When your messaging starts to feel scattered, outdated, or invisible, it’s time for a communications audit.
A communications audit is more than a checklist. It’s a moment to pause, reflect, and realign your communications with your goals, audiences, and values. Whether you’re leading a team, supporting internal systems, or navigating change, this process helps you understand what’s working, what’s missing, and where clarity is needed most.
Here are five ways to begin.
1. Revisit your goals
What do you need your communications to do right now?
Start by identifying your current goals. Be specific. Are you trying to:
Increase employee engagement?
Improve onboarding?
Reduce inbox overwhelm?
Clarify leadership messaging?
Build trust or support a culture shift?
Naming your goals helps you focus your audit and prioritize what to review.
2. Get clear on your audiences
Who are you communicating with, and how are they experiencing it?
Every message has an audience, and each audience brings different needs, expectations, and contexts. What works for one group may not work for another.
Consider:
What do they need to know?
Where do they typically look for information?
Are there any access, language, or timing barriers?
If you’re not sure, ask.
3. Review your channels and tools
Where are your messages appearing, and are they reaching the intended audience?
Take stock of your communication platforms, both formal and informal. These might include:
Email newsletters
Slack or Teams
Intranet pages
Digital signage
Team meetings or huddles
Consider how often content is shared, its accessibility, and whether it’s helpful or adds noise. Consider tone, structure, and readability, too.
4. Assess clarity and alignment
Is what you’re saying aligned with what you’re doing?
Look for consistency across your materials. Are your values, tone, and key messages reflected in everyday communications? Do updates match actions? Does your team know where to go for accurate, up-to-date information?
Sometimes the biggest gaps are not about content, they’re about confusion, contradiction, or silence.
5. Invite input
The most valuable insights come from the people who experience your communications daily.
Consider gathering feedback through:
Informal conversations
Team reflections
Stakeholder interviews
Short surveys
Ask what’s working, what feels unclear or missing, and what tools or support would make communication easier in their role. People usually have more insight than we realize; they’re just rarely asked.
Final thought:
A communications audit doesn’t need to be perfect or overwhelming. It just needs to be honest. Start small, stay curious, and focus on what helps people feel informed, included, and clear on what comes next.
