Noise Action Week Report and Evaluation

Noise Action Week 2014 – Report and Evaluation

Overview

Overall impression was of a higher level of activity than in 2013 with at least 50 organisations taking part – many working in local partnerships. Activity was well spread across England with less participation in Wales and Northern Ireland. Direct feedback received and picked up on Twitte indicates participants found the week a useful focus and enjoyable.

The lack of funding for branded resources meant that, while the aims of NAW were realised in activities to raise awareness of unhealthy and anti-social noise, promotion of EPUK was diluted as organisations created their own resources. However, many did follow the wording of our the pro-forma press release provided and name checked EPUK as co-ordinators of NAW.

Challenges

• Promotion on small budget with no physical resources
  V small list of direct contacts
  Managing ‘band wagon jumping’ by some buisnesses
  Opportunities
• Social media as a low cost means to reach a wider audience
  Build on work of previous years – with a number of supporters of NAW
  New sectors beyond and or linked to local authorities – in particular housing providers, landlord groups

Focus

The EPUK Noise Committee identified noise and health as a focus for NAW 2014 – given that noise is now included in public health indicators, and evidence of the impact on noise and health is increasing. Noise and health and happiness and reducing anti-social noise were the focus of promotional messages.

Plan

A work plan was produced, based on keeping the website updated, Twitter campaign, regular noise blog, E-newsletters and traditional press releases.

Budget

Given that much marketing is cost free – (bar an internet connection and PC) – most of the budget was allocated to time workingon promotion and building contacts – with a proportion allocated for technical support. Unlike last year, this year was problem free – partly due to ongoing maintenance of the website, so more funding was available for promotional work.

Promotional Tools

Promotion was undertaken largely electronically – using the website, Twitter and Mailchimp free e-marketing software.
Given that most communication was electronic was decided a dedicated phone not needed and personal phone used for the small amount of phone contact required
NAW contacts

As in 2013, noise organisations were approached and asked to support NAW. Noise Abatement Society, Quietmark, Insititute of Acoustics, CIEH were all contacted and asked for support. None replied. NAS and IOA did some low key promotion of NAW on Twitter. Defra also sent out 3 Tweets in support of NAW.

NAW mailing list

Given that following the loss of the NAW mailing list in 2013, while work to build it ongoing it still remains relatively small. The list is being built up through contacts with regard to NAW. However, a significant number of the organisations who participate in NAW make no direct contact – particularly where there is online promotion on Twitter or website through a communications team. Requests for email contacts generally go unanswered. Building up the mailing list takes a considerable amount of time therefore – and has been undertaken in an ad hoc/opportunistic way.

More time was put into Twitter and the online blog which reach a wider audience. A monthly e-newsletter to the limited direct contact list sufficient.

Noise Action Week Mailing List:

Website

Maintenance

Website maintenance was undertaken by Nigel Vickers at nvwebs. Regular attention to updates and security meant there were no significant issues with the website (unlike previous years) so no admin time had to be spent on dealing with technical problems.

While the site could do with some restructuring to better suit current content, it was decided not to refresh the structure while campaign live for risk of a crash, as it’s the only resource we have.

Content

Website was updated – in particular homepage refreshed regularly.
Events were added as we discovered them (very few participants notify – usual discovered on Twitter or google alerts).
Resources uploaded
Pro-forma PR uploaded
Requests for photos from participants did not get a response so unable to refresh these.
Noise blog – posts made at least weekly to keep content fresh and drive web traffic

Traffic

Web traffic has increased significantly on 2013. This is not surprising as we had access problems with the site in April 2013 so were unable to promote in the early stages of the campaign

Website views

Most popular page was the home page, followed by resources, dealing with noise problems and reducing noise in the home.

Noise Blog

Main activity on the site was the noise blog. This was established as a means of engaging noise specialists across the spectrum of disciplines in Noise Action Week, and to provide an online resource of information and opinion on aspects of noise and drive traffic to the site. We approached specialists with angles on noise and health alongside other common and emerging noise issues. Almost all of those invited to contribute a blog accepted – and number of posts way exceeded the original plan of a bi-weekly post.

Contributor posts – 23 MS - 8

Most popular posts on the blog were Noise and Public Health, Interantional Noise Awareness Day (2013 post), noise and hand dryers, BS4142, exams and parties, noise and buildings and happier, healthier neighbourhoods. Blog posts attracted a more diverse audience to the campaign and attracted more followers on Twitter. Effort was made to create some debate on the posts. This met with limited success – however time is needed to moderate posts so this was no bad thing.

The posts were well received – for example:

Echo Barrier@EchoBarrierApr 23

What a fantastic article from the team @noiseactionweek about #noise and public health

Posts are open to comment but only relieved a handful of comments. Would have been good to see a bit more discussion – however moderating posts takes time so this is probably just as well without more resource.

