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Are you using AI in your content production? And being open about this?

by
Wooden skittles shaped like people. Old. they are angled to be looking at each other. They are looking suspicious.


How charities are working to build trust by being transparent about how they produce information. Health charities are leading the way.

In a time of dis and mis-information, AI summaries and fewer click-throughs, charities are fighting to be seen as a reliable source of information. Building trust through brand alone is not enough. We need to go further to show our commitment to quality and accuracy.

Things like kite marks or being referenced by trustworthy organisations or people can help.Transparency around how information is produced and whether AI is involved, also can help reassure, especially if someone has concerns about AI slop and hallucinations.

Much of charity information will go through panels of subject experts (such as medics or lawyers), lived experience groups as well as content design and editorial teams. Often it will have a long production and regular review process. But our users might not know this. It is helpful for AI agents too who are looking for maintenance and process as an indication of quality.

Lauren Pope’s latest research into charity content and AI shared interesting insights around how our content is viewed as well as how the production processes are changing. She looked at how AI is involved in the creation of content and found that it is widely used in some form.

Given this widespread use, how are we as content producers and specifically information content producers, communicating this? Is it important to do so?

I looked at 40 large information charities (20 health / 20 advice) to get a snapshot of what the sector is doing. TL:DR – health charities are leading the way in their transparency.

Health charities

I found that most health charities (16/20) had ‘how we produce our information’ statements on their websites. There was a wide range in the volume of detail shared and how engaging this was. Most of these charities are quality marked by PIF TICK which includes transparency as part of its criteria which may explain why the incidence of this content was so high.

Here are some highlights.

Macmillan’s How we produce our information page goes into a lot of detail. It includes notes about language and how they ensure quality. It lists the sources they use, the review process and an explanation of the PIF TICK quality mark. In a section last updated in January 2025, they explain that they “do not use AI technology to create this content [information for people living with cancer] and have no plans to do so currently” but list some other ways AI is used such as metadata and enhanced search.

Crohn’s and Colitis UK specifically mention how they use AI editorial tools to simplify language but do not use LLMs to generate health information, create translations or produce images. There is a lot of detail in their statement.

Tommy’s page includes this video which ends with the statement: “All Tommy’s pregnancy health information is based on the latest research and evidence.” The video was published six years ago. Their page describes the standards their information works to (including PIF TICK) and a one-paragraph note about AI.

Muscular Dystrophy UK close their page with three paragraphs about using AI. It ends by saying “We will always be open when AI has been used to support the production of our PIF TICK accredited health information. When it has, we’ll clearly state on the page: ‘The information on this page was supported by AI and has been reviewed by specialists.’”.

More health charities with transparency pages

It was generally hard to find these pages, they were mostly very buried. Some were listed in the footer next to policies and statements. Others were buried deep within About us sections. Most only findable by search. They should be more prominent. Transparency is only useful if it can be found.

How we create our health information - in the footer of Epilepsy Action's website

Other health charities without transparency pages

Advice-giving charities

Analysis of a further 20 information / advice giving charities found far fewer organisations with these transparency pages – only 3/20 which was surprising.

Independent Age’s How we produce our information page doesn’t include a mention of AI but starts with a strong statement and detail of PIF TICK and how information is tested on older people.

Scope have produced a short page about how they ensure their content is clear and of a high quality. It states that their content is not created by AI.

NCT include a prominent link from their information hub to a page explaining how their information is produced. No mention of AI.

screenshot from NCT, prominently linking from their information hub

The following organisations didn’t have any information on their websites about content production or use of AI:

Conclusions

Sharing the detail of your processes and actions around content production may help to reassure and build trust. Not just with people looking for information but also your AI agents who want to know about accuracy.

It might be early days for our human users to look for this content. If we look at some of the biggest information providers in the country, they don’t appear to have these types of pages (see NHS, gov.uk, local government etc) so it is not industry standard.

Going through this process internally helps to solidify your best practice and identify opportunities and risks. It is interesting that so many of the examples describe that AI is used for editing processes only, listing which tools are used. Creating and reviewing these pages is a useful prompt to check-in with colleagues and agree team use.

Transparency pages should mention AI even if it is not being used to reassure concerned users. And this should be regularly reviewed and updated.

Finally, there is no point having a page about information production if it is hidden away from where your audience are reading your information. This content should be clear and prominent. It should itself be well written and presented in an engaging way.

How this information was produced

I took the photo myself and researched and wrote the post too. It was inspired by a conversation at the William Joseph webinar which shared Lauren’s research about charity content and AI .

Please let me know if you have other examples to share. Or insights about the value (or not) of producing this content.

If you have found this post useful, please share it on LinkedIn or with your networks.

About me

I am a digital information specialist with 20+ years working in charity content. Get in touch if you are looking for support around content strategy, messaging or processes.

Read more: The fight for accurate information – charity comms around AI search results.

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Under-16s social media ban – date announced

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Repeated image of a bronze statue of a child, jumping over a bollard in the street


News on the timeline of the under-16s social media ban and what it might mean for your charity and how you support young people.

Following the first announcement in June and updates in July, there had been no further information on the ban. Then on Monday Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced that it would come into force in March 2027 (BBC Newsround – Social media ban to start in March 2027, Culture Secretary says). Previously the date had been named only as Spring.

Now we know that we have six months to prepare, what does this mean for you and the young people in your communities?

Support systems

This article by Dr Harry Dyer from UEA argues that “serious investment in support systems” is needed for the ban to be a success. This includes social media education, literacy, guidance for parents and investment in mental health support for young people.

Much of this should come at Government level and has been mentioned in the detail of the ban already such a programme of digital literacy and more youth clubs. But as charities trusted by and working with young people we also have work to do to help young people avoid the ban feeling like a cliff edge.

We can help build new connections and skills, help them understand about the implications of ban cheating (such as VPNs and age restriction hacks) and support them through the transition of the ban. This might involve:

  • planning new ways to connect with young people where you previously relied on social media
  • creating support services or advice guides about the ban aimed at young people
  • talking with the young people in your communities about how they are feeling about the ban
  • publishing advice or information for parents / teachers / professionals
  • moving or adapting your digital comms to channels not banned (including newsletters and forums)
  • creating new tools or resources or fun stuff to fill a gap left by social media.

Remember that the spirit of the ban is to “give children their childhood back”. So it’s about creating a positive change in the lives of children and young people, not just removing dangers.

Comms

If you are a health charity or one which shares information which children might use, it is a good time to think about ban-proofing your comms now even if you don’t use social media to connect with them directly. For example, are your YouTube videos likely to be age-restricted or will they appear on YouTube Kids? Do your information guides signpost to social media channels for regular updates?

For more detail on the planning your comms around the ban, see my previous post.

Next steps….

The next milestone in the ban is October when details of the Ofcom age assurance assessment will be released. This should give an indication of which platforms will be included and is likely to be more widely covered in the news, possibly helping it to feel more real for young people.

Having the date of the ban is the most important bit of information to help boost action. Six months is not long, especially with so much else going on at the same time. How is your charity working on this issue? Do you have a working group or strategy?

I can help you plan for the ban. Send me an email or contact me through LinkedIn to book an initial call to discuss how I could help you.

If you have found this post useful, please share it on LinkedIn or with your networks.

Note on the photo

As with all photos I use in this blog, I took this myself – no AI or photo library used here. It shows a repeated distorted image of a bronze statue of a child having fun as they leap over a bollard.

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Good news round-up – autumn issue

by
Mural of a garden, in the style of Van Gogh


Campaigning, policy and fundraising good news from across the sector.

Welcome to the autumn edition of the good news round-up of policy wins, fundraising and awards in the last three months (July -September), sharing stories you might have missed and comms inspiration. If you haven’t read the spring or summer editions, they are here.

It’s been a noisy season with extreme weather news, AI doom, natural disasters, wars, conflict and more. With so much going on and the news moving so fast, it can be hard to find good news stories. They don’t get the same coverage. But we need balance and hope and to see how people are capable of driving positive change. Many of the examples here show the power of people coming together through campaigning, research, action and donations.

If you know of stories I have missed in my search, please let me know, especially from smaller charities.

