Communications Audits in Alberta: A Practical Guide for Public Organizations
Why Communications Audits Matter for Alberta Organizations
A communications audit is simply a structured checkup of how your organization communicates, how well it works, and where it can improve. It looks at what you say, how you say it, the channels you use, and how your audiences respond. For public organizations, this is not just a nice-to-have; it is part of doing your job responsibly.
Across Alberta, publicly funded organizations carry a high level of accountability to taxpayers, donors, and communities. Libraries, municipalities, school divisions, post-secondary institutions, health and social agencies, and non-profits all operate in environments where transparency and public trust are non-negotiable. When communication is unclear or inconsistent, trust can erode quickly, especially in times of change or contention.
A communications audit helps you answer practical questions about whether you are communicating the right things to the right people at the right time, whether your messages align with your mandate, values, and strategic plan, and whether you are making it easy for people to find, understand, and act on your information.
Working with a communications consultant in Edmonton who understands Alberta’s political, regulatory, and cultural context can make the process more efficient and far less overwhelming. Instead of guessing what needs fixing, you get a clear, evidence-based picture of where to focus your time and resources.
Signs Your Organization Is Ready for a Communications Audit
Most organizations feel busy with communication. That does not always mean efforts are effective. Certain warning signs suggest that it is time for a closer look, especially when day-to-day communications start creating confusion or extra work.
Common operational signs include:
Inconsistent messaging across departments or locations
Duplicated work because teams are not aware of each other’s materials
Outdated brochures, website content, or signage that no one quite owns
Confusion about who is allowed to speak to which audience and in what way
Externally, you might see:
Public complaints about “not knowing” what is going on
Media coverage that does not reflect your intent or misses key context
Stakeholders who are confused about your role, services, or decisions
Low engagement or turnout on important initiatives or consultations
Rumours or misinformation filling gaps where clear information is missing
Inside your organization, there may be patterns that point to a lack of clarity or structure, such as staff uncertainty about who leads communications or what the process is, no current communications plan (or a plan that sits on a shelf), or leadership sensing that “we are putting out a lot of content, but it is not landing.”
In Alberta, certain triggers come up often:
Funding changes that need clear explanation to staff, partners, and the public
Capital or infrastructure projects that require ongoing stakeholder updates
New strategic plans that need to be translated into day-to-day communication
Upcoming regulatory or policy requirements that depend on clear public information
If several of these points feel familiar, your organization is likely ready for an audit that turns guesswork into clarity.
What a Practical Communications Audit Includes
A useful audit is not just a critique of brochures or social media posts. It is a practical review of how communication supports your purpose and obligations, and it connects what you publish and how you operate to what your audiences actually need.
First comes discovery and alignment. We work with your leadership, board, or council to clarify:
Your core goals and mandate
Priority audiences, from residents and students to industry partners and funders
What “success” looks like in concrete terms
Next is evidence gathering. This usually includes:
Reviewing materials such as print pieces, digital content, signage, presentations, and templates
Assessing channels such as your website, social media, newsletters, email updates, and media relations
Looking at internal processes such as approval steps, crisis protocols, and internal communication routines
Listening to stakeholders is essential, because the audit needs to reflect how communication is experienced in real life, not only how it is intended. Depending on your context, this can involve:
Interviews or focus groups with leadership and key staff
Surveys or conversations with community partners, funders, or service users
Feedback from frontline staff who hear questions and concerns every day
Then we analyse and diagnose. We look at:
Clarity, consistency, and tone across all channels
Accessibility and plain language, including for people with varying literacy and digital access
Cultural relevance and local context, including Indigenous communities, rural and remote audiences, and industry stakeholders
Alignment with Alberta legislation and policies that shape how you share information
The goal is to connect communication practices to real-world outcomes, not to academic theory.
How a Communications Audit Typically Works
While every organization is different, most audits follow a similar sequence. The intent is to make the process structured and manageable, while still reflecting your realities, including governance requirements and operational constraints.
Planning the audit means:
Defining the scope: internal, external, or a combination
Setting realistic timelines that respect your approval cycles and busy seasons
Deciding how to involve staff so the process supports, rather than disrupts, daily work
Conducting the review often includes:
Document and channel review by a communications consultant in Edmonton or elsewhere in Alberta
Analytics from your website, social media, email tools, or media monitoring
Interviews, surveys, and focus groups with internal and external stakeholders
An environmental scan of comparable organizations, expectations, and public conversations
Once information is collected, we make sense of the data by:
Grouping findings into themes such as strengths, gaps, risks, and opportunities
Prioritizing issues based on potential impact and the effort required to address them
A clear, usable audit report typically features:
Plain language findings that non-communicators can understand
Visuals or frameworks that show how your pieces fit together
Notes on communication risks, especially where misalignment could damage trust
Specific, actionable recommendations rather than vague statements
Implementation support can follow, if you want help turning recommendations into:
A realistic work plan with timelines and owners
Quick wins that build momentum
Longer-term projects that fit your existing budget and capacity
Choosing the Right Communications Partner in Alberta
Choosing an audit partner is about more than technical skill. Local context matters a lot. Alberta’s political environment, public expectations, relationships with Indigenous communities, and the realities of construction, industrial, and institutional work all shape how people interpret your messages.
Useful questions to ask a potential partner include:
What experience do you have with public-sector or publicly funded organizations in Alberta?
Have you worked with organizations similar to ours, in terms of size and mandate?
How do you approach stakeholder engagement and Indigenous relations in your work?
How do you measure whether your recommendations are effective?
An external firm can offer an independent perspective that is often hard to achieve internally. Someone from outside your organization can:
Name sensitive issues that staff may hesitate to raise
Spot blind spots that feel “normal” because they have always been done that way
Provide evidence that supports leadership decisions and board reporting
At reVerb Communications, based in Alberta, we approach audits as a collaboration. We respect internal expertise, work with teams rather than around them, and focus on practical recommendations that organizations across the province can realistically implement, whether they are small non-profits or large institutions.
Turning Audit Findings Into Real-World Improvements
An audit only creates value when its findings lead to change. The first step is moving from report to action, which usually means:
Prioritizing recommendations into “now, next, and later”
Assigning clear ownership for each action
Aligning tasks with your existing strategic or business plans
From there, you can use the findings to build internal capacity. This often includes identifying training needs for staff and leaders, refining processes for approvals, crisis response, and day-to-day communications, and clarifying roles so people know who does what and when.
Tracking progress does not need to be complicated. Many organizations find it helpful to monitor:
Engagement metrics such as event attendance, response rates, or feedback volume
Response times to public or media inquiries
Stakeholder feedback through surveys or informal check-ins
Staff confidence in communicating, measured through internal feedback
Finally, sharing what you learned can strengthen trust and accountability. When you communicate key audit insights and improvements with your board, funders, and community, you show that you take public communication seriously and are committed to responsible use of resources.
Across Alberta, communications audits give public organizations a structured, practical way to align their words, actions, and obligations. For leaders ready to take an honest look at what is working and what is not, they can be a powerful step toward clearer communication, better engagement, and stronger public trust.
Get Strategic Communications Support That Moves Your Message Further
If you are ready to clarify your message and communicate with more impact, our team at reVerb Communications is here to help. Work with a dedicated communications consultant in Edmonton who understands your goals and your audiences. We will collaborate with you to build practical strategies, clear content and measurable outcomes. To start the conversation, simply contact us and tell us about your project
