2024-2025 RSF Communications Strategy for Trent University
Goals
- Raise awareness and profile the value and impact of Trent research and RSF-related stories/researchers and accomplishments
- Promote and highlight support from the Research Support Fund in all research-related stories
Key Audiences
- Industry
- Government
- Prospective faculty and students (graduate and undergraduate)
- Current faculty and students
- Media
- Local community organizations
- Community members
Strategies and Tactics:
1) Website
Enhance web presence to highlight and profile Trent researchers and research success stories (faculty, student, industry successes)
- Creation of new website
- Regular features on Trent researcher and RSF supported research initiatives
- Regular features posted to RSF website; number of daily news stories; increase in visits/session/page views to relevant research webpages
Metrics:
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- Sharing of news releases
- Links to other profiles and stories about research at Trent posted to Trent’s homepage through daily news
- Development of video content
- Public acknowledgement of RSF and its impact
2) Publications
Capitalize on Trent-produced publications to highlight and share research stories and support from RSF with both internal and external audiences.
- Trent News
- Online content platform featuring regular stories about news at Trent
- Research stories make up large portion of total stories on trentu.ca/news
- Standard boilerplate to be created and added to every Trent News research story
- Key audiences: media, prospective students/families, Trent community, Trent alum, Trent faculty, other postsecondary institutions
- Trent Breakthroughs
- Email newsletter highlighting in-depth coverage of research initiatives and activities
- Helps internal and external stakeholders better understand the research and context of the research happening at Trent, and what it means locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
- Showcases stories and profiles of researchers and faculty
- Key audiences: industry, funding agencies, government
- Trent Pulse
- Email newsletter highlighting Trent University news coverage, including media hits and Trent News stories focused on research projects, faculty achievements, etc
- Key audiences: staff, faculty, senior admin, Board of Governors
- Trent Magazine
- Print magazine (also published online) sent out to Trent Alumni featuring stories of campus news
- Every issue features two-page spread dedicated to research stories and profiles – always highlighting diverse stories from science, social science, humanities, faculty, graduate students, undergrad students and even alumni doing research
- Key audience: alumni
- Research Office Internal Updates
- Regular updates to Trent researchers featuring activities, professional development and funding opportunities, upcoming initiatives, and information from the Office of Research and Innovation
- Key audience: faculty researchers
- Viewbook
- Main publication for student recruitment to Trent University
- Highlights researchers, world-class research facilities, research institutes, centres and groups, and opportunities for research skills development and HQP training.
- Key audience: prospective undergraduate students
- Graduate Studies Viewbook
- Print publication featuring all of Trent University’s graduate programs
- Main material/resource for graduate student recruitment
- Features scholarships and funding opportunities at the graduate level
- Key audiences: prospective graduate students (master’s, doctorate, graduate diploma)
Metrics:
- Number of research news stories posted to Trent News (all featuring RSF boilerplate)
- Total Number of page views for all stories (web traffic)
- Number of portal views vs page views (internal vs external views)
- Size of circulation lists/audience for Breakthroughs, Pulse, Trent Magazine, Research Office email
- Open and click rates for e-publications
3) Media Relations
Leverage existing local, regional and national media contacts, and continue to build relationships with new media, to share Trent’s research stories and successes.
- News releases
- Regular news releases from Trent Communications featuring the success/outcomes of Trent research
- Advisories and pitches
- Develop advisories and targeted pitches about research topics and experts at Trent for media
- Aligned with topical content in the news and around dynamic or unique research topics
- Breaking news updates on online expert database
- Web-based, searchable database – one-stop shop for media, industry experts, prospective students (especially graduate) to search faculty and research expertise
- Daily media monitoring and tracking of Trent research in the media
- Tagging and sharing all earned media coverage of Trent Research stories
- Tag created in Cision platform “Trent Research” for ease of pulling important media metrics
- Sharing in Trent’s daily Media Watch newsletter
- Tagging and sharing all earned media coverage of Trent Research stories
Metrics:
- Number of news releases
- Reach and ad value equivalency of research stories/placements
- coverage in regional, national, and international media
4) Social Media
Utilize relevant social media channels (Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn) to share news and generate conversation around Trent’s research expertise.
- Share all news releases, daily news stories and media coverage of Trent research on social media platforms with hashtag #TrentUResearch
- Tagging Office of Research and Innovation @TrentUResearch in research-related social posts
- Leverage owned social content to make impact on trending/research relevant profiles
Older versions of the Trent University RSF Communications Strategy can be found here: