Samantha Gunn, creative director at Plastic Pictures, presents three social media strategies that can help companies engage with their audiences.

Un-skippable. Attention-grabbing. Culture-shaping. Why are these words not synonymous with internal comms?

There’s a direct correlation between stand-out internal comms, great employee engagement, job satisfaction, loyalty and organisational performance, and yet, when we think internal comms, we don’t think ‘un-skippable’. That’s a problem, no?

Here at Plastic Pictures, we’ve been looking for inspiration from the world of social media when it comes to attention-demanding, culture-defining, performance-enhancing internal comms.

And here’s why internal comms directors should consider thinking like social media community managers.

There are over five billion people on social media. The content on these channels is a dopamine hit. It's exciting. It’s different. It’s fun.

Newsflash, those five billion people? They’re probably on your team. Meaning they are part of a cohort that is more creatively literate than ever before. And they demand more from communications, because social media has, frankly, spoiled our brains with great ideas and stand-out content.

Attention and retention are the currency, and your comms need to earn it. Here are three insights that started in social strategy, that we’ve reshaped to help make your internal comms a little more ‘viral’.

1. Think purple cow. Stand out by being completely unique.

Mr Beast, the world’s most successful YouTuber, repeatedly emphasises that to go viral, your content must be unique . He likens the idea to spotting a purple cow in a field full of normal cows. You’d stop, take a photo, and share it with your friends and family 

Novel ideas and unique thinking stand out and will get that all-important play and stay your content and messaging deserves.

This isn’t just a theory; it’s rooted in neuroscience. Way back when we were hunter-gatherers, you had to notice differences and share them. It’s how we avoided danger and survived. Thank you, evolution.

But what does that mean when creating content? Well, think about creative ideas that could surprise people or break expected patterns. Because impact will come from a combination of uniqueness and great execution.

 2. Go short. TL;DR your content.

Not short trousers, but short bursts of information. There’s a reason things like Instagram Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts have blown up.

The reason for this is more than a dopamine hit or instant gratification. In an era of information overload, people are increasingly looking for ways to consume content efficiently.

Short, punchy pieces of content break down complex information into quickly digestible chunks, making it easier for viewers to understand and retain the content. Quick snippets allow audiences to consume more, without the overload.

So, TL;DR your content. You may find it has more impact and more action.

3. Use 'influencers'. Spotlight people, not policies.

The term influencer, by definition, means “someone who affects or changes the way that other people behave.” And is that not what a lot of internal comms is all about? Influencing culture and behaviour?

We’re talking about making your people your ‘influencers’. Leadership has a place, of course it does, but not always. Some messages will hit harder with that immediate and visible peer connection. 

Consider the power of peers to bring messaging to life. Find a team of internal comms 'influencers' who have charm, wit and a fresh new angle on what you need to communicate.

All this insight is not asking you to turn your internal comms into a noisy social media platform. No, it’s about gaining attention when you need it. It’s about creating meaning. Building community. And delivering with creativity.

Therefore, your comms can catch up with your changing audience. Your business can experience higher employee engagement, greater employee satisfaction, loyalty and improved organizational performance.

And so, you can take engagement scores from 78% to a staggering 97% - like we do for our clients.

Use these insights to think more like a community manager, and make your internal comms un-skippable.