Press Releases: Turn Social Media into Dynamic Proofs
Does your agency publish press releases on social media?
Traffic alerts. Major Incidents. Community events. Sexual predator notifications. Public notices prior to an assessment.
If it’s posted publicly… it can likely be used as proof.
And instead of taking screenshots or uploading static images, you can embed the actual post directly into PowerDMS — creating a dynamic, date-anchored proof of compliance.
This is one of those small upgrades that makes your assessment pop and look super professional.
When you screenshot a social media post:
It becomes static.
It can lose clarity.
It sometimes looks cluttered or hard to read inside the assessment window.
When you embed the post:
The original formatting stays intact.
The date and source are clearly visible.
It looks polished.
It’s easier for the assessor to view.
And if you’ve heard me talk about New Rich Text before, you already know — this is one of the more dynamic tools inside PowerDMS.
Here’s the step-by-step process:
Navigate to the specific post on your agency’s social media page.
Click the three-dot menu in the upper right corner of that post.
Choose “Embed” and copy the embed code to your clipboard.
Inside PowerDMS, create a new document.
For Document Type, choose Web.
In the main editing window, click three menu dots in the upper right and then Code View < >
Delete the default code.
Paste the embed code you copied.
Preview the document to ensure it renders correctly. Click on the Code View < > to see the Preview.
Name the document clearly and save it.
Publish the document.
Attach it to the appropriate standard in your assessment.
Don’t skip the Publish step. If it’s not published, it can't be attached in the assessment.
Alternatively, you can follow these same general steps by adding a New Rich Text attachment directly to the standard if you don't maintain proofs as PowerDMS documents. Check out my other Helpful Tip called "Embed Content in PowerDMS." for the steps to embed directly in the assessment.
Make sure the post is set to public view. If it requires login access, the assessor may not be able to see it.
Label the attachment clearly and simply — just like you would any other proof.
If the standard requires a time component, confirm the date is visible within the embedded post.
Always preview before publishing to ensure it displays properly.
Embedding works especially well for:
Public notices
Community outreach efforts
Media notifications of major incidents
Recruitment efforts
Crime prevention campaigns
Annual reports posted online