Policy, campaigning and influencing

screenshot from Breast Cancer Now website - woman in pink holding a sign saying 2 years and counting. Text on page says Enhertu - we did it!

Have you seen Oxfam’s No More Radio Silence campaign? Join the people’s frequency.

Funding, partnerships and people

Vintage badges of RNLI - one rectangular of an Arun boat, one circular

RNLI have once again been front page news. RNLI issued a statement reinforcing that only 1.2% of their rescue work is to ‘small boats’ but still the extreme backlash has persisted. The positive impact of this has been an extended ‘Farage Effect’. They reported a ‘significant donations boost’ in response to incidents in Dover and Portsmouth. RNLI’s online shop is reporting ‘exceptional demand and support for the RNLI’. Socials are full of people buying their Christmas cards, gifts and visiting their shops in person. And almost 150k people have signed a letter of support.

Watch out for Give Like Dolly Day on 25 September (9-2-5) which is also the date of this year’s Macmillan’s Coffee Morning day which has been going since 1990. Maybe some Dolly themed cakes will be shared? Here’s a timeline of Dolly Parton’s good deeds for inspiration.

Impact and awards

Rebrands

How to share your good news

Buttons - green smily face, yellow, less smily, orange sad face, red angry face


We all need good news. When you have a policy, campaign, fundraising or awards win, you need to share it in a way which is going to cut through. Especially when there is so much bad news noise around.

That means sharing with your different audience groups in creative, appropriate and engaging ways. If supporters have been part of the journey with you or the win affects them personally, they will be even more keen to know and understand the detail. If it makes it to the news, fresh people will find you looking for the headlines and stories and more.

  • Pass on the news as quickly as possible once you have crafted your statement.
  • Think about your tone of voice – are you relieved / angry / excited / proud? What might your audience be feeling?
  • Own the win (if it is yours to own). Celebrate and thank others involved.
  • Use unique imagery to announce the news and use this consistently across your channels. Graphics work well.
  • Link social media posts to a news story on your website to drive traffic and make it easy to dig deeper.
  • Respond to comments to show you value involvement and a shared purpose.
  • Include the date on the news story so future readers can understand when this happened.
  • Promote the story on your homepage if it is a really big deal.
  • On your policy win announcement, include links to show the campaign history and what is still to do.
  • Include a call to action where relevant – build on the connection and hope people will feel by reading about a success.

Resources and inspiration for campaigners

Can I help you?

I have some capacity for projects in October and beyond. Do you need help to fix a digital blockage or think about your content / information or to Plan for the Ban?

I do research and audits. I do the content in website projects – large and small – refreshing and editing content, building in UX and content design. I deliver writing for the web training to help up-skill your colleagues. I work on legacy fundraising. I help charities edit their stories or think about information giving. I help develop boilerplate copy and tone of voice guidelines.

Please get in touch if you’d like to chat about how we could work together.

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Plan ahead for the under-16s social media ban

by
Display of different hand gestures. Focus here on a thumb's up


At the start of the summer, the Government announced a social media ban for under-16s starting in 2027, in line with many other countries. As the date of the ban draws closer, charities should be considering its implications in order to plan ahead.

The significance of the ban naturally weigh more heavily on charities working with young people especially those who are using their channels to connect directly with them. But the ban is not just a social media comms issue.

It’s an information, campaigning, fundraising, public health issue with a wide impact. Even if your charity does not connect with young people directly using social media it is worth considering how the ban might impact your own organisation and your audience.

Timeline

  • The ban was announced by the Government on 15 June 2026 with broad detail about platforms and timeline.
  • It was reported in the press as ‘Australia +’.
  • Many charities responded to the news with recommendations for how the ban should be adapted.
  • Following a consultation, more detail was released in July. This included default protections for 16-17 year olds including curfews, rules around chatbots and auto-features. And also a digital literacy programme to help children ‘develop healthier online habits’ and to support families and caregivers.

In July the announcement included the following timeline for more detail and implementation.

Government shared timeline - October: Ofcom age assurance assessment - End 2026: first social media restrictions regulations laid before Parliament - Spring 2027: social media restrictions in force - Spring 2028: Ofcom research and report into circumvention


In the meantime there has been a change of Prime Minister and no further mention of the ban.

However, with the groundswell of other countries also announcing bans, it is unlikely that this will not go ahead. So we should expect confirmation in October about the platforms, more detail by the end of the year, and then the restrictions coming into force in spring.

Update (28 Sept): Lisa Nandy has announced that the ban will come into force in March 2027.

While we wait for the detail, it is a good time to be gathering information and making plans. Here are three key areas I am recommending clients think about now.

A social media audit / review

Does your organisation use social media to connect with young people (under 18)? This might be only through certain channels or only via paid targetting. It might be a focus for a certain team or project or at certain times of the year. It is a good time to gather this information, mapping out your different channels and the content you share. Do you (or might you ever) specifically create posts aimed at school-aged children (or their parents / teachers / supporters)?

You should consider the algorithmic channels which might be included in the ban. The UK Government statement says: “We plan to use the same model for a social media ban as Australia. Their model included platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and X”. The Australian model list is of 10 platforms including Reddit, Threads, Kick (a live-streaming video platform) and Twitch.

The model includes a list of 10 platforms they have deemed not to need restriction. This (at present) includes YouTube Kids, Discord, Pinterest, Roblox and WhatsApp.

If the same channels are restricted to UK under-16s, what might be the implications on different aspects of your work? For example, are there other channels or forums you could signpost to and build up now? Do you need to instead invest in SEO work around important website content? Or create new versions of information videos which will still appear to young people using YouTube Kids? Or build additional offline touchpoints? An audit will help you to plan ahead for the gap social media leaves.

Remember that the spirit of the ban is to remove social media for a generation of young people. The statement says the ban will give children back their childhoods with “less time for scrolling and more time for play”.

Text from Gov.uk introducing the ban says: Children will be given back their childhoods thanks to government action to ban social media platforms from offering services to under-16s, with less time for scrolling and more time for play. The plans will set a new normal for future generations, kickstarting a cultural shift and driving forward the government’s fight to give every child the best start in life.


Comms around the ban

If your charity has already made statements around the ban, you might be planning further policy or campaign work around this.

If you support young people or parents, teachers or other professionals, you might be planning content with tips for managing the transition. A few charities in Australia produced content like this. Take a look at Headspace and UNICEF Australia.

Maybe you are running focus groups or doing research with young people about how they are feeling about the ban or planning to respond to it. And planning ongoing comms about this? This news story from Children in Scotland about the ban includes quotes from young people.

You might also be talking with colleagues whose work is impacted by the ban. Is there comms to do about new contact points or shifts in messaging? Maybe you should be leading internal comms so key people are kept up to speed with developments.

An evolving social media strategy

It is unclear what the impact of the ban might be straight away. 13-15 years olds are likely to be impacted most as a generation of frequent users. In Australia, research by the Molly Rose Foundation found that young people found a way around the ban with “more than 60% of Australian children still using social media despite ban for under-16s“. (Note the Australian ban came into force on 10 December 2025).

However, younger children may never reach this stage. And it may have an impact on how they use social media when they reach 16. The work around curfews and digital literacy as part of the ban are aiming to address the impact of this cliff point.

Press coverage of the damage done by social media or changes at platform level may lead to changes in behaviour in other age groups (or not).

And with many other countries also considering or implementing bans, this may drive pressure on the platforms to implement additional changes to improve safety or experience (or not!).

This is a time of flux and uncertainty. Do your KPIs take this into account? How might your social media strategy need to adapt to include different channels or to cater for different needs as the ban ‘sets a new normal for future generations’?

Conclusions

Use the time now to plan ahead so you are ready to respond to the next phase of this big story. October will soon come round.

The ban has big implications on young people as well as those around them. If you are able to make sense of this for them, showing that you are thinking of what they need, you’ll build trust and connection.

Useful reading

Updates

Next steps….

I can help you plan for the ban.

Graphic - plan for the ban. I can help your organisation to get ready.


I am offering a discovery package in September and October. I can help to map your touchpoints and troubleshoot actions.

Options include a one-on-one discovery call and bespoke workshops bringing different colleagues together. Plus I can help you map your touchpoints, build an action plan and offer additional support.

