Celebrating the science protecting our planet
As a professional communicator, I love words. But I also know that words won’t save the planet. Only science and action will. That’s why Spire has – for 18 years now – remained deeply committed to helping scientists and researchers share their stories. Our clients are the brilliant minds we’re all counting on. In the […]
Scientists are people too
Why your technical writing needs to be for a general audience I’m a scientist. In graduate school, I studied neuroscience and spent long hours in the lab – occasionally overnight – measuring blood and brain samples for my research. As a professor, I taught everything from basic psychology to anatomy and physiology. I’m also a […]
Get your readers to take action
One of the most powerful tools in a communications team’s arsenal is the call to action (CTA). When used effectively, CTAs are the backbone of a communications strategy, helping to educate your audience and drive them to engage with you in return. Not just for consumer marketing campaigns, CTAs are an invaluable – if often […]
How repurposing extends content reach
One of the best parts of Thanksgiving is the day-after leftovers. Sure, it’s the same turkey you had the night before, but serving it cold on slices of bread offers a different appeal. You can do the same thing with your content. Repurposing or repackaging existing content in new formats, channels, or media is a […]
A breast cancer survivor on why her work matters
For those who haven’t been directly impacted by the disease, Breast Cancer Awareness Month serves as a reminder for self-checks and an opportunity to participate in fundraisers. While survivors recognize the importance of these things, October is also about giving hope to patients with both early-stage and metastatic disease diagnoses. That hope is generated in […]
A Practical (Abbreviated) Guide to a Powerful Podcast
Podcasts today are big business – and we’re not only talking about the financial side. There are millions of active podcasts, and hundreds of millions of podcast episodes. For a would-be podcast producer, these numbers can be daunting. What does it take to compete in such a vast marketplace and create a podcast that stands […]
Connecting with Internal Audiences Using External Comms Techniques
Generally speaking, government agencies do a pretty good job of sharing their messages with the public. Think about the safe driving campaigns run by transportation agencies, the Amber alerts issued by local law enforcement, the DEA’s anti-drug use efforts, or the National Weather Service’s alerts for floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes. The same cannot always be […]
Taxonomy for Government Websites: 5 Tips for Getting It Right
Structuring a government website is a unique challenge. Agencies themselves are a blend of traditional hierarchy and matrixed authority. The people they serve are many and varied. And much of their work is highly technical or complex. Despite these intersecting complexities, an agency website must make its services, programs, and resources easy to find. Rising […]
The Best in Federal Social Media: Must-Follow Government Feeds
At Spire, we’re passionate about helping clients truly connect with their audiences. While traditional comms remains important as ever, social media offers unique opportunities to reach people where they are, tell compelling stories, and create a genuine conversation. This is as true in the federal space as it is in industry. Public sentiment about the […]
How to Use the Site Map to Manage Your Next Website Redesign
Building or redesigning a website takes a lot of work. Strategy, planning, research, analysis, decisions, content production, documentation…just listing it all is a little overwhelming. It helps to have a dedicated project manager to define the scope, track progress, and keep the train on the rails. Even a lean team tasked with a small project […]
