About the event
At the beginning of 2022, the Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21) and the Center for International Strategic Thinking (Cepei) pioneered the creation of Latin America and the Caribbean’s first Community of Practice (CoP) for Data-driven Communication.
This initiative brought together the region’s national statistical offices (NSOs) and actors outside the statistical system to share knowledge and strengthen the capacity to transmit data relevant for decision-making.
Speakers
Andrés Azócar
Expert in social media and digital platforms
Chile
Jorge Caraballo
International consultant and expert in audience growth
Colombia
Ernesto Canales
Co-founder of Latinometrics
Estados Unidos
Moderator
Nicolás Marín
Content Editor
Cepei
The wide range of available information has created the need for new tools to share data that reflects the population’s reality and guarantees its veracity and transparency.
Today, social media networks have become great allies of NSOs because they allow users to immediately access statistics, graphics, and content that is easy to understand. However, for communication to be effective and assertive, it is important to identify which formats and messages work best for each audience to increase their engagement level.
On May 3, the community of practice held the seventh communications talk focused on analyzing emerging trends, best practices, and digital dynamics to build audiences.
The session’s panelists were: Andrés Azócar, an expert in social media and digital platforms; Jorge Caraballo, an international consultant and expert in audience growth; and Ernesto Canales, co-founder of Latinometrics, a newsletter that tells stories through data from public sources.
Canales stated, “The challenge is finding the data to turn into stories. At Latinometrics, we capitalize on this opportunity and complement the information to share interesting stories and spark conversations on social media.”
Jorge Caraballo and Andrés Azócar agreed on the importance of listening to audiences and interacting with them to strengthen digital communities.
“You have to listen to what is happening and respond to the needs of that moment; you have to know how people are talking on social media and adapt the information accordingly in order to have an impact,” said Caraballo.
Main findings
The panelists provided four elements for sharing data-driven stories through social media:
1. Find a story of general interest. Understand the national, regional, or global context.
2. Interpret the data so that the information is easy to understand and memorable.
3. Connect with audiences based on trending conversations. Know when and when not to talk about a subject.
4. Listen to audiences. Feedback on social media influences the audience’s level of engagement with the entity sharing the information.
Community of Practice on Data-Driven Communications in Latin America and the Caribbean
Cepei and PARIS21 identified that NSO communication experts did not have their own space for peer-to-peer exchange. The Cop provides a learning platform to strengthen communication skills and bring data closer to decision-makers.
Currently, ten NSOs in the region are members of the Community: Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, and Uruguay. Other countries are expected to join this initiative to strengthen the regional network and exchange common challenges regarding timely and effective data communication.
Organizers
