Lauren Smith Hong

Website

• Audit the new website to ensure visitors can navigate to defined end goals in no more than three clicks.
• Make sure content is visually consistent, with images paired with text when possible.
• Optimize text for skim readers by streamlining and/or breaking long text into sections.
• Make the site as mobile-friendly as possible.
• Design for accessibility.

Social Media

• Create a six-month content calendar that is collaborative, adaptable and utilizes Airtable project management functionality.
• Adjust platform architecture and strategies to optimize views and audience engagement.
• Develop original content that aligns with our mission and brand and stays relevant with opportune trends.
• Explore automation tools to increase efficiency.
• Plug into influencer marketing.

Branding

• Build a unified voice for the Gardens based on our core values, strategic objectives and unique identity.
• Work with staff to create messaging that is clear, concise, consistent, compelling and connects to audiences.
• Develop comprehensive style guidelines to promote visual consistency.
• Grow digital resources like virtual tours to expand brand messaging.

Audiences

• Ensure communications foster a sense of welcoming and inclusion for all audiences.
• Embrace diverse perspectives and amplify the stories of historically marginalized community members and organizations.
• Use strategic planning survey data to focus content on constituent interests.
• Translate key communications into Spanish and make them readily available to Spanish-speaking audiences.
• Plan all communications with accessibility at the forefront.

Public Relations

• Roll out a carefully timed and strategically crafted Garden Gateway communications plan that celebrates the changes ahead.
• Work with the Office of Climate & Sustainability to champion Gardens’ stories in Climate Commitment messaging.
• Assemble an internal taskforce to create strategies focused on strengthening ties between the Gardens and Duke Health.
• Propose new ideas for Growing magazine to maximize donor engagement.
• Evaluate and expand our current channels for public and media relations.

Interpretation

• Develop smart signage for the Garden Gateway closure.
• Lead a series of charrettes with senior staff and curators to evaluate current interpretive signage and identify future opportunities.
• Survey visitors, volunteers and staff about wayfinding at Duke Gardens. Based on the results, redesign wayfinding materials to maximize effectiveness.
• Create a comprehensive style guide with user-friendly templates to establish gardens-wide visual consistency and messaging.
• Explore digital resources to add to our interpretation arsenal, like Stqry.