Communications Auditing

Effective communication is not only about what you publish. It is about how your messages land with the people you need to reach. A communications audit helps you understand whether your content makes sense to stakeholders, existing audiences, new audiences and potential customers. It shows where communication is clear, where it is being misunderstood, and where barriers or exclusions appear.

We begin with a simple question: who are your audiences, what do they need, and how are you communicating with them? Are you talking at your audiences or with them? Are your communications accessible, inclusive and aligned with what people actually need from you? Are your words, formats and channels supporting understanding rather than creating barriers? And importantly, do they reflect your organisation’s values and the experience you want people to have when interacting with you?

This forms the foundation of the audit. Once we understand how your communication is being received and where misalignment occurs, we can help you refine, improve, and create messages that are clearer, more inclusive, and more closely aligned with your brand purpose.

What a communications audit can include

Audience understanding and segmentation
• Identifying who you need to reach and how they access information
• Understanding what your audiences need, expect and respond to
• Checking whether your current communications reflect those needs
• Highlighting where groups may be excluded or underserved

Message clarity and tone
• Reviewing how you speak to your audiences and whether the message is clear
• Checking that tone, language and structure are appropriate
• Identifying jargon, ambiguity or assumptions of prior knowledge
• Ensuring your messages invite engagement instead of shutting it down

Channel, format and accessibility review
• How and where your messages are delivered across digital or print channels
• Whether the formats you use support access and inclusion
• Checking for accessible documents, plain language, captions and clear layout
• Reviewing how well your communication reflects the diversity of your audiences

Feedback, measurement and continuous improvement
• Assessing how you evaluate reach, engagement and understanding
• Identifying gaps in data or missing feedback mechanisms
• Recommendations to refine and improve communications over time
• Support to develop approaches that adapt as your audiences change

Why communications auditing matters

When communication does not align with audience needs, the result is reduced engagement, lower trust, and limited impact. A communications audit identifies these gaps and provides a practical path forward. It also supports stronger inclusion by ensuring your messages are accessible, respectful and relevant to the people you want to reach.

If you would like to explore how a communications audit can strengthen your approach, please get in touch.