---
id: "coronavirus-smarter-crowdsourcing:strategies/Governments-should-understand-the-preferences-of-t"
type: "GovLab policy strategy"
title: "Governments should understand the preferences of their constituencies and use tools that populations are…"
url: "https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/strategies/governments-should-understand-the-preferences-of-t"
summary: "Governments should understand the preferences of their constituencies and use tools that populations are most comfortable with. For example,live streams on social media platforms like facebook- which people use regularly and have fewer barriers to access-- tend to be more popular then webinars or conversations on platforms like Zoom or WebEx."
source: "The GovLab (coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org)"
licence: "Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)"
---

# Governments should understand the preferences of their constituencies and use tools that populations are…

Governments should understand the preferences of their constituencies and use tools that populations are most comfortable with. For example,live streams on social media platforms like facebook- which people use regularly and have fewer barriers to access-- tend to be more popular then webinars or conversations on platforms like Zoom or WebEx.

- Timeframe: 1-3 Months (immediate)
- Audience: Civil Society
- Type: Research, Communications
- Recommendation: [Data and innovation](https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/recommendations/data-and-innovation)
- Part of: [Smarter Crowdsourcing in the Age of Coronavirus](https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/)

## Actions governments should take

1. Produce content for open television networks, the radio, newspapers and magazines, as well as posters for local administration to post.
2. [Follow Rockefeller Foundations rules of thumb for clear language: 1) Create emotional reactions, 2) Sound familiar and easy to understand, 3) Evoke visual images in the mind, and 4) Be easy to retain and repeat (use word-of-mouth)](https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CovidTestingTracing_Handbook.pdf)
3. Work with local artists, such as comedians and musicians, especially in smaller towns.
4. [Capitalize on the countless tech tools available to streamline and improve messaging and communications processes. Chatbots, APIs, data visualization, better website design can all help get the message across more effectively and efficiently, thus reducing the burden on valuable public servants.](https://covid-websites.usdigitalresponse.org/)
5. [Measure and monitor the success of specific tools through collecting data on engagement, clicks (bit.ly), participation, etc.](https://bit.ly/)

## Examples from around the world

1. [The Inter-Agency Standing Committee Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, with support from global, regional and country based experts, in addition to parents, caregivers, teachers and children in 104 countries, developed a children's book “My Hero is You” to help families and children understand and cope with COVID-19. This is an example of segmenting messaging to specific populations to increase the reach and specificity of the message.](https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/system/files/2020-04/My%20Hero%20is%20You%2C%20Storybook%20for%20Children%20on%20COVID-19.pdf)