How Strängnäs Municipality improved their communication

We meet Theresa Westermark, a digital communicator in Strängnäs Municipality, and learn how they use PLAYipp and digital information screens.

From printed posters to digital screens

Strängnäs Municipality faced challenges in disseminating their information in society and digitalizing their message distribution instead of solely using printed posters, which not only took time and resources but also quickly became outdated. Today, Strängnäs Municipality has not only made their communication with its residents more efficient, but they have also ensured to become extra relevant with their communication by publishing different types of information in different geographic locations. A smart way to use the placement of screens to talk to the right target group at the right time about the right things.

Reaching new residents with digital screens

The screens gave Strängnäs Municipality the opportunity to reach the residents with more visual content. With video and more information that is easier to absorb than via the municipality’s website, which in turn requires that the resident has visited their website. With PLAYipp Digital Signage, they can reach those they normally did not reach before, but who would benefit from receiving the information.

Theresa reports that her colleagues see the screens out in the community and view it as a good communication channel, and they receive more and more inquiries from different offices wanting to use the screens to communicate their messages.

“We see that we have definitely been able to meet the challenges we had before we started working with digital screens and now we also see the opportunities to develop the use and work more with the editorial content.”
Theresa Westermark, Digital Communicator, Strängnäs Municipality

Wanted to become more efficient

Before using digital information screens, the website, social media, and media were used in external communication. But in public environments where residents actually move around, posters on bulletin boards were used. Strängnäs Municipality sought a solution to become more efficient in their communication work and reach the residents in a different way and in an environment they normally did not.

“In public environments, we worked analogously, going around and putting up posters on bulletin boards, and now we can have more dynamic material and talk about upcoming events or about us as an employer.”
Theresa Westermark, Digital Communicator, Strängnäs Municipality

PLAYipp Digital Signage Strängnäs kommun evenemang

Targeted communication

Today, about 10-12 screens are used around the municipality and are placed in three different geographic target groups with different types of communication attached to them.

One group of screens is placed in contact centers, where municipal information such as tips about upcoming events, news from the municipality’s website, and important information that needs to be communicated directly to the residents.

The second group of screens is placed in libraries and various cultural institutions. The information on these screens is about upcoming events, concerts, and lectures. The communication still targets the residents of the municipality but is more focused on cultural experiences.

The third target group that Strängnäs Municipality addresses is those who travel to Strängnäs Municipality. These screens are then placed at train stations, and the screens are used to talk about what’s happening in the municipality, attractions, events, and such information that can attract visitors who are not usually in Strängnäs or any of the other localities in the municipality.

By having different people responsible for the content on the screens, Strängnäs Municipality’s communication department ensures to utilize the competence and knowledge that exists within the various departments around the municipality.

“I think it works very well, we get very quick help and support! Our contact person Victor is very good at answering our questions and providing great training, so we are very satisfied!”
Theresa Westermark, Digital Communicator, Strängnäs Municipality

A dream would be to have a digital screen in every staff room

Strängnäs Municipality is positive about the continued work with digital information screens, and the dream would be to have a digital screen in every lunchroom to be able to communicate internally more easily. To have all communication gathered in one system with lots of functionality.

PLAYipp was procured in the autumn of 2019, and by spring 2020, work began on developing templates. Just as Sweden was hit by the pandemic, the first screens were installed. So, when the messages on the screens were ready to meet their intended audiences around the municipality, there was nobody there.

Strängnäs Municipality may not have had the best start with their digital screens, but instead of getting discouraged, the extra time was used to establish routines, plan, and prepare content and templates for the screens.

Having a clear plan and purpose for the digital information screens quickly made them a natural channel in Strängnäs Municipality’s communication work.

“PLAYipp has lots of other features too, but being able to schedule content is worth its weight in gold for us!”
Theresa Westermark, Digital Communicator, Strängnäs Municipality

Theresa’s tips!

For those who want to start using digital information screens.

Decide what this channel should do and be in relation to other existing channels, actually doing that homework first.
Have good and clear message templates so you can easily let your employees publish content so it becomes uniform and good.
Think through how you want the content to be published and appear on the screen.
Consider which places you believe will have the best effect for placing a digital information screen.
It’s important to have a system owner who takes responsibility for the digital screens.