The digital engagement toolkit can be used to plan and develop engaging online content for new and existing audiences. It consists of a creative inspiration guide, a platform finder, and platform guides.
Creative inspiration guide
The creative inspiration guide is aimed at developing an approach to digital creativity and creative thinking. In this guide, there are sections on audiences, values, voice, the creative process and how to use content across different digital platforms. We recommend reading this guide first since much of what you’ll learn here can be applied to your chosen platform.
Platform finder
The platform finder helps you find the right platform based on the audience you are hoping to reach and the content you choose to make. Giving consideration to either your current or aspirational audience is important as different audiences consume digital media in different ways and have varying levels of confidence with digital platforms. Understanding trends and behaviours can help you approach digital engagement in a considered way. For the purposes of this toolkit, we are defining audiences using the following demographic terms:
- Baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964)
- Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980)
- Gen Y – also known as Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996)
- Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012)
Platform guides
The toolkit features ten digital platforms that can be used to engage audiences with archival material. Each guide explores storytelling for the platform and includes details on accessibility, audience, inspiration and helpful tips.
Platforms included in the toolkit are:
- Blogs
- Digital events and livestreaming
- Digital exhibitions
- Google Earth and My Maps
- Podcasts
- Social media: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter
- YouTube
In each platform guide, you will find the following sections:
- Platform outline: a brief introduction to the platform
- Audience: information on who the main audiences are for a particular platform
- Storytelling guide: exploring some of the ways to use the platform for storytelling
- Creative thinking and exercises: prompts and actions to help you begin
- Inspiration: a look at some examples of good storytelling content using the platform – this inspiration is drawn from across the cultural sector and further afield
- Helpful stuff: free and low cost software to help you create
- How to measure impact: information and links to help you understand the analytics and audience measurements a platform offers
- Accessibility: information on the accessibility features of the platform
- Further reading: useful links to find out more
How to use this toolkit
Step one
We recommend reading the creative inspiration guide first as this will enable you to examine your approach to digital engagement and spark your creative thinking around the types of digital engagement you may want to do. These skills can then be applied to what you learn in each platform guide.
Step two
If you have already decided upon a platform, go to the specific guide for that platform.
If you are unsure what platform is best for you, then take a look at the platform finder, which will help you find a platform based on the audience you want to reach and the content type you are interested in.