W3C Marketing & Communications

Meet the W3C MarComm Team

W3C MarComm Team

The team counts 2.90 FTE across 5 individuals (as of March 2024):

• Coralie Mercier: 1 FTE (Lead)
• Xueyuan Jia: .95 FTE (Member communications, Auth. translations)
• Amy van der Hiel: .70 FTE (Media Relations Coordinator, tools & strategy)
• Alexandra Lacourba: .15 FTE (Global Events Coordinator)
• Bert Bos: .10 FTE (Design support)

The role of W3C MarComm

Objectives

1. Communicate positively who we are and what we do for the Web overall
2. Build W3C's influence & improve W3C's reputation
3. Support W3C development efforts
4. Support W3C Working/Interest Groups operations
   (i.e., execution of the Process Document requiring communication)
5. Support W3C Members

Meta messaging: virtuous circle

• W3C is leading the Web to its full potential; as a result
  • Society is impacted by progress in Web technologies;
  • Industries are doing business to the Web;
  • Prospects become part of the conversation to shape the Web;
  • Web Developers see W3C as the venue to work on Web Standards; therefore...
• ... W3C is leading the Web to its full potential.

W3C audiences

In order to achieve its objectives, W3C needs to reach out and tell our great story to many stakeholders:

• World
• W3C Members
• Developers & Tech community
• Industries & Companies
• Media, Analysts and Industry influencers

W3C's unique strengths

Proven processes

• Royalty-Free Patent Policy
• Patent commitments provide a level-playing field for innovation
• W3C's consensus approach, based on fair dialog
• W3C's escalation process, which evaluates the merits of different perspectives, incorporating both technical and process considerations
• W3C's multi-stakeholder involvement, taking into account the perspectives of industry, user groups, research, government, invited experts
• W3C's neutrality, openness

Human and social dimension

• W3C's mission of "leading the Web to its full potential" including web for all ("this is for everyone")
• Strong legacy of W3C Founder & Web Inventor Tim Berners-Lee
• W3C's reliance on subject matter staff expertise
• Built-in i18n, a11y, security & privacy by world-renown experts
• W3C is an ISO PAS submitter (W3C specs at ISO are authoritative)
• W3C is international: Partners, Chapters, world-wide staff

W3C MarComm channels

Traditional communications channels

Infrequent communications channels

Other channels we use infrequently or have not yet experimented with:

• Op-Eds
• Partner publications
• AMAs, podcasts
• Analyst briefings

Traditional marketing channels

→ Technical + Member spotlights (TBD)

Infrequent marketing channels

Other channels we use infrequently or have not yet experimented with:

• Advertising
• Webinars
• Podcasts

Landing pages

• Most of the public website has been rewritten and updated by now
• Landing pages are *the* source of information
• TODO: creation of a print.css for any need of an actual hand-out
  • Action not yet taken

W3C MarComm made incremental improvements to the W3C Website culminating in launch of redesigned Website in 2023.

Events support

W3C at external events

W3C sometimes becomes Media Sponsor of external events. We very rarely pay sponsorship money. Our criteria are:

• Global events > regional events
• W3C speaker invitation, or W3C booth
• At least 2 free passes for W3C Tech rep + recruiter
• Partnering is really compelling to W3C

Do not commit without discussing with MarComm first.

Partnership: W3C typically offers

• Promotion on the "Events" section of the W3C website
• Social media (Microblog, LinkedIn)
• W3C Blog post to promote the talk at the event (before and/or after)
• Sharing a conference discount with W3C Members
• Optional(*): Media Advisory + dissemination

(*) This should be rare and should not be offered lightly.

Partnership: W3C typically gets

• One or several conference pass(es) for W3C Tech rep + recruiter
• Speaking opportunity for W3C (or panel)
• Mention as partner/sponsor on conference website and/or signage
• Mention in press release
• Registration fee discount for W3C Members
• Mention in lists distributed to attendees, speakers and sponsors

W3C Members support

Use of the W3C Member logo

Members are encouraged to display the "W3C Member" logo in accordance with the W3C Member logo usage policy.

The Member icon is available at:

	https://www.w3.org/assets/logos/w3c/w3c-member.svg

	https://www.w3.org/assets/logos/w3c/w3c-member.png
      

Press releases

W3C members are encouraged to issue press releases about their use of W3C standards in products or services.

We ask that your comm teams send draft press releases about W3C work to w3t-pr@w3.org so that we may correct any factual errors, and coordinate.

To preserve vendor neutrality W3C staff do not supply quotes in Member press releases.

W3C and its staff may not endorse an organization’s products/services.

Media relations

Press and analyst interviews: we encourage W3C Members to mention relevant W3C activities in their interviews with media and analysts.

To get in touch with us, write to w3t-pr@w3.org.

With sufficient notice, W3C experts may also be available to be interviewed.

Social media

W3C is active on social media:

• Mastodon
• LinkedIn
• W3C’s primary hashtags are: #W3C #WebStandards #a11y #WebAccessibility #I18N #WebSecurity #Privacy

We encourage W3C Members to use those and tag us in social media posts. With sufficient notice, social media promotion can be coordinated.

Speaking engagements

W3C Member representatives who give talks about their activity at industry events and conferences do tell the world about your support for standards.

We encourage W3C Member organizations to let us know at w3t-pr@w3.org so we can update the W3C talks database as well as promote in social media.

W3C branded presentation templates are available:
html (with humaans), html (generic), .potx, .pptx, .pdf

Sponsorships

W3C has a comprehensive sponsorship program so that organizations that benefit greatly from the Web can help support W3C operations.

• W3C Members visibility can be raised at W3C Events
• Your organization can show leadership in social responsibility by supporting current "Web for all" programs and proposed initiatives
• Or, your organization may propose new initiatives that align with your philanthropic goals and ours