Posts have been used, and can be used in future to in response to topical issues – for example the post on live music vs residents has been retweeted a number of times as news stories on this topic have come up as has students and noisy parties during the post exam period and the World Cup noise post has been retweeted recently.

Resources

With insufficient funding to produce any physical resources beyond the EPUK Neighbour Noise leaflet, online material only was available. There was an expectation from some repeat participants of resources – however most were content to produce anything they required. The disadvantage of this is that any NAW branding and identity or EPUK acknowledgement is lost. However given the disparate nature of the initiative this has always been a challenge. Examples of material produced below:

Resources available:

• Logo was made available on request for participants to produce their own resources
• 100 EPUK Noise Leaflets were available for NAW participants, with additional copies available for sale.
  2600 copies of Neighbour Noise were sent out
  18 lots of 100 free of charge
  2 lots of 400 sold to two organisations who also had 100 foc
• Online advice on reducing noise and how to address noise problems
• Cartoon sheets from previous NAW were photoshopped where possible to update contact details and uploaded for use by participants
• A pro forma press release was uploaded and text form this was used by a number of participants in their PR/web text

Twitter

Target for the week was to increase Twitter following to 1000 – which was achieved. While this is relatively small in Twitter terms followers are largely organisations – local authorities, housing bodies, professional bodies and noise consultancies – rather than individuals.

Work was undertaken to build up followers in the housing sector and this was achieved. Housing provider ASB staff, housing CEOs as well as communications teams are increasingly following NAW. Landlords groups and professional bodies were also targeted.

One tweet from Brian May in support of NAW resulted in a 60% rise in web traffic – adding around 400 extra views in a few hours. Web views are still coming from the link to his site.

Dr. Brian May@DrBrianMayMay 15

Someone is taking action on Noise Nuisance, which is slowly killing us all. Bri

• Retweets 31
• Favorites 52

1:37 AM - 15 May 2014 · Details

In the lead up to and during Noise Action Week there was a lot of activity on Twitter – too much to keep up with at times. However relationships were built up on Twitter with Tweeps who commented and retweeted NAW and promoted the work.

Wikipedia

To establish EPUK as the owner of NAW a Wikepedia entry on Noise Action Week was drafted and submitted in early April – this was rejected first time around as read too much like PR and will be edited and re-submitted.

E- Newsletter

An E Newsletter was sent out via Mailchimp – free emarketing software - monthly in February, March, April, May and June to the EPUK mailing list and also promoted on Twitter. This aimed to inspire activity by example, promote the blog and resources and provide some noise news.

Press

Potential partner organisations contacted – Insitutute of Acousitics, CIEH, NAS, Quiet Mark. There was no direct response from any of these

As no press list and limited time to research press contacts t PR was focussed on Twitter and promoting the website content and blog to raise the profile of NAW.

A forward planning press release was sent to local government, environmental health and housing press in mid February.
Pro-forma press release provided for participants on the website – which was widely used
Press release sent to national news know to have a noise interest on 13th May including-

Jeremy Vine Show, R4 Today programme, John Humphreys, R4 PM, R4 World at One,

Direct local press interest from:

BBC Radio Glos – radio interview 16/5 eve
BBC Radio Northampton – interview 19/5
BBC Radio Oxford – not done as requested live Sunday morning 25/5 and not available
BBC SE Oxford TV – interview from Brighton Studio 20/5

ITV Wales – looking for case study

Confused.com – copy provided for web story that generated

Local activity received local press and radio coverage – we have insufficient information/feedback to quantify this.
below – Bolton mediation press posted on Twitter

Link to Cornwall press release:

Participants

From conversations with participants all are enthusiastic about the week. We also heard from some who heard about it too late to undertake any substantial activity, and others who, short of resources, could only put something on their website.

Two consultancies proposed events for the week:

IAC Acoustics planned a round table in London on construction noise, to bring together stakeholders in a discussion. We worked with them on the planning of this, it was cancelled at the last minute due to ‘conflicting commitments’.

Hoare Lea Acoustics planned to host a repeat of an event held previously examining acceptability of noise in new housing - - we have not yet received feedback on this

Full list of known participants attached in appendix 1.

Some comments from participants below:

EP Scotland@EPScotlandMay 22

Some great discussion at today's @NoiseActionWeek event in conjunction with @scotgov. We'll be producing our feedback soon. #EPSNAW

Karen Finch@HearingCareCtrMay 24

Well done to @IpswichGov for a terrific @NoiseActionWeek event today in Bourne Park. We were very pleased to be involved. #loveyourhearing

Bolton Mediation @BoltonMediationMay 29

@NoiseActionWeek 2014 with @BoltonMediation@boltonathome@boltoncouncil and Dramatic Action. Feedback = Excellent! pic.twitter.com/IrvPK2mYLZ

Noise Action Week 2014 – Known Activity

Noise consultants

Business

Scotland

1