The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a government initiative aimed at providing affordable internet access to underserved and unserved communities to bridge the digital divide. The program is designed to provide subsidies or discounts on internet service plans, devices, or other related costs, making internet access more affordable for low-income households, rural or remote areas, and other communities with limited access to high-speed internet.
If you’re an Internet Service Provider currently enrolled in The Affordable Connectivity Program, you can leverage participation in the program in many ways. Here are some ways that Internet Service Providers can effectively market enrollment in The Affordable Connectivity Program:
Communicate the benefits: Highlight how the program offers affordable internet access to underserved communities, promotes digital inclusion, and provides opportunities for education, economic development, healthcare services, and social connectivity. Use simple, easy-to-understand language to explain the program’s benefits.
Tailor messaging for target audiences: Tailor your marketing messaging for different target audiences, including low-income households and rural or remote communities. Consider their specific needs, challenges, and preferences when crafting marketing messages. Use relevant and relatable examples to illustrate how the ACP can improve their lives and address their internet access challenges.
Use diverse marketing channels: Reach your target audiences via online channels such as websites, social media, email campaigns, and online advertising, as well as offline channels such as local newspapers, community events, flyers, and billboards. Use a mix of channels that are popular and accessible to the target audiences to ensure maximum reach and impact.
Clear enrollment instructions: Provide easy-to-follow instructions on how eligible households can enroll in the ACP, including step-by-step guides, online forms, hotline numbers, or other enrollment means. Make sure that the enrollment process is simple, accessible, and convenient for potential beneficiaries, and provide ample support for any questions or issues they may have during the enrollment process.
Collaborate with local stakeholders: Collaborate with local stakeholders, such as government agencies, community organizations, non-profits, and other influencers, to amplify marketing efforts. Local stakeholders can help spread the word about the ACP within their networks and communities and provide trusted endorsements to increase the program’s credibility and reach. Collaborative marketing efforts can also help ISPs tap into local knowledge, preferences, and cultural nuances for more effective messaging.
Monitor and measure marketing impact: ISPs should monitor and measure the impact of their marketing efforts to assess their effectiveness and make necessary adjustments. Use tracking mechanisms, analytics, and feedback to understand the marketing efforts’ impact and identify improvement areas that can help ISPs optimize their marketing strategies and ensure that their efforts reach the intended audiences and drive enrollment in the ACP.
Provide excellent customer service: ISPs should provide excellent customer service to potential beneficiaries of the ACP. This includes timely responses to inquiries, clear communication, and friendly support throughout the enrollment process. Excellent customer service can build trust, enhance the reputation of the ISP, and increase the likelihood of successful enrollment in the ACP.
If your ISP is enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program, The FCC has created great resources and customizable marketing collateral to promote the program in your community to encourage enrollment.
Infographics, Fact Sheet, Flyers, Press Release, Newsletter blurb
Consumer handouts and the fact sheet are also available in Arabic, Chinese-Traditional, Chinese-Simplified, French, Haitian-Creole, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
A wide variety of social media content is available to download and share on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Browse additional social media images to download.
These outreach materials are created for school educators, administrators, parents, and volunteers. Access the School Lunch Flyer, Backpack handouts, and Bookmarks here: https://www.fcc.gov/acp-consumer-outreach-toolkit
Final Thoughts
By leveraging the ACP, ISPs can contribute to bridging the digital divide, promoting digital inclusion, and providing affordable internet access to underserved communities.