Message Platform & Web Content for an NGO
About This Project
The Ochoco Forest Restoration Collaborative creates forest management projects based on community input to reduce fire risks, improve habitat and create jobs in the woods. They bring together local elected officials, environmentalists, private logging companies, scientists, tribes, agencies, ordinary citizens and policy experts to come up with new ways to actively manage the Ochoco National Forest, for the good of people, fish and wildlife.
With the collaborative approach to forestry under fire from some critics, Moore Creative was hired to develop a message platform and web content so the organization could better communicate its work, goals and successes.
Communications Audit & Draft Messaging
The first step was guiding Collaborative leaders through a group branding session to discover internal insights about the brand: Why should anyone care about their work? What sets the organization apart? What messages have worked or bombed in the past? What personality should the Collaborative brand convey?
Next, a communications audit was conducted to gather insights from media reports, the websites of peer organizations and the Facebook feeds of stakeholders. Recurrent themes and the language local people use to talk about forestry were captured, along with areas of confusion and inaccurate statements about the Collaborative.
Third, keyword research was conducted to discover common search phrases and the best keywords to incorporate in messaging and future content.
Deliverables from this phase of work were
- 12 key talking points for Collaborative members to use in community discussions and future content,
- A Top 50 and full list of 150+ keywords, showing the traffic and competition for searched phrases,
- Nearly 20 tagline options, and
- A one-page draft message platform including Mission Statement, Vision Statement, Brand Personality, Audiences and Keyword Phrases.
Proof of Messaging & Final Message Platform
To test the effectiveness of the draft messaging, phone interviews with key stakeholders were conducted to get reactions. Insights from these influencers resulted in wordsmithing to gain better resonance across all groups.
The selected tagline: Healthy Forests & Communities for the Future.
New Website
Working under a tight deadline to meet grant requirements, Merry Ann drafted web content based on the foundational messaging work. An outreach campaign is slated next.
“Thank you, Merry Ann, for the great work. Doing this work with you has definitely brought clarity to subcommittee members.” –Kit Dickey, Chair, OFRC Outreach Subcommittee
“You did a really good job articulating with very carefully chosen words what our message should be. Very thoughtful, very thorough work.” –Marilyn Miller, Miller Conservation Consulting
“Thank so for all of your work with the OFRC in developing this great messaging platform. This will provide a solid foundation for any future outreach efforts.” –Nicole Strong, Assistant Professor, OSU Forestry and Natural Resources Extension
Giddyup. Get me results like this.
Project Summary
Merry Ann Moore created brand messaging and web content for a forestry group, to help them better communicate their work, goals and successes. The project included a communications audit of supporters and critics, keyword research and tagline development.
Project Link
Testimonial
“We have worked with Merry Ann on a couple of different projects, and she has always exceeded our expectations. She was able to work with our stakeholder groups, which represent a diverse array of values, cultures, and responsiveness. She was patient, detailed, thorough, and always timely in delivery of her products. I appreciated her willingness to work within our limits and understanding of the complexity of our process. She helped us articulate our messages beautifully, and in a manner that resonated not only with our diverse membership, but with the community at large. I recommend her highly!”
--Nicole Strong / Assistant Professor, College of Forestry / Oregon State University