Communication strategy: building blocks, goals and example
Sascha Kirstein
Short definition
A communication strategy sets out what an organisation wants to achieve with its communication, which audiences it needs to reach with which messages and channels, and how it will measure success. It is derived from the business goals.
Also known as: Communications strategy, PR strategy
Many communication teams work through a list of activities: press releases, posts, events, newsletters. Without a strategy, it is hard to say whether those activities add up to anything. A communication strategy answers in advance why you communicate, with whom and to what end. Only then can you decide which activity is worth the effort and which is not.
Building blocks
A communication strategy usually covers these elements:
- Situation analysis: where the organisation stands today. This includes how media and AI answers describe it, strengths and weaknesses, topics in the market and the position of competitors.
- Goals: what communication should change, derived from the business goals.
- Audiences and stakeholders: who you need to reach for the goal to happen, such as customers, trade media, job candidates, investors or policymakers.
- Key messages: two to four statements those audiences should take away.
- Channels: how you reach each audience. Many teams sort channels using the PESO model, which Gini Dietrich introduced in 2014: paid, earned (earned media, mainly editorial coverage), shared (social media) and owned (your own channels). Spin Sucks has an overview.
- Activities and timeline: what happens when, for example media relations, events or content for your website.
- Budget and resources: people, agencies, tools.
- Evaluation: which metrics show success and when they are collected.
Setting measurable goals
The first of the Barcelona Principles 4.0 states that clear, measurable objectives are a prerequisite for effective communication planning, measurement and evaluation. The AMEC Integrated Evaluation Framework therefore starts with organisational objectives and derives communication objectives from them.
It helps to phrase goals by level of effect. The AMEC taxonomy defines the levels as follows:
- Outputs: what you put out that is received by target audiences, such as articles and reach.
- Out-takes: what audiences do with and take out of your communication, such as attention, awareness and understanding.
- Outcomes: the effects on audiences, such as attitude change, trust, preference and intention.
- Impact: results caused in full or in part by your communication, such as reputation or behaviour change.
In German-speaking countries, the DPRG/ICV framework is widely used. It separates input, internal and external output, direct and indirect outcome, and outflow, meaning the contribution to targets such as revenue or reputation value. How to get from business goals to communication goals is covered in how to turn business goals into communication success. For suitable metrics, see PR KPIs 2026.
Strategy, plan and campaign
The terms are often mixed up. A practical distinction:
- The strategy sets goals, audiences, messages and channel choices for a longer period, often one to three years.
- A campaign or programme plan applies the strategy to one project, such as a launch, including activities and budget. German practitioners call this the PR-Konzept.
- The action plan is the operational level: who does what by when.
Example: a one-page strategy
The following example is fictional, and all numbers are illustrative. A cargo bike manufacturer from Freiburg wants to grow its business with delivery companies.
| Building block | Content |
|---|---|
| Business goal | 30% more revenue from commercial fleets within two years |
| Starting point | Known among consumers, barely present in logistics media; two competitors dominate trade press |
| Communication goal | Consideration among fleet managers from 12% to 25% by the end of 2028, measured with a comparable survey at the start and at the end |
| Supporting goals | Output: share of voice in logistics trade media from 10% to 25%. AI: a fixed set of 20 questions about cargo bike fleets, share of answers naming the brand from 5% to 30%, checked quarterly across several AI providers |
| Audiences | Fleet managers at delivery companies, logistics trade media, municipal transport planners |
| Key messages | Lower cost per delivery; service network in 40 cities |
| Channels (PESO) | Earned: trade media; owned: case studies; shared: LinkedIn; paid: LinkedIn ads, a sponsored placement in a logistics newsletter |
| Evaluation | Survey at the start and at the end; quarterly: share of voice, messages in coverage, AI question set, enquiries from fleet customers |
Common mistakes
- Goals that only count output: "twelve press releases a year" is an activity, not a goal. The sixth Barcelona Principle calls for reporting on outputs, outcomes and impact.
- No view of competitors: more coverage means little if competitors grow faster. Share of voice makes that visible.
- No baseline: if you do not measure the starting point, you cannot show progress.
- Too many messages: six key messages come through less often than two.
How aclipp supports a communication strategy
The situation analysis and the evaluation need the same data, collected with the same method. In aclipp, media monitoring with global online monitoring across more than 150 million sources gives you the baseline and trend for your share of voice against competitors, and AI visibility checks a fixed question set across several AI providers at regular intervals. Outcome goals such as consideration or trust still need surveys.