Client
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA)
Services
Communications strategy, content modelling, messaging framework, digital campaign strategy, accessible content
Phase 1: Communications Framework
TEQSA is the federal government agency that regulates and maintains the quality of all higher education providers in Australia.
Agents of Content (Simon Sellars in collaboration with Rebecca Norris) were contracted by TEQSA to develop two products. The first was a communications framework for reaching local and international students studying at Australian higher education institutions. The framework would ensure students are aware of TEQSA’s duty of care and their role in upholding quality education.
Previously, Simon and Rebecca worked in La Trobe University’s marketing department. There, they were instrumental in developing key messaging, audience personas and campaign strategies for recruiting local and international students. This experience proved invaluable when it came to the TEQSA product.
For TEQSA, we developed an approach that delivered relevant messaging, tailored to the student voice, while upholding compliance integrity. The final product was a comprehensive digital comms playbook that allowed TEQSA staff to communicate their mission with confidence, without losing sight of unique audience needs.
The delivered framework included:
- local and international audience segments and archetypes/personas (including specific audience motivators, influencers, nuances, characteristics and digital habits)
- key messages organised around anticipated student tasks, TEQSA tasks, student expectations and student emotions)
- suggested channels for optimal student engagement
- suggested content types and formats
- content themes based on key messages.
Our approach was built upon deep research and analysis of user needs and organisational goals. This ensured efficient and high-quality delivery without compromising on integrity or accessibility.
Outcome
Our methodology was collaborative, user-centric, rigorous and research-led. We followed a phased approach, setting project milestones and working closely with the client and our user research (both supplied by TEQSA and conducted independently) to understand, identify and test strengths and weaknesses at each stage of development. As the project evolved, this meant the framework remained user-centred and fit for purpose as content and user needs developed.
The client was pleased with the final product, reporting that it allowed the agency to communicate to students on the audience’s terms without diluting the important regulatory function behind TEQSA’s messaging. Based on this result, we were contracted to deliver a second phase as detailed below.
Phase 2: Recommendations for strategic media placement
For this phase, we delivered a comprehensive report on strategic media placement for TEQSA’s student advertising campaigns. TEQSA were a developing an advertising campaign to deter academic cheating, targeted at students of Australian higher education institutions. Our report on media placement mapped and analysed commonly used social media platforms for the target audiences, including those used by students most at risk for cheating behaviours.
The report included:
- comprehensive audience segments
- social media use for each segment
- Review TEQSA data and research.
- media placement and advertising recommendations mapped to organisational goals, messaging and audience behaviours
- recommendations on adapted messaging for each social media channel relevant to the target audience.
Outcome
By leveraging previous research, we were in a strong position to identify gaps and additional research that we needed to conduct. This analysis shaped our assessment of the operating model, the communications and marketing functions and messaging and compliance. It also help shape the user interviews (see below).
We then did a deep dive into previous brand and marketing work and other documentation before facilitating an immersion session with the client to explore goals, opportunities and ways of working.
Once again, the client endorsed the product, testimony to our collaborative approach, where ideas and strategies were workshopped thoroughly with key stakeholders before delivery.