Strategic Communication

Strategy, dictionary meaning, strategic communication is defined as “the science and art of integrating political, economic, psychological, social, cultural, and military power to support a nation or community’s policies in peace and war”.

In international relations, strategy refers to the entirety of methods employed by actors in international politics. The term strategic, often used as an adjective, typically describes matters related to military and security or, in a broader sense, characterizes large-scale, multi-important, national or global terms and high-level policy decisions.

Within the concept of strategic communication, although the term may initially suggest that communication efforts are applied at a strategic level, the word “strategic” here denotes not a level but the significance of the issue and the necessity for coordination from the highest levels.

Communication is defined as “the transmission of feelings, thoughts and information to others by any conceivable means, involving the process of messaging, communication and exchange”. Another definition describes communication as “the process of sharing knowledge, feelings, attitudes and skills with the aim of producing behavioral change”. The second definition’s emphasis on the desired target change within the target audience reflects one of the objectives of strategic communication.

In light of all these considerations, strategic communication can be defined as the systematic and coordinated management and utilization of all communication capabilities to generate emotional, cognitive and behavioral change in a defined target audience, at the appropriate time and place, through suitable channels, in support of a desired outcome.

Principles of Strategic Communication

Strategic communication is a style and an ongoing process. The success of strategic communication initiatives depends critically on every individual, from the highest leadership to the lowest-ranking personnel, adopting the same mindset. Every event and every action generates feedback.

Due to the nature of today’s fast communication environment, these messages spread rapidly; even the smallest events can produce significant consequences. In other words, local events can have strategic impact. Every event and action must be continuously monitored, and rapid reaction is required to respond to developing situations. Detailed preparation in advance is essential to ensure timely, accurate and appropriate reactions.

To be prepared for potential events that may arise suddenly and produce significant negative repercussions within a short short, a well-organized dynamic plan is necessary. These plans must be reviewed and updated at regular intervals in line with evolving developments.

Strategic communication, recognized as a mindset and organizational culture, fundamentally involves creating a narrative around activities, supporting implemented actions and sustaining efforts. In strategic communication, coordination, alignment, consistency, and flexibility are key functions. The ability to influence the target audience depends entirely on answering the questions: To whom, how, what time, where and why are we saying it? and on the coordinated and synchronized application of communication capabilities according to specific principles.

Principles of Strategic Communication

Centralized Planning

Strategic communication activities must be aligned with the core principles and vision established at the highest level. Strategic communication themes and even the content of messages must be determined within the framework of centralized planning. At the same time, feedback from every strategic communication channel operating in the field must be evaluated and incorporated into subsequent planning.

Legal Compliance

All messages, themes and communication activities carried out by implementers must comply with the law. Achieving time-bound strategic objectives is only possible through action on a legitimate basis. In this context, all national, international and local law regulations must be strictly observed.

Continuity

Continuous communication with the relevant public opinion/target audience must be maintained. Interruptions in the communication process must be avoided. Actions and statements emphasizing the institution’s objectives should be shared with the public at every opportunity, supported by oral, written and visual materials.

Dialogue

Within a spirit of cooperation and partnership, all activities must foster together work, security, responsibility, source and the sharing of knowledge. The success of strategic communication largely depends on the strength of the relationships built. These relationships cannot be expected to form quickly. Strategic communication practitioners must gain the trust of the target audience through sustained engagement, mutual understanding and active listening.

Simplicity

Messages and themes must be simple and clear, avoiding ambiguity or multiple interpretations. Short, concise and effective messages should be crafted with consideration of the target audience’s education and culture levels to achieve the desired outcomes.

Orchestration

To achieve maximum impact, messages must be harmonized. Beyond mere message alignment, every individual interacting with the target audience—from the lowest level to the highest—must function like a single orchestra, playing in perfect harmony and coordinated unity.

Transparency

Given the speed at which information spreads, concealing implemented activities is often impossible. Therefore, adherence to the principle of transparency and preventing harmful practices from being exploited by others is crucial for strategic communication. In the communication environment, attempting to shield all information under a veil of secrecy risks exposing the very information that should remain confidential.

Consistency

The success of strategic communication fundamentally depends on the alignment between words and actions. Strategic communication initiatives presented as action-message packages can only produce effective results when practitioners demonstrate consistent and influential behaviors.

Consistency also means ensuring that all communication capabilities serve the desired outcome—that is, speaking with one voice. The principle of consistency is the result of properly applying the principle of orchestration. Coordinated messages must be delivered across all levels of the operation. This principle also implies that civilian and military decision-makers must support each other in strategic communication efforts.

Credibility

It is the establishment in the public mind of the perception that, beyond the openly shared goals and transparency, there is no hidden agenda. Trust is the first step toward building mutual cooperation. It must not be forgotten that the greatest breach of trust arises from inconsistency between words and actions.

Cultural Understanding

The beliefs, history, culture and social identity of the target audience for strategic communication must be deeply understood and appreciated. Without sensitivity to these factors, unintended side effects may arise. Therefore, when developing strategic communication themes, experts who know the target audience well—or even individuals from within the target audience—should be consulted.

Strategic Communication Tools

As is known, the communication process consists of three stages: the source (sender), the receiver (target audience), and the tools facilitating the exchange of messages. These tools include cognitive communication tools, audiovisual communication tools, telecommunications tools, calligraphic communication tools, artistic communication tools and organizational communication tools. In the strategic communication process, the dissemination of prepared messages to the target audience should involve television, newspapers, announcements and posters, as well as the internet and social media, and the organization of various events.

Digital World and Strategic Communication

Technological advancements have made communication and information exchange among individuals easier, faster and more interactive. These developments have provided individuals with access to more reliable and verifiable sources of information. It is now no longer difficult for anyone to directly learn the information they need or curiosity from its original source. This situation has led to the emergence of the new media movement or social media movement, which describes the use of computers’ interaction power for communication in the internet world.

January as of 2025, 5.04 billion of the 5.35 billion internet users worldwide—over 94%—are social media users. The number of active social media users increases with every day. In today’s security paradigm, where national and international public support is essential, the use of soft power elements has become significantly more important for achieving national interests.

Now, every thing unfolds before the eyes of the media. The rapid advancement of electronic devices such as Pocket phones, digital cameras, video recorders and computers has facilitated integration between personal and mass communication tools. People are no longer merely passive consumers of information; they actively contribute to the information environment through websites, blogs, tweets and short messages like never before.