Whether you are a charity working with young people, you share information or support which young people might need, or your organisation campaigns or fundraises with or on behalf of young people, I can help you build clarity and purpose around the ban.

Send me an email or contact me through LinkedIn to book an initial call.

I am speaking about the ban at this CharityComms Social Media Network event – Adapting to the under-16s social media ban. I’ll be looking at the timeline of what you might need to do, when.

If you have found this post useful, please share it on LinkedIn or with your networks.

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How to manage comms when your charity’s patron dies

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Flower laid when Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022


2026 is feeling a bit like 2016 with a run of sad news about high profile people, some expected, some not. Is your charity prepared to respond to the death of a high-profile person you work with? Using my strategic comms and in-memory fundraising experience, here are best practice steps and examples for your external comms.

This post helps you think about how you would respond to bad news about a high-profile patron, founder, trustee or supporter. These people are ambassadors for your charity. It also includes notes about how to respond to a high-profile diagnosis or death related to your charity’s cause.

A good response can help to raise the profile of your organisation, reaching new people. It shows respect and love to the person who has given their time and energy to your cause. A fitting tribute can help to support a community who are feeling a loss, giving them a shared experience or new insight into someone they admired.

All too often, responses (not included here) are lackluster and not joined up. They miss the moment or don’t take full advantage of a special window. If you have done the thinking and some general preparation, you can be ready to respond in an impactful way if the time comes.

Plan ahead

Start by thinking about the different circumstances you might face and different ways you might respond. Not all ambassadors are equal – some will be more prominent or are more closely connected to your organisation and need a bigger response. Others might have stepped away but it might be right for you to celebrate their historical connection. Others may have been patrons in name only or included for political reasons, or ended in difficult circumstances. What you say about them needs to be carefully considered.

If you already have a comms plan – either generically or specific for certain individuals, has anything changed? Review it on a regular basis based on the individuals and any changes around your strategic comms and channel use. Also, the way society responds to news of deaths is constantly evolving, so it is good to check that your planning is still appropriate.

Having to make decisions in a rush is hard. Deciding to do nothing because it is easier, might not be right either. Planning ahead should help to make this a smooth process.

1. Responding to a death

Your plan might include different ways of responding to the news of a death. You might consider one or several of these actions:

  • issue a simple statement offering your condolences and noting their involvement with your charity
  • issue a release describing the work they did for you and what difference they made
  • release a full obituary about their life including their work with you, adding detail and colour
  • share personal tributes and / or create a space where people can share their memories
  • use the news to promote your organisation and how the person inspired your work.

For example, Compassion in World Farming issued a statement describing Penelope Keith’s legacy of kindness to farmed animals. And Refuge4Pets shared one about their inspirational patron Dame Jenni Murray. Acorn’s Hospice in Birmingham talked about Ozzy Osbourne’s legacy of raising vital funds and awareness.

Your messaging might generate interest from the press, especially if the connection was sizeable or surprising. It might also drive a new audience to your charity so use it as an opportunity to build connections by being clear about what you do. Here’s an example from Friends of TS Queen Mary (on Facebook) sharing the news about the death of their patron Sam Neill. The story was covered in various Scottish media outlets.

Your release might also be used as source material for obituaries so make sure it is easy to find. For example, this page about Royal Academician David Hockney was part of a suite of pages on the RA’s website following his death.

Page about David Hockney on the Royal Academy's website. Was linked from the homepage.


You might decide to say nothing depending on the situation and other comms you have planned. Keep an eye on your search traffic in case there is a spike in people finding their patron or ambassador page (if you have one) and make sure this information is up-to-date. If you notice a spike, it might mean you should say something.

Note – when will you update your patron list to remove their name? Or will you have a previous patrons list and write about their involvement in the past tense with dates?

2. Responding to other bad news

If the news is an announcement about a high-profile person who has been affected by your cause, such as a medical diagnosis or emergency situation, you might want to respond, especially if this is shocking or unusual. You might:

  • re-share the news story
  • issue a statement of your own
  • share your evergreen content about symptoms or treatment.

For example, Blood Cancer UK responded to the news about Lauren Lavern’s diagnosis of smouldering myeloma on their website.

What about if there are a cluster of public announcements of deaths caused by the condition you represent? For example, there appear to have been a few deaths from prostate cancer recently. What will the impact of this repeated news be on your community? What messages could you share to reassure or connect with them during this time?

Action: Comms channels and messaging

In both cases, what channels will you use to share the news? The messaging might not be appropriate for all your audiences.

Is the messaging corporate or community – and in that case, who is it for? If it is corporate it is an ‘about us’ type update, interesting because it is a reflection of the organisation. If it is community it is because of the work they did, how visible they were in their actions, how respected / loved / successful they were. Or because the news is a trigger for people in your community affected by the same issue.

Some things to think about in creating your message and comms package.

  • Who will write your statements and what sources will you use? Who needs to have input and sign off? Do you need permission from the family?
  • Do you need quotes from your CEO or others to add weight to your message?
  • Should you share the same wording and image across all your social media channels? Or does it need to change or only used on certain channels?
  • Should you clear your homepage? And if so, how long will you leave the story up for?
  • Do you need to pause any other activity? Check any scheduled activity and consider whether it is appropriate to continue.
  • Is it appropriate to send out an emergency newsletter? Or will you add it to a scheduled one?
  • Should you amend your donation page or send a comms pack to your community fundraisers?
  • What about internal comms – are there different messages to share internally especially if the person was very present and well loved or the news is a shock?

How might the message change over the coarse of a day or week?

For example Newcastle United shared a statement about the death of Kevin Keegan across their social channels and added the story to their homepage. Within 2 hours, their Instagram post sharing the news had 44k likes and 900+ comments. They issued another statement an hour later with instructions about where to leave flowers and tributes as a result of an overwhelming response.

Newcastle United's homepage marking the death of Kevin Keegan


Action: Tone of voice

Do you have templates or general pre-written statements where you can refine your tone? What is your housestyle for talking about someone dying (eg X person has died vs X person has passed away or X person had cancer vs X person lost their battle)? What about your response – are you saddened / shocked / devastated / sorry? Agreeing these away from the stress and emotion of sharing the news, is time well spent.

If you don’t have a housestyle best practice might be to avoid euphemisms and mirror the language shared in the official announcement from the family / management. Are there other cultural or generational issues you should consider?

The cause of death should be reflected in the tone of your comms, especially if it is unexpected. For example, here’s how Soccer Aid for UNICEF shared the news of Liam Payne’s death.

Your tribute might instead come from someone else in your community which means it will have a different tone. This can add more warmth and personality. For example, this personal tribute from Chris Tarrant who worked with Judith Chalmers at Lord’s Taveners.

Action: Timely responses

When a high-profile person dies, there is often a great out-pouring of feeling for them. This window of a shared expression of grief doesn’t last very long so you have to move quickly.

It is standard practice for media outlets to have pre-written obituaries (advancers) so they can get something out as soon as the news is public. This isn’t necessarily what you need to do but it is a good idea to manage your assets.

  • Do you have a recent or good quality photo of them you have the rights to use?
  • Is your information about their connection with you up-to-date? Does it cover all the highlights?
  • What other assets do you have – quotes, videos etc – is it appropriate to share these?

For example, Battersea added videos to their press release following the death of their ambassador Anthony Head in June.

There might also be a window for follow-up comms, such as announcing a fundraising total, piece of art or an event in their name. This post from Cancer Research shares news about a research project funded in memory of Sarah Harding. If you received lots of messages, you may want to issue a new story with these tributes. For example, this from the Martin Parr Foundation.

Action: Is it right to fundraise?

People can want to do something positive to mark someone’s passing. This might be laying flowers, signing a book of condolence or making a donation. Helping people to do this, helps to drive the action.

If the person was someone who actively fundraised for you as part of their connection with your charity, it might feel like the right thing to do to raise money in their memory. If they lived their lives with the values of your charity, you might feel that you owe it to them to use the opportunity. Or you might feel that another charity has a bigger right to fundraise in their memory and don’t want to get in the way of that.

Situation 1: You might decide that actively fundraising is right. This might be because you had a conversation with them while they were alive. Or they expressed their wishes about what they want you to do in this situation. Or the family have named you as an in-memory partner.

