You’ve worked through your audiences, channels, branding, writing and impact. The final step is to connect them into one actionable plan you’ll actually use – not a long document that sits in a drawer.
The Hub’s ELIXIR Node Communications Strategy Toolkit (produced by ELIXIR-STEERS) is the full reference for this. This chapter distils it into a one-page canvas and points back to the parts of this module that feed each box.
A strategy’s value is in how it shapes day-to-day work. The goal here is not a polished document - it’s a single page you can refer to when deciding what to communicate, to whom and how.
1. Start with objectives
Your communications objectives come from your Node’s strategy, not the other way round. Talk to your Node management team about the Node’s strategic aims, then ask which activities and outcomes are most important to communicate, and to whom.
Keep it to five or six objectives so the strategy stays focused. An objective might be to raise awareness of Node activities, build a sense of community or influence funding and policy.
For reference, ELIXIR’s own communications objectives are: (1) raise awareness of ELIXIR; (2) communicate the impact of ELIXIR; (3) promote ELIXIR services, resources, events and job opportunities; (4) build support for ELIXIR’s objectives; (5) expand the ELIXIR network.
2. Set the scope
Decide how much your strategy covers, and be realistic about resources. External communications is the minimum. You can add more only if you can resource it:
- Internal communications (within the Node)
- Dissemination of research outputs
- Stakeholder engagement and involvement
- Node brand guidelines and style guide (see Chapter 7: Branding)
3. Audiences, messages and channels
This is where the rest of the module pays off:
- Audiences – group your stakeholders into your top four or five target audiences (a strategy uses broad groups; full stakeholder mapping is for individual campaigns). Use your priority matrix from Chapter 2. ELIXIR’s groups: ELIXIR Nodes; Users; Funders and policymakers; Collaborators.
- Key messages and boilerplate – write a boilerplate: three to five jargon-free sentences on what your Node does and how it fits into ELIXIR. Then tailor messages per audience (see Chapter 6: Writing).
- Channels – pick the main channels to reach each audience and keep the list manageable (see Chapter 4: ELIXIR communications ecosystem).
ELIXIR’s 2025 boilerplate: “ELIXIR is a European research infrastructure which manages and safeguards the massive amounts of life science data and tools being generated by publicly-funded research. We are a network of scientific and technical experts working together to coordinate, integrate and sustain bioinformatics resources, providing access to high-quality data, tools, standards, compute and training. These open resources enable researchers to access and analyse life science data to accelerate research and its impact on society.” Use it as a model for your Node’s own.
4. The canvas
Now connect everything. One row per objective and audience – and because KPIs are channel-specific, keep the channel and KPI columns side by side:
| Objective | Key message | Target audience | Channel | KPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raise awareness of ELIXIR [country] | ELIXIR [country] connects national bioinformatics into a European network | Bioinformaticians | Impressions | |
| Raise awareness of ELIXIR [country] | (as above) | Funders | Annual report | Page views |
| Promote RDM expertise | ELIXIR [country] offers research data management expertise | Data stewards | Bluesky | Likes & shares |
| (your objective) | (your message) | (your audience) | (your channel) | (your KPI) |
Download the strategy canvas template (Word)
ELIXIR-UK's communications strategy is an open, living version of this canvas – see how a Node turned objectives, audiences and channels into a plan it actually runs.
Quick exercise: fill one row
Don’t try to complete the whole canvas now. Pick the next thing your Node will announce and fill in a single row: one objective, one key message, one audience, one channel and one KPI you could actually count.
If you can’t name the KPI, the objective is probably too vague – sharpen it before you go further.
5. From plan to action
- Write it – outline, populate with your objectives/messages/audiences/channels, then refine. Consult key stakeholders.
- Promote it – don’t let it sit unread. Present it at Node meetings, make clear what’s relevant to whom and summarise any actions people need to take.
- Implement it – refer to it when planning campaigns or content, and check existing material (website, newsletters) still aligns.
6. Measure and review
Choose a few indicators per channel – a mix of quantitative (page views, impressions, open rates, event attendance) and qualitative (feedback, short surveys). See Chapter 10: Storytelling and impact measurement.
Report at a cadence that fits the audience: a short annual summary for Node leadership, and informal quarterly updates for the comms team.
Like your stakeholder map, the strategy is a living document. Set a review date and revisit it when your funding, remit or partnerships change - then use what you learn to inform the next version.
Assessing the impact of the work itself – beyond communicating it – is covered by the Impact module.
Further resources
| Category | Resource | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ELIXIR resource | ELIXIR Node Communications Strategy Toolkit (ELIXIR-STEERS) | The Hub’s full toolkit for building a Node communications strategy - objectives, scope, audiences, channels, messages, evaluation and a strategy template (ELIXIR-STEERS M5.3, 2025). |
| ELIXIR resource | ELIXIR Communications Strategy | Full channel details and submission guidelines for the consortium’s communications (intranet). |