American Red Cross Audit

Introduction

Purpose

The American Red Cross (ARC) has a clear brand identity and a trusted offline reputation, yet its digital presence warranted a closer examination. This audit set out to:

Compare communication strategies across website and social media channels

Identify strengths and weaknesses within their design, engagement, and tone

Offer recommendations for improvement that align with the ARC’s mission and audience

This project combined research, strategic analysis, and design for one of the world’s most well-known humanitarian brands.

Approach

Over a one-week period, I reviewed the ARC’s website, Instagram, Twitter (X), TikTok, and public relations communications, focusing on:

Content Analysis

Tone, design, and messaging across platforms.

Metric Review

Tracking average likes, comments, shares, and views

Key Findings

This audit highlights a brand that is credible and consistent but not fully leveraging its digital channels to build community. By adopting a more interactive, platform-specific approach, the ARC can strengthen its online presence and deepen connections with supporters.

Website

Audience Consideration

Demographics, accessibility, and engagement styles

Comparative Evaluation

Overlaps and inconsistencies between channels

  • Clean design

  • Navigation is broad and user-friendly

  • Most pages feel more sterile than engaging

  • Strong storytelling through text-heavy posts and images that resonate with older audiences

  • Reels target younger audiences, but impact is inconsistent

  • Visuals are consistently on-brand (following ARC’s style guide)

  • Worst engagement overall

  • Messaging feels sterile, allowing audience to lash out in the comments

  • Primarily functions as an announcement board rather than a community platform

Instagram

Twitter (X)

Public Relations

Results

Researcher & Analyst

TikTok

  • Content largely duplicates Instagram Reels with little platform-specific tailoring

  • Despite large follower base, engagement is relatively low

  • Potential exists to grow audience if content is made native to TikTok culture

  • ARC emphasizes transparency and trust in its press releases and updates

  • Messaging is factual, compassionate, and informative; avoids sensationalism

  • PR often lacks a personalized or human touch, and the organization rarely engages directly with comments/questions on social posts

Demos

I redesigned the website and developed sample social media posts to illustrate how the American Red Cross could evolve its digital presence based on these findings. This new website shows how they can not only keep, but improve, accessibility when adopting a modern design language. Additionally, ARC’s social media should speak to their followers on each respective platform, rather than reformatting the same posts, which has only alienated them from the community they’ve successfully built over the past 140 years.