    In which case, you’ll want to make this prominent using all your methods to celebrate and promote donations. This might include setting up a tribute page on a third party provider or by reproducing your donation page with photos and quotes.

    Promote your donation platform with confidence. Here’s a great example from CoppaFeel when their founder Kris died in 2024. Their warm and positive statement has several links to donate as well as an inspiring quote in a big yellow box.

    screenshot from CoppaFeel's website with a quote from Kris and a donate button


    Situation 2: Donations happen without your involvement. For example, an environmental campaign in New Zealand which actor Sam Neill was involved with has seen a spike in donations in his memory. Keep an eye on your donation page and see if you can correlate a change in traffic. You might need to issue a statement and be more involved than you had planned.

    Situation 3: You decide not to fundraise. Despite this it might be worth making subtle changes to make it easy for people who want to take this action, just in case.

    • Even if you don’t want to create a bespoke in-memory donation page on your site or actively promote this, could you add the option to the motivation drop-down if you have one (eg I want to donate in memory of X) so you can track activity?
    • If you have published a news story or statement on your website, link to the donation page. You don’t necessarily need to openly ask unless it feels right, but the option is there. Don’t just rely on the donate button in the header.
    • If they have previously raised money for you, you might include this in your tributes to show their commitment to you.

    If funeral arrangements include a public request for donations to your charity, make this prominent on your website and in your comms. For example this BBC news story mentions that Bonnie Tyler’s family have asked for donations to the charities she was patron of.

    As part of your housekeeping it is also worth checking to see if there are other fundraising efforts out there you should know about. Maybe fraudulent activity on your behalf or general mis-direction. For example, here AI is signposting to the tribute page of another Kevin Keegan who died in 2025. Finding bad messaging might drive you to create content which directs people to the right place instead.

    AI summary on Google for donate Kevin Keegan which is listing all the places people can leave flowers but also directing people to a different Kevin Keegan's Much Loved tribute page



    Conclusions

    This all might feel like a lot of work. But being part of a moment which celebrates someone’s contribution is important. It helps build connections.

    Working out your strategy so that you can respond quickly and appropriately is worth the effort. This is crisis comms with a focus.

    • Plan ahead so you have done all your thinking.
    • Keep your assets up-to-date.
    • Respond quickly.
    • Fundraise with confidence if that is what you have chosen to do.

    Monitor the situation and adapt your activity as needed. Read the room and know when it is right to move on to something else.

    More case studies and examples

    Paul O'Grady's tribute fund on the Battersea website - current total is £294711.91


    Looking for more examples of in-memory comms?

    Next steps….

    Have you done this planning in your organisation?

    If this is a tricky area for your charity, I can help you find a way through. I can work with you to think strategically about your response. Get in touch to book a bespoke workshop or explore other options.

    If you have found this post useful, please share it on LinkedIn or with your networks.

    While you’re here

    Useful links for thinking about the admin around death and dying whether you are high-profile or not.

    Unknown's avatar

    Practical actions for the AI search era – how to drive traffic to your website

    by
    Sign - businesses open as usual


    Tips and examples to help drive traffic to your website despite the growth of AI search.

    Helen Olszowska and I have been researching the impact of AI searches on web traffic and information giving. We are sharing some of our findings at the Charity Comms Digital Engagement conference this week. Half of our session looks at GEO and the steps you can take to shape your information to help the AI bots to prioritise it. The second half looks at other things you can do drive your own traffic.

    There is a lot to say about this so here is a post, packed with tips and examples showing some of the different ways you can inspire people to visit your website, without relying on search.

    Why this matters

    The good news is that your website traffic is already driven by activity other than search. This might be from the on and offline promotion you do, the links from third parties, plus the brand awareness and goodwill connected to your work. But as AI searches grow, this might change and you’ll need to work harder to replace the loss caused by the 0-click searches.

    Even if your site is featured in the AI summary, your brand recognition and connection with your community is now at arm’s length. Inspiring people to visit your website is important to maintain this.

    A lot of the writing around the issue is about AI-optimising your content. Here instead, are ideas from the other side. Some of it you will be doing already such as good content management and promotion. But it’s also about finding ways to create an enhanced information experience which the AI cannot replicate through its results.

    TL:DR, here are the top takeaways:

    • review and boost your offline promotions
    • make sure your website is integrated in your other comms
    • create topical and relevant content
    • find ways to enhance your information giving
    • be creative and add value with enhanced content.

    Offline promotion

    First, back to basics. Look at how to make it easy for people to find your website if they are connecting with you offline.

    Make sure your website address is prominent across printed information you produce. This might be leaflets, flyers, bookmarks or posters displayed in your community or healthcare settings. The backs of toilet doors are good places to connect. Or maybe on the billboard outside your office or community centre.

    Banner outside a council office - exciting new parish council website@ then the address www.chapelpc.org


    If you produce printed factsheets or information guides, signpost to your online communities or enhanced information on your website. Make it easy for people to access this and explain the added value it gives, such as that it is regularly updated, contains real stories and other ways of finding support etc.

    Can you include a URL on physical things you produce like running shirts, water bottles, tote bags or promotional items such as pens, stickers or badges. Every mention helps it to stick in people’s minds.

    Include a link on printed business cards if you still use them and / or use email signatures to highlight specific pages on your site.

    Can you ask your ambassadors or champions to promote areas of the website?

    Integrated comms

    Do you always include links to your website in your email newsletter? This is a great way to drive traffic from an engaged audience.

    Screenshot from Refugee Action newsletter which links to their blog to read more.


    It is a good time to be building up audiences on channels you manage, so encouraging new sign ups, making this easy and managing a good stewardship experience is time well spent.

    What about on social media? Some channels penalise links (see this recent research by Dan Slee looking at Facebook which found that the old work-round of putting a link in the comments no longer works) so test what is working for you. The way LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram especially de-prioritise links, even in the comment, seem to be changing all the time. You could experiment with creative ways around this such as by including it on a graphic and in the alt text. It might not be clickable so keep it simple. Other channels such as Bluesky or YouTube might work better for links. Click-throughs might be low there but by adding a link for more information or enhanced content, you are planting a seed that may flower later.

    If you are creating content which will appear on other channels or third party sites, make sure there are links back to your website.

    Topical comms

    Are you a reliable source for responses to topical issues related to your cause? This might be information giving or explainers about issues in the news.

    In the recent (ongoing) hot weather lots of charities shared hot weather comms across their social channels, with specific tips for their audiences about staying safe. This was timely and needed. This topical content shows that the organisations are in tune with the issues facing their communities and are on hand with expert support to help. This content may have reached new audiences as well as existing ones. With limited space in a social media post, and for accessibility and brand, it is always a good idea to include a link to a page on your website with more information. If you are using a platform which penalises links, include it on the graphic and the alt text or mention there is enhanced information on your website in the text.

    Creating topical content is also good for AI summaries. If your information fills a specific gap on a topic lots of people are searching for, this should satisfy the bots.

    Make your topical content prominent on your website. Design your homepage in a way which is flexible so you can add in information and stories. See this example from Dogs Trust where they have a spot for ‘popular topics’ which they can use to showcase buried but popular content as well as topical issues.

    screenshot from Dogs Trusts' homepage with a section promoting popular topics. Includes a page about keeping your dog safe in hot weather. Images shows a big dog standing in a paddling pool.


    Plan ahead so you can predict seasonal or newsworthy issues, and create and maintain this content ahead of need. Here are some examples: Mind’s back to school advice, preparing for Christmas as a foster carer (The Fostering Network), changes to disability benefits (Scope), travelling abroad with a food allergy (Allergy UK).

    Your suite of topical content might also include blog posts or expert reactions or news stories. Here are some examples from the recent under 16s social media announcement.

