the community around them. That may mean fewer views, but the people who do engage will actually be getting something out of it. And isn't that the whole point?
5. AI Is a Tool, Not a Replacement
Like it or not, AI has entered the chat and your communications team (like the rest of us) is figuring out what to do with it.
For local government communicators, AI feels equal parts promising and precarious. Yes, it can help brainstorm ideas, speed up drafts and bring some relief to a department that is perpetually stretched thin. That part is hard to argue with.
But here's where your team needs your support. AI should never be the author of government communications. A factual error in a City newsletter or social post doesn't just create extra work; it chips away at the trust residents place in their local government. There are also ADA compliance considerations baked into government communications that AI simply isn't equipped to catch consistently.
AI is a useful tool for evaluating content and managing a consistent tone, but it should never be used as the source of information. Your communicators know your community, your brand, and the nuance behind every message in ways no AI ever will. Some things just can't be automated and your community can tell the difference.
Encourage your team to explore AI tools, but make sure they have the guidance, guardrails, and maybe even a policy to ensure careful use!
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GovCo was a reminder that the people doing this work care deeply about their communities. We're all just trying to do right by our communities, and we look to city leadership not just for support and guidance, but for the capacity to explore better, more efficient communications practices.