NALC event highlights the role of social media in building trust and community engagement
Our latest event, Managing the Message: Making Social Media Work for You, brought together parish and town councils to explore how they can develop effective social media policies and use social media to support their wider communications objectives.
Attendees heard from expert speakers, including Caroline Leet, clerk, and Davina Miller, communications officer, from Edenbridge Town Council and Daniel Purchese, director at Breakthrough Communications. Together, they shared advice on setting clear communication boundaries for councillors and council staff, and on promoting council projects and the council’s reputation online.
Caroline Leet opened the session and shared how Edenbridge Town Council improved its communications through a more structured, professional approach, emphasising that social media should support a broader communications strategy rather than operate independently. She shared that councils should prioritise quality and consistency over quantity, and said, “Good communications isn't about getting more likes, it's about building trust.”
Davina Miller followed, highlighting the clear communications strategy that Edenbridge Town Council developed. She shared how the council created consistent branding, visual identity and tone of voice – using engaging, human-centred content rather than solely formal council communications. She also discussed how councils should use AI carefully, editing content to preserve authenticity. She said, “Don’t always think you have to post about council meetings or policies… show people the day-to-day things.”
Daniel Purchese closed the presentations by highlighting the importance of an outcome-focused strategy rather than simply posting content. He advised councils to use both topical content, such as events, meetings and service updates, and evergreen content that outlines who the council is, what it does and its community impact. He shared that councils should actively tell their stories, and said, “Every time we post, we are actually shaping people's perception of us”.
The event concluded with a Q&A covering social media governance, online account management and councillor conduct. A key theme throughout was the importance of developing a clear communications strategy, using social media to build trust, and creating engaging content that reflects the day-to-day work of parish and town councils.
The session provided attendees with practical guidance on strengthening their council's online presence while ensuring social media remains aligned with wider communications goals.