    Another example of topical comms is being a source for up-to-date stats related to your cause. Again this helps to boost your status as a trusted source and a go-to for journalists or decision-makers, especially if they are looking for detail. Make sure you are using this data consistently across your website – when the number changes, change all references to it, where it appears in information pages including fundraising ones. It is worth doing a search for your own cause stats, what are the different searches finding? Are you a source? Is the data accurate? Does moving this data somewhere more prominent on your site change anything? This factual content can be useful to use as a test or pilot in reviewing your AI search prominence.

    screenshot from a Google search asking 'how many blind people are there in the UK'. RNIB's 2 million people stat is quoted, with links to them


    A final example of topical content to boost your clicks could be by creating a regular round-up of news or stories related to your topic. This might be your own news or your cause in the news. How can you create added-value from what is already out there? You can tell a bigger story this way and again it can boost your relevance and trustworthiness as a source. This is good social media and newsletter fodder too as it can give another boost to the topical pages you have created.

    Enhanced information giving

    AI searches are getting better at giving what seems like accurate and relevant information. More people are using these as source without checking or digging deeper. The threat of dis and mis-information is growing. So your own information giving must be strong.

    Your information giving has to be well presented, relevant, accurate and relatable as standard. It may have also gone through medical, lived-experience or panel approval. It is already time consuming and expensive to maintain. This is all worth it if it is being seen as is driving a connection to your brand and building a community of people using your services and supporting you. But it if it only being seen through the AI search window, you are losing this.

    As experts in your cause or subject area, it is a good time to think strategically about your information giving presentation and its part in your wider comms.

    The first thing to look at might be how good your own search is on your website. Does it work in a way which replicates the search function we now expect as standard? Is it finding your premium content? Is the search presented in an easy to understand way with a summary or highlighted text related to the search query? You might need to improve layout or function to make it better. For example, can you pin certain search terms to your best pages so they appear top?

    screenshot from Trussel's website showing a search with no results


    You might also look at ways of expanding your expert information giving, for example across your other channels. Some charities use their other comms channels only for fundraising or as a noticeboard for what’s on. Can you expand your messaging to share your information expertise here too, linking to your website? This might be regular shares of a guide to symptoms or services or tips. Or it might be other content you already have like the recipe for the best selling cake sold in your cafe.

    On your website, you might review / test the navigation and check that it is logical, clear and uses good labelling so it is easy to use. Keep your website tidy. Don’t let it become messy as it grows. Review the structure and messaging so it feels coherent and supports its key aims.

    Is the information doing everything it can to be useful? Simple things like adding a print or download button to information which is needed away from a screen can add value (eg this page about appointment questions from Breast Cancer Now). Also signposting to your helpline or forums where connections with real people can be made. Additional helpful things might also include downloads such as easy read versions or template documents (eg sample letters for managing debt from Citizens Advice).

    screenshot from Breast Cancer Now showing three programmes for support talking to a real person.


    You might look at adding new functionality to give information in different ways. For example, through a chatbot or by adding features which allows for personalisation. Does your information or advice giving need to change for someone’s age, location or circumstances? Adapting your information like this will be expensive and hard to do well so this option is not right for every charity.

    You might have discrete pockets of information which are best delivered in a different way such as through a guided process. For example, Coram have an online tool to help care leavers work out their status and rights. It is a complicated topic, presented in a guided way, suitable for a specific audience. Presenting it this way draws users to the website.

    screenshot from Coram's online tool - am I a care leaver. First question is how old are you - under 16 / 16 or 17 / over 18.


    PDSA have a similar tool helping with decisions about choosing a pet.

    Enhanced content

    If you have the budget there might be bigger things you can add to your website to draw people in. Here are some examples of enhanced website content.

    screenshot from RNID's hearing test. Shows an illustration of a man with a cat on his shoulder. He is wearing earphones and looking at the screen of his phone.


    Does your cause lend itself to an online checker or some kind of diagnostic as above? The disclaimers around this are important as well as the T&Cs around how you are using the data you are collecting.

    Less jazzy enhanced content features might include quizzes – serious ones and others just for fun. Quizzes as a format are not just for children. Here are some examples.

    Finally, enhanced content might also include live features hosted on your website such as Q&A sessions or guest pages with known experts or influencers. Take a look at BHF’s Heart Matters series.

    Really sell your enhanced content. To draw traffic, run always-on promotion across your channels, platforms and SEO. And include links within it to your other content to encourage onwards exploration.

    Next steps

    • Be your own mystery shopper. Search for your topic and relevant questions with various AI tools. Are you included in the summary?
    • Review your website traffic data. What has changed? Is it universal across your site or concentrated on a few key pages?
    • Identify quick wins and bigger pieces of content work you can do to boost traffic. Look at your greatest assets and USPs and think about what you could do to enhance the information giving or the interactive experience.

    This post is specifically about boosting traffic to your website. But is also about recognising that information giving and engagement can happen away from AI searches in many ways. The information and user experience you are giving across all your channels and touchpoints, really matter.

    Rethinking your comms strategy in light of shifts in web traffic and social media reach is vital to maintain your connection. It is rapidly shifting ground. But as creative content people and information givers we need to use our skills to maintain human control over the information and expertise people access. This is important work.

    Other examples

    Have you worked on or seen other good examples? Please share in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.

    Further reading about AI searches

    Platypus Digital have been doing detailed analysis into how the top 15 UK charities perform in AI searches using open data and their own rating system. They have a report with the findings and insights, coming out next week. Register your interest here to get it direct to your inbox. There’s lots of juicy details in it and practical actions.

    They also have a useful guide to optimising for AI search.

    If you are a content creator and have been experimenting with the impact of AI, Lauren Pope wants to hear from you. Take her short survey to share your views in her AI in charity content: a sector study.

    See my previous post about AI searches – the fight for accurate information.

    Neon sign seen from behind. Says 'Yes we are open'

    Can I help you?

    I am booking in projects for September. Do you need help to fix a digital blockage or think about your content / information

    I do research and audits. I manage the content in website projects by refreshing and editing content, building in UX and content design. I deliver writing for the web training to help up-skill your colleagues. I work on legacy fundraising. I help charities edit their stories or think strategically about information giving. I help develop boilerplate copy, messaging and tone of voice guidelines.

    Please get in touch if you’d like to chat about how we could work together.

    Unknown's avatar

    Good news round-up – summer issue

    by
    Mosaic of sunshine or a yellow flower


    Campaigning, policy and fundraising good news from across the sector.

    Welcome to the summer edition of the good news round-up of policy wins, fundraising and awards in the last three months (April-June). If you missed the spring edition, it is here.

    If you know of stories I should add, please let me know.

    Policy, campaigning and influencing

    screenshot from Crisis' campaign page celebrating the repeal of the law


    Today (29 June) the Government have repealed the 200 year old Vagrancy Act which criminalised rough sleeping and begging. Crisis and others have been campaigning on this for many years. Crisis shared a LinkedIn post – ‘We fought together and won’ and have updated their campaign page with celebration images. Here’s The Observer’s story about the repeal and an explainer – what happens next post from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

    • New Government funding to support relationships for children in care and care leavers. Press releases from Family Rights Group and Become.
    • Coalition of 20 leading UK mental health charities launch the Head On Campaign.
    • Mind reported that 8,500 additional mental health workers have been recruited three years ahead of schedule.
    • New data shows the HPV vaccine is saving lives from cervical cancer – Cancer Research UK.
    • Free digital literacy programme for schools, created by young people, for young people, launched by FlippGen.
    • The Mayor of London announced that air pollution deaths are down by around 40%. Here’s his video visiting a school in Aldgate looking at air quality monitoring data.
    • A new law will help protect forests from illegal deforestation – WWF.

    I love a round-up as a way of curating and sharing stories. Here are some examples of posts on Bluesky and LinkedIn. Rewilding Britain share monthly updates on #RewildingWins. Become share round-ups of good news stories including policy wins and other changes affecting young people in care. Shelter shared good news stories you might have missed.

    screenshots of good news round-ups from Rewilding Britain, Become and Shelter

    Funding, partnerships and people

    Impact and awards

    Do something positive

    Screenshot of A Million Acts of Hope website - ideas are (1) make childhood easier - donate preloved baby and children items to your local bank bank, (2) fill cupboards with hope - donate food to your local Trussell food banks, (3) show how proud you are of home - join a local litter pick

    Tips for impactful good news comms

    We all need good news. It’s easy for it to get lost in the noise so when you have a policy, campaign, fundraising or awards win, you need to share it in a way which is going to cut through.

