innovate / social media audit, playbook and workshop for police
TLDR
For police force corporate communications teams working to improve how their social media channels read, sound and perform. An experienced practitioner runs a full audit of your channels and content, gathers input from the team, and benchmarks your force against others, before working hands-on with the team to close the gaps and build a compliant social media playbook aligned to the College of Policing APP.
Social media is where the public most often sees how a force communicates its priorities, its values and its work in the community. It moves faster than other communications channels, with its own content formats, audience expectations and ways people interact, and every post carries a level of scrutiny and reputational weight that most organisations do not face. Content needs to go out regularly across multiple channels, while staying within force policy, the College of Policing APP, local context and public expectations of policing.
This team-based programme starts with a full audit of your existing channels and content, run alongside a confidential team questionnaire, stakeholder consultations and benchmarking against other forces, to build a clear picture of what is working and where the gaps are. The team then works with a practitioner on real campaigns and materials, closing those gaps together and building a compliant playbook they take ownership of themselves. A follow-up session introduces the finished playbook, checks progress against the commitments the team made in the workshop, and gives feedback on posts made since.
Once the team knows exactly where the boundaries are, they can spend less time second-guessing what is allowed and more time on the content itself, so clarity on compliance becomes the foundation for creative work.
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By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:
Create more engaging, community-focused social media content
Develop clear messaging structures aligned to force priorities and values
Plan and organise content across platforms more effectively
Read what engagement and sentiment data mean and adjust content accordingly
Define a tone of voice that balances approachability with professionalism
Work confidently within force policy, the College of Policing APP and governance frameworks when posting
Spend less time second-guessing what is allowed, and more time on the content itself
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A stronger and more consistent social media presence across force channels
A compliant playbook aligned to the College of Policing APP
Clearer content ideas linked to force priorities and community engagement
Practical templates and content frameworks ready to use
Improved alignment between leadership and the comms team on tone, style and messaging
A clearer sense of what carries risk in public channels, and how to respond when content is challenged
A clearer understanding of what good looks like and how to assess it
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Pre-workshop questionnaire Participants complete a short, confidential questionnaire covering current platforms, confidence levels, content challenges, approval processes and campaign priorities, giving each team member the chance to share their own view. This establishes competency levels and shapes delivery focus and practical exercises.
Channel and content audit Louise runs a full audit of the force's social media channels and content, alongside review of platform analytics and benchmarking against other forces. This builds a clear picture of what is working and where the gaps are, and shapes delivery focus, examples used and practical exercises on the day.
Full-day core workshop (in-person) Hands-on working using participants' real campaigns, channels and materials, closing the gaps identified in the audit and beginning work on a compliant playbook.
Playbook completion After the workshop, team members take ownership of specific sections of the playbook, completing it in a way that reflects how the team wants to work going forward.
Follow-up session (delivered virtually) Answers questions submitted in advance, introduces the finished playbook, checks progress against the personal commitments made in the workshop, and gives constructive feedback on posts made since.
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09:30 — Introduction Welcome, objectives and framing the role of social media within force communications.
09:45 — Expectations & Current State Review Review existing channels, workflows, strengths and content patterns, drawing on the pre-course audit findings.
10:00 — Social Media Trends & Platform Direction What is working across platforms, format shifts and evolving audience expectations. Adapting trends within policing environment.
10:45 — Messaging & Content Foundations Translating force priorities and values into accessible, engaging content. Defining what effective social media looks like for your force.
11:15 — Break
11:30 — Audience & Community Insight Understanding who you are speaking to and how communities engage with force channels. Shaping content around audience needs and behaviours.
12:00 — Content Pillars Workshop Developing core content themes that balance force messaging with community relevance. Planning proactive and reactive content.
12:45 — Lunch
13:30 — Tone of Voice & Content Style Defining social media voice within force parameters. Balancing approachability, personality and professionalism.
14:00 — Platform-Specific Content Creation Small groups work on their own content bucket using participants' own campaign materials, building on it across the session:
Short-form video
Stories
Carousels
Each group presents their content to the whole team at the end of the day.
15:15 — Break
15:30 — Planning, Scheduling & Content Systems Building sustainable content calendars. Batch creation and campaign alignment.
16:00 — Boundaries & Reputation Considerations Interpreting force policy, the College of Policing APP and confidentiality constraints. Understanding what to keep out of public channels and how to respond if content is challenged, building the confidence to be creative inside those lines.
16:30 — Close
