---
id: "coronavirus-smarter-crowdsourcing:strategies/Engage-the-public-and/or-targeted-groups-in-the-de"
type: "GovLab policy strategy"
title: "Engage the public and/or targeted groups in the design and development of public health messaging strategies."
url: "https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/strategies/engage-the-public-and/or-targeted-groups-in-the-de"
summary: "Engage the public and/or targeted groups in the design and development of public health messaging strategies. Ensure a transparent process of content development to increase trust with the public."
source: "The GovLab (coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org)"
licence: "Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)"
---

# Engage the public and/or targeted groups in the design and development of public health messaging strategies.

Engage the public and/or targeted groups in the design and development of public health messaging strategies. Ensure a transparent process of content development to increase trust with the public.

- Timeframe: 1-3 Months (immediate)
- Audience: Civil Society, Organized Civil Society, Nonprofits
- Type: Communications, Partnerships
- Recommendation: [Community and stakeholder engagement](https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/recommendations/community-and-stakeholder-engagement)
- Part of: [Smarter Crowdsourcing in the Age of Coronavirus](https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/)

## Actions governments should take

1. Recruit a public panel to help design the presentation of the messaging content ideas.
2. Post information online or write articles describing the process by which messaging was developed and how the public was engaged in the development of the messaging strategy.
3. [Host a town hall where the public can ask questions to the experts or the government. The government can televise, live stream, or otherwise host this forum on a free and public platform to ensure it has broad reach to many segments of the population.](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/media-resources/press-briefings)
4. Coordinate citizen-led messaging campaigns, where members of the public are the main spokespersons and public faces for public health messaging.
5. [Explain what is known and unknown about the disease and the steps necessary to control its spread to enhance public trust.](https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2013.840696)
6. Avoid over reassurance and fostering unrealistic expectations (e.g. everything will be fine in 2 weeks).

## Examples from around the world

1. The government of the State of New York developed a contest to create a public service announcement communicating the importance of wearing a mask. They received over 600 submissions as part of the "[Wear a Mask New York Ad Contest](https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/wear-mask-new-york-ad-contest-winner-announced)" and had New Yorkers vote on the videos. In total there were over 186,000 votes cast. New York will be using the 1st and 2nd place ads for public service announcements. Here is a link to the winning [video](https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/wear-mask-new-york-ad-contest-winner-announced).