    That means sharing with your different audience groups in creative, appropriate and engaging ways. If supporters have been part of the journey with you or the win affects them personally, they will be even more keen to know and understand the detail. If it makes it to the news, fresh people will find you looking for the headlines and stories and more.

    A few tips:

    • Pass on the news as quickly as possible once you have crafted your statement.
    • Think about your tone of voice – are you relieved / angry / excited / proud? What might your audience be feeling?
    • Own the win (if it is yours to own). Celebrate and thank others involved.
    • Use unique imagery to announce the news and use this consistently across your channels. Graphics work well.
    • Link social media posts to a news story on your website to drive traffic and make it easy to dig deeper.
    • Respond to comments to show you value involvement and a shared purpose.
    • Include the date on the news story so future readers can understand when this happened.
    • Promote the story on your homepage if it is a really big deal.
    • On your policy win announcement, include links to show the campaign history and what is still to do.
    • Include a call to action where relevant – build on the connection and hope people will feel by reading about a success.

    I have been seeing lots of announcements on LinkedIn using the carousel feature. Here’s a note from the RNIB team about making sure your carousels are accessible to all.

    Resources and inspiration for campaigners

    Can I help you?

    close up of a section of map of the Paris Metro showing stop 'madeleine' in the centre. some of the print has rubbed off where people have touched the location to work out where they are.


    I am booking in projects for September. Do you need help to fix a digital blockage or think about your content / information?.

    I do research and audits. I do the content in website projects – large and small – refreshing and editing content, building in UX and content design. I deliver writing for the web training to help up-skill your colleagues. I work on legacy fundraising. I help charities edit their stories or think about information giving. I help develop boilerplate copy and tone of voice guidelines.

    Do get in touch if you’d like to chat about how we could work together.

    Unknown's avatar

    Hot weather comms 2026

    by
    artwork of birds sitting on a wire against a burning hot sky


    How charities, local government and others are communicating about June’s extreme heat event.

    Back in 2022, during a Red Weather Warning for hot weather I wrote a post looking at hot weather comms. It looked at how charities and local government were sharing information about staying safe and how broadcasters were illustrating their messages. Amongst all the infographics, I found imagery of beaches and people enjoying the sun which was a discordant illustration of the experience of having to function in 40 degree temperatures.

    Now, four years on and as we are facing our second extreme heat period in two months, what do comms look like? Are they more serious?

    Red Extreme Heat Warning – news and images

    The Met Office shared this on LinkedIn and across their channels, about the red warning, using an intense image of the sun (“Red Extreme Heat Warning issued with June temperature records forecast to break”).

    LinkedIn post from the Met Office using a white-hot image of the sun. Text says: Red Extreme Heat Warning issued with June temperature records forecast to break


    In contrast, The Times, shared the announcement using a happy family in the sea despite describing the event in serious terms (eg “An “exceptional spell of hot and humid weather” is expected in this region which could cause “serious illness or danger to life” the weather forecaster warned”).

    Met Office issues rare red weather warning for 38c heatwave - images shows two women holding hands with three children paddling in the sea


    A Google search for news stories related to “red extreme heat warning” found images of people out in the sun including a packed beach image used by The Independent. None really illustrate danger or extreme conditions.

    screenshot of google search result showing news stories from the bbc, sky, guardian and independent. Two are of women walking with parasols, one is a person running and the independent's is from a packed Brighton beach.


    In contrast, an image search for ‘extreme hot weather’ found a lot bright orange pictures with quite a different feel from the blue skies seen above. No ice creams or beaches here.

    screenshot of a google search for 'extreme hot weather' showing a lot of images with burning suns and a yellow tint.


    A search on iStock for ‘extreme hot weather UK’ found a better mix of stronger images too including dry grass and cracked ground, people at work with fans etc.

    So, serious images are available but ‘fun in the sun’ images are still being used in the media.

    Warnings and updates

    The country is not set up for hot weather. Schools are closing, events being postponed and people are being warned not to travel. Let’s look at some of these warning comms.

    This is from Network Rail on Bluesky. Note the danger colour palette and clarity of the information (Wed – only travel if absolutely necessary to, from or within red warning zones).

    #Heatwave this week: Tues – check before you travel.Wed – only travel if absolutely necessary to, from or within red warning zones.Thurs – only travel if absolutely necessary to, from or within red warning zones.Fri – check before you travel.➡️ https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

    — Network Rail (@networkrail.bsky.social) 2026-06-22T16:55:54.846711721Z

    Many councils have information on their websites about hot weather. For example, the Greater London Authority has issued advice about coping with hot weather in London, Haringey Council have this advice on their website and Merthyr Tydfil Council shared tips on Facebook.

    Interestingly, it was hard to find much on LinkedIn about working through hot days – either in the office or at home. This from the Health and Safety Executive was quite broad.

    Here are some general safety tips from St John Ambulance Cymru. The conditions are extreme and it is important that people know that, and how to look after themselves and others.

    With amber and red extreme heat warnings covering large areas of Wales and England for the next few days, here are 5 top tips for staying safe, such as keeping hydrated and avoiding the sun when its at its strongest.Please keep safe and check-in on those who may need extra help

    — (@sjacymru.bsky.social) 2026-06-22T14:32:01.230477922Z

    Impact of heat on specific issues

    How are your community likely to be affected by the hot weather conditions? Do you have expertise or specialist advice you could share to help them? This is strong topical and evergreen content to invest in.

    There can be a lot to say. For example, British Red Cross have a whole section on coping with extreme heat. While Sickle Cell Society share specific advice for people with the condition and Tommy’s offer advice for coping with pregnancy in hot weather. Lymphoma Action crowdsourced tips from their community. This advice from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service about reducing the risk of wildfires is also very thorough.

    If you have information on your website, is it easy to find now? Can you surface or promote the information when it is most needed? Are your gateway pages flexible enough so you can adapt them? For example, Age UK have changed their homepage (we’ll let them have this ice cream image as it is very on-brand!) and have a prominent link to a useful page – how to keep cool in hot weather.

    screenshot of Age UK. Woman with grey hair and red sunglasses is on the beach eating an ice cream. Text says - stay cool this summer. Get the scoop.


    A quick look at 20 big health / animal charities found mention of the hot weather on their homepages in only three cases (Age UK, RNLI and Macmillan)..

    Is your content found in an external search or referenced in AI? If you search for the health condition or issue your charity is expert in + hot weather, what is found? Anything at all? Your content? You might need to do some editing or promotion to help it be found.

    screenshot of a google search for 'keeping safe in hot weather with parkinson's disease'. the ai overview has tips. the first link is to a parkinson's page about staying cool


    What does your engagement strategy say about how you respond in extreme conditions? How can you get important information to your community when they need it? Maybe information goes out as a special newsletter edition? Or a WhatsApp message? And/or is shared on social media?

    Typically these posts might get low engagement but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are not being seen or people don’t appreciate them. It’s always a good idea to link posts like this to a web page so you can measure impact.

    Here are some Bluesky examples from Kidney Care UK, ME Association and Asthma + Lung UK each sharing useful and specialist advice for their communities.

    Did you know hot weather increases the risk of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). As temperatures rise, so does the risk, particularly when temperatures exceed 25°C. Research shows that the risk of AKI is 62% higher at 32°C than at 17°C.Please share so more people understand the risk

    — Kidney Care UK (@kidneycareuk.bsky.social) 2026-06-22T16:46:19.426779128Z

    Dr Charles Shepherd, MEA Hon Medical Advisor, has compiled a list of tips on coping in the hot weather with ME/CFS. You can read them over in our Medical Matters database here: https://meassociation.org.uk/medical-matters/items/how-to-cope-with-a-heatwave-if-you-have-me-cfs/#MECFS #Heatwave

    — ME Association (@meassociation.org.uk) 2026-06-22T14:06:32.974704005Z

    With extreme heat weather warnings in parts of the UK this week, it’s important to store your medicines safely.Most medicines should be stored somewhere:- Dry- Cool (under 25°C)- Out of direct sunlight- Away from windowsills.

