People love talking about the weather.
They love complaining about it. They love trying to predict it. For generations, they have used it as a filler for awkward silence from grocery store lines to holiday meals. They love talking about sunny days, rainy days, hot days, cold days, windy days, stormy days, snowy days. They have questions about developing hurricanes, upcoming snowstorms, potential severe thunderstorm outbreaks, and extended dry spells. They are curious if the weather is going to affect their child’s camp, football game, neighborhood picnic, or wedding. And more than ever, they want to discuss how their weather is changing.
This is one of the reasons that people feel so connected to their local TV meteorologist. They are trusted messengers who regularly engage with their audience–translating tricky atmospheric data into forecasts and answering their questions.
In fact, weather is the primary reason that people watch the news. And as the media ecosystem evolved, broadcast meteorologists were some of the first to embrace the digital transition. Using social media, livestreams, and apps to foster two-way conversations deepened trust while also opening up opportunities outside of the traditional news times (you know, since weather happens around the clock).
The ongoing dialogue from answering immediate questions about tornado warnings and snow totals turned to addressing the larger patterns people were noticing: why spring felt like it was blooming earlier, summers felt hotter, and storms seemed more intense. Questions that led us directly into conversations about climate change.
Climate change is now part of the weather story. And surveys show that the public understands that the climate is changing, but has questions about what that means for the people, places, and things that they love. At the same time, those same surveys show that not enough people are talking about it or hearing about it in their news regularly.
Climate Matters was created for this reason. It’s a program built to support a growing network of meteorologists, journalists, and storytellers–providing timely, scientifically sound resources and data to help deliver the climate information audiences are seeking. It helps them to connect the dots between what their audiences are experiencing.
After years of working alongside our network, here’s what we’ve learned makes (climate) communication effective:
- Know. Your. Audience. This is the golden rule for all communication. It means that you should learn as much as you can about who you will be communicating with, and then tailor your work to their interests. Consider topic, tone, and timing.
- Meet people where they are. Too often we focus on our differences, but there is so much more that we have in common. From cheering on our favorite teams to caring about our kids and pets. Connect on shared values and build on shared experiences.
- Make it personal. Make it local. We are all influenced by the world around us, but it hits differently when it affects our families, communities, and daily lives. Whenever you can take a broader subject and break it down, it will resonate more deeply.
- Simplify. It takes serious skill to make complex topics accessible to all audiences. Drop the jargon. Translate scientific words and concepts. Explain concepts clearly. It’s all about clarity and respect.
- Tell stories when you can. Data informs, but stories take people on a journey. The storyteller who can take the abstract and make it concrete—that’s who people remember and trust. Stories are how we make sense of hard things.
- Don’t be afraid. You have science and public opinion on your side. People want to know more about our changing climate, and you have an opportunity to make that connection for them.
We invite you to join our growing Climate Matters community. Check out our free, localized resources to help expand your storytelling in ways that continue to connect with your audience, helping to answer the questions that are important to them.