What do residents expect from neighbourhood communication: 5 insights from our survey

Neighbourhood communication on Hoplr

More than 120 cities and municipalities use our neighbourhood communication functionalities to reach 15% to 60% of their inhabitants immediately, without having to compete with countless messages and advertisements.

The messages you receive here are definitely seen. On Facebook there is so much advertising that you miss many messages or you see them too late. – Respondent from Brasschaat

Neighbourhood communication survey

As part of continuous support from our Knowledge Centre, we developed the neighbourhood communication survey at the end of last year.

Cities and municipalities could publish it in their own name, in order to gauge the appreciation and wishes for their neighbourhood communication on Hoplr. More than 2,500 users completed the survey.

We have compiled the results of the surveys from 10 municipalities. Participating municipalities can compare their figures with the average results here. Read the most interesting insights below.

Insight #1 Well-being and mobility are most often discussed according to users

Our customers know that we divide neighbourhood communication into twelve themes, such as nuisance, children and youth and local economy. We motivate them to include each of the themes in their communication plan for Hoplr.

As Hoplr is meant for the inhabitants of a village, only very important messages (health, traffic, safety) from the Herselt municipality are desirable. It should not become a website of and for the municipality – Respondent from Herselt

In the survey, we asked respondents on the one hand whether they had already seen the municipality post messages on Hoplr about the above themes. Welfare (16.8%) and mobility (15.20%) came out on top.

On the other hand, we asked how often they would like to see the local government post about the topics on Hoplr. Mobility (69.9%), safety (68.9%), basic facilities (63.8%) and welfare (60.7%) come out on top.

Insight #2 Users mainly want to be informed but also find participation important

We also encourage a healthy mix between ‘communication objectives’. Thus, we recommend using Hoplr not only to spread information but also to engage citizens.

Interesting: even though we know from experience that the number of informative messages posted is many times higher than the number of participative initiatives, an equal number of citizens can specifically remember the two message types (29.2% remember seeing information, 29.1% remember seeing participation).

Communication with citizens is very important! The citizen must be involved much more in the whole process. – Respondent from Knokke-Heist

Also when we ask whether users would like to receive each of these types of messages never, only when absolutely necessary, occasionally or regularly, we see that users mainly hope to receive regular information messages (64.9%) and messages about participation (48.3%).

Insight #3 One post per week on Hoplr is ideal

We’ve said it in previous articles and workshops: one message per week is perfect. This is now confirmed by 56% of the respondents.

Insight #4 Messages from municipalities are accessible, but sometimes too long

In a matrix question, we asked respondents to what extent they thought that the messages from the municipality were understandable, disturbing, interesting or too long. The messages scored particularly well on comprehensibility (59% chose completely comprehensible). But the users would like the messages to be a little shorter (only 29% chose not too long at all).

The information is clear and it is also clear that it officially comes from the municipality. The information is also re-readable and easy to find. For someone new to Edegem like me, it is the ideal way to get information. Very satisfied! – Respondent from Edegem

Sometimes cities and towns are faced with the question of whether citizens want the local government to have a presence on Hoplr. The results speak for themselves. Three-quarters of the users think it is very good that the municipality uses Hoplr for neighbourhood communication.

I like to receive messages from the city this way, I find them most credible; rather than having to look for them in the press, facebook, … where they immediately come across as more colourful. It is also an incentive to visit the city’s web for more extensive information from the city itself. Without the hint on Hoplr I too often forget to go and look there. – Respondent from Blankenberge

Let all this be the motivation you need to share short and varied messages with the Hoplr neighbourhoods on a weekly basis, and thus engage in efficient neighbourhood communication!