    — Asthma + Lung UK (@asthmaandlung.org.uk) 2026-06-22T13:35:11.165Z

    And Instagram examples from NHS, Single Homeless Project and The Wildlife Trusts, all shared this week. Note that the NHS’s palette changed once the warning was issued. A red-heat health alert post on the NHS Facebook page generated 1.5m organic views.

    Conclusions

    It’s good to see so many organisations creating content related to their specialisms about how to stay safe in hot weather. But it is disappointing to see how hidden it is on websites.

    In comparison with weather warning in 2022, the comms feel more serious. The tone, messaging and images used are stronger. The colour palette is switching from blue to orange.

    There appears to be a switch in language too. Informally we might have used the word ‘heatwave’ to describe a welcome short burst of warmer weather. This friendly term matches the beaches and sunshine images – a break from the grey skies and rain – a chance to put your shorts on. However, the conditions this week are officially extreme and unprecedented and a risk to life. A run of near 40C will affect such large areas for people in the red and amber zones for a number of days. The language for this is ‘hot weather’, ‘extreme heat’, matched with ‘heat warnings’ and alerts.

    Useful links

    Update

    Here’s how newspapers reported the record breaking temperatures on Wednesday 24 June. The iPaper, Financial Times used blue pictures of fountains and a swimming pool, The Daily Mirror showed a beach, The Metro dramatic lightning over London and The Guardian showed people walking with an umbrella.

    In contrast on Thursday, front pages were mostly focusing on other stories. The Mirror and The Times ran front page stories again showing fountains and swimming pools. The Guardian’s whole front page showed a map of Europe in red / orange colours asking Is this the new normal? The front page of their website doesn’t have the same profile, perhaps overtaken by earthquake news.

    The Times and Guardian covers. Guardian much more dramatic / bleak

    Can I help you?

    close up of a section of map of the Paris Metro showing stop 'madeleine' in the centre. some of the print has rubbed off where people have touched the location to work out where they are.


    I have capacity to work on new projects. I can help you fix a digital blockage or think about your content.

    I do research and audits. I do the content in website projects – large and small – refreshing and editing content, building in UX and content design. I deliver writing for the web training to help up-skill your colleagues. I work on legacy fundraising. I help charities edit their stories or think about information giving. I help develop boilerplate copy and tone of voice guidelines.

    Do get in touch if you’d like to chat about how we could work together.

    Unknown's avatar

    Responses to the under 16 social media ban announcement

    by
    Toy dolls house with two smiling (slightly creepy) dolls looking out of a window


    A round-up of press releases and posts about the social media ban.

    Here’s a very quick round-up of responses from charities and researchers into today’s announcement about social media use by under 16s. It is expected that the ban will come into force next year.

    BBC: Under-16s to be banned from TikTok, YouTube and other social media

    Billed as Australia +, the Government’s statement said the ban would cover “user-to-user platforms, whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material, alongside algorithms. The ban will therefore include platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. We do not intend for messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal to be included”.

    “These restrictions – which together with the ban go further than any other country – will apply to a wider range of online services, including on gaming sites.

    Restrictions on these functionalities will also be on by default for under 16- and 17-year-olds to prevent a cliff-edge at 16. The government will also be looking in more detail at overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18-year-olds and will set out more detail in July.”

    Charity responses

    • Good Law Project: Social media: Don’t ban children, fix the platforms.
    • Centre for Mental Health: Instituting a ban on under-16s from some social media platforms is not an effective or sufficient response to a serious public health issue.
    • Ada Lovelace Institute: How these intentions are implemented is important. Thorny questions remain about age controls, privacy and enforcement.
    • Every Child Online: Online safety education must remain a priority alongside any new regulations.
    • Center for Countering Digital Hate: A social media ban is coming to the UK for under 16s. Will it protect kids online? 
    • Children’s Law Centre: Social media ban risks increasing, not reducing, online harm.
    • Girlguiding: Girls are telling us that they are already taking significant steps to protect themselves online, but the burden of safety cannot continue to fall on young people and families alone.
    • Barnado’s: This is not a silver bullet, and must be seen as one of a package of measures.
    • Coram: We welcome today’s government announcement of plans to restrict social media access for under 16s as an important step towards improving children’s safety and wellbeing online.
    • Amnesty International: Social media ban for under 16s ‘right diagnosis, wrong prescription’.
    • NSPCC (on Facebook): We welcome today’s news and the clear commitment from the Government to go further than just a social media ban – it is a watershed moment for child protection.
    • Mind (on LinkedIn): This alone doesn’t solve the complete problem and won’t fix the mental health crisis young people are facing.
    • Youth Talk (on Instagram): Banning something does not necessarily address the underlying issues, which is why education, resilience, healthy habits, stronger safeguards and greater accountability must all form part of the solution.
    • Shout UK: Protecting young people online requires a commitment to education and tackling the tech giants, not just banning young people from social media.

    Responses before the announcement:

    • NSPCC (Jan 2026): A social media ban would punish teenagers for tech platform’s failures.
    • Molly Rose Foundation (April 2026): More than 60% of Australian children still using social media despite ban for under-16s, research shows.
    • Children in Scotland (May 2026): we do not believe a blanket ban on social media for under-16s will sufficiently address the causes of online harm or improve young people’s safety online on its own. [Article includes research they did with young people.]
    • FlippGen (8 June 2026): FlippGen welcomes device-level protections for children, but warns against a ban on social media.
    • Plan International (8 June 2026): Social media ban would sideline action on the addictive algorithms that drive misogyny.

    Influencing policy:

    • NSPCC: Three demands at platform level rather than a ban.
    • Sign FlippGen’s open letter to the Prime Minister – new – a call for young people, organisations, and supporters to sign it.

    Opinion pieces:

    Responses from researchers

    Announcements aimed at young people

    Young Minds shared this post with their followers on Instagram – The Government have announced they will be banning social media for under-16s. It includes lots of thoughtful comments.

    Implications of the ban on your comms

    The ban has big implications for charities communicating directly with young people. Charity Comms said in a LinkedIn post:

    “How will charities engage and support the next generation of campaigners and community leaders in key social issues? How will charities continue to reach young people with their vital support, advice, and forums? Meanwhile, social media professionals must adapt in real-time as audience behaviour shifts quickly.” 

    What does this shift in direction look like for your charity?

    This Civil Society article spoke to three charities who have started to think about this.

    Charity Comms asked What now for your comms?

    More detail about the ban will be released in the run up to its launch. It’s worth keeping an eye on this especially when channels and platforms are named. Start to make your own plans. Here are some things you can do now.

    • Audit your touch points – how reliant are you on social media to connect with young people? What other methods do you use? How well do these work and how might they need to scale or adapt?
    • Identify alternative ways to connect and start building these up. This might be a newsletter or noticeboard page on your website.
    • Listen to young people in your community to find out what they want. Reflect their feelings in your comms. Build connection and trust.
    Unknown's avatar

    Charity use of X and Bluesky – May 2026

    by
    Top of a rollarcoaster against a blue sky. says Turbo in big letters.


    An update on the sector’s use of X and Bluesky. Is anyone making real-time comms work?

    A discussion on LinkedIn and a museum Bluesky “quit” made me dust off my list to see if anything has changed across charity X and Bluesky since my last look in January.

    What has changed in the real-time comms channel space? Are we moving away from an era when these tools are a significant part of our comms work? Or do they still have value?

    Fishbourne Roman Palace

    A cryptic message at 8.40 am on Bluesky from a strong museum account today generated a strong backlash from followers. Many of Fishbourne’s 12.6k followers replied to its “this is our last post” message with questions – what?? why? By 6pm there were over 250 replies and 70 quote shares including from people with big accounts.

    😭Sad news😭The authorities have finally caught up with us so this will be our last post on BlueSky. It's been a blast and we love you all. Especially our BFF @merchantshallyork.org 🥰🥰Keep up with the posting, everyone. Together you can conquer the scourge of work-based productivity…

    — Fishbourne Roman Palace (@romanpalace.bsky.social) 2026-05-06T07:44:23.715Z

    If you don’t know Fishbourne, it is “the largest Roman home in Britain”. It is based just outside Chichester. The account has been a source of fun and education. They share gems from their collection and banter with other museums / heritage sites. It’s nice. It’s what social media (used to be) for.

    Some of the comments were from people who said they had been primed to visit the museum in person because of the account. Others said it had made them interested in the Romans for the first time since school. Surely the aim for any museum account?

    Hope you had a great weekend.Help yourself to this Easter bunny being chased by an aardvark. #MosaicMonday

    — Fishbourne Roman Palace (@romanpalace.bsky.social) 2026-04-06T08:09:22.985Z

    As a result of the announcement, they have gained at least 300 new followers (13k currently). Some super active followers say they have emailed the museum to register their feelings about the news.

    Fishbourne is part of Sussex Past which manages seven historical sites. There are accounts across all the social media channels for Sussex Past, none very large or active. Their own Bluesky account has 450 followers. Fishbourne on Bluesky appears to be the only one specific to one of the sites.

    Whatever the reason for the decision and the subsequent reprieve (a we’re staying message at 9pm), it has been an interesting moment on a channel which feels like it is in decline. The response to the announcement shows there are loads of active users who care about their experience of using the channel.

    It also raises questions about the purpose of an account and working out its value. What’s the point of being on social media these days if it doesn’t drive fundraising or action? What is good engagement?

    With everyone talking about museum engagement today we just wanted to add this:We get just under 25,000 visitors to the Hall annually. We have 13,700 friends here. This is massive for us. So to you all following – thank you! 😍

    — Merchant Adventurers’ Hall (@merchantshallyork.org) 2026-05-06T14:44:53.682Z

    Use of Bluesky

    During the various phases of the transition from Twitter to X and then bursts of quitting, it was thought that Bluesky might be the base we could all move to. For some communities and accounts, it is an active and engaged place. For others, it didn’t work. There are lots of dormant accounts.

    I still use my personal account but engagement is virtually nil. The colleagues and peers who signed up at the start aren’t active so it doesn’t really work for me, sadly. Everyone seems to have adopted LinkedIn instead.

    I also have an account for my podcast. I post a couple of times a day. We’re slowly growing and there is a gentle community around it so it works well. We share photos and talk about quiet places. Its a good antidote to other noise.

    What about use across the charity space more generally? What is happening with corporate accounts on Bluesky and X?

    Major charities

    Here’s an update on our top ten most popular UK charities as listed by YouGov in 2024 list.

    An asterix (*) in the middle column shows where there has been a change in activity on X since I last looked at this in January. In most cases this is a reduction other than the BHF who had moved to replies only but have started to post again. Perhaps the most high profile and significant change is Macmillan who switched to replies only, in March.

    Most of the X accounts have lost around 2k followers. Some have gained followers on Bluesky in the same time although posting here is generally irregular.

    CharityNo of followers on X (Jan25 / May25 / Jan26 / May26)Date of last post
    (on 6 May 26)    		On Bluesky?
    (Jan / May / Jan / May)
    Macmillan643k / 636k / 615k / 613kReplies only since Mar 26*No
    St John Ambulance56k / 56k / 54k / 54kReplies only since Nov 25Account but not active
    British Heart Foundation310k / 306k / 297k / 296kVery occasional tweets *1.7k / 3.9k / 4.7k / 4.9k
    No posts for 2 months
    Samaritans177k / 175k / 174k / 173kVery occasional tweets *Account but not active
    Cancer Research UK332k / 328k / 322k / 320kReplies only since Dec 256.1k / 8.5k / 9.3k / 9.5k
    Irregular posting
    Alzheimer’s Research UK90k / 89k / 88k / 88kYesterdayXX / 220 / 416 / 449
    Active
    RNLI205k / 200k / 197k / 196k Replies only since Aug 25No
    British Red Cross243k / 239k / 231k / 230k7 days agoNo
    Prostate Cancer68k / 68k / 67k / 67k3 days agoAccount but not active
    Marie Curie127k / 125k / 123k / 122k Today141 / 747 / 948 / 1k
    Active

    Biggest charities on Bluesky

    Here’s an updated look at our original list of 20 charities with big followings on Bluesky. This now ranges from RSPB’s 78k (which has grown by 10k since January) to Save the Children’s 4k. I am using this list for continuity of data but the top 20 should now include Cancer Research UK and BHF.

    Since I last looked at this in January 2026, most have lost followers on X and gained them on Bluesky.

    In January 9/20 had quit or changed their approach. Now in May it is 10/20.

    With a few exceptions, engagement is low across the board.

    • Full Fact – 201k on X / 52k on Bluesky – mirror publishing, similar levels of low engagement
    • RSPB – 404k on X / 78k – publicly quit X in January 2026. Good engagement on BS.
    • Good Law Project – 294k / 51.2k – mirror publishing, similar levels of high engagement
    • Hope Not Hate – 116k / 40.5k – mostly mirror, similar levels of good engagement
    • Amnesty UK – 268k / 29.8k – mirror publishing (but slightly more on X?), similar low results
    • National Trust – 25.9k followers on BS. Quiet quit X in January 2025. Good engagement on BS.
    • JRF – 162k / 20.9k – mostly mirror publishing, similar levels of low engagement
    • GreenpeaceUK – 16.4k. Quiet quit X in January 2025. Infrequent posting on BS
    • The King’s Fund – 154k / 11k. Quiet quit X in January 2026. Low engagement on BS.
    • Humanists UK – 103k / 15.8k – Quiet quit X in January 2026.
    • Wellcome Trust – 206k / 12.8k – mostly mirror publishing
    • BTO – 11.3k. Quiet quit X in January 2025
    • The Health Foundation – 8.2k. Quit X in January 2025
    • Little Green Space – 75.3k / 7.5k – mirror publishing but doing better on X
    • Big Issue – 64.1k / 8.2k – mirror publishing, low engagement on both
    • Trussell UK – 75.4k / 6.4k – dual publishing, X is primary channel
    • WWF UK – 230k / 7k – Replies only since January on X
    • BookTrust – 118k / 5.5k – Quiet quit X in January
    • Oxfam – 246k / 4.7k – publicly quit X in February 2026
    • Save the Children UK – 187k / 4k – dual publishing, X is primary channel.

    Remember that the charities with the large audiences on Bluesky are not just the ones that signed up during the early gold rush time (November 2024) but accounts which are actively and regularly sharing meaningful content which helps to educate or entertain. Being a major charity does not guarantee big numbers of followers. For example, Barnardo’s, Sue Ryder, Shelter, Teenage Cancer Trust, Refuge and The DEC are all on Bluesky but have on or under 1000 followers.

    Review of 110 national charities

    Using my list of 110 charities here’s a comparison with previous findings to see how this has changed.

    January 2026May 2026
    Actively using X to post50 (45%)45 (41%)
    Stopped posting to X60 65
    Stopped posting but continuing to reply to mentions1311
    Stopped with an announcement (quit)16 (including 4 whose accounts have been deleted)28 (including 6 whose accounts have been deleted)
    Stopped without an announcement (quiet quit – no posts for 1 month +)3126

    It shows another small shift across the sample, away from X. Some accounts stopped and then started again. Others moved from replies only to a full quit such as NSPCC and Guide Dogs.

    Conclusions

    So, there has been a further shift in charities moving away from using X.

    For most, engagement is low across both channels.

    Accounts which are doing well as those which bring joy, fun and distraction. See Battersea, Action for Happiness and Blue Cross on X. And RSPB and National Trust on Bluesky – and Fishbourne.

    Social media is now permanently in a period of transition. It can be hard to keep up with what’s happening. Making a decision to leave a channel is not simple and might not be final. Finding time to analyse engagement and impact, to help focus your social media strategy is always worth it. Think about the content you might share which connects with your audience to help build a community which values you enough to fight for you to stay.

    Can I help you?

    close up of a section of map of the Paris Metro showing stop 'madeleine' in the centre. some of the print has rubbed off where people have touched the location to work out where they are.


    I have capacity from June onwards to work on new projects. I can help you fix a digital blockage or think about your content.

    I do research and audits. I do the content in website projects – large and small – refreshing and editing content, building in UX and content design. I deliver writing for the web training to help up-skill your colleagues. I work on legacy fundraising. I help charities edit their stories or think about information giving. I help develop boilerplate copy and tone of voice guidelines.

    Do get in touch if you’d like to chat about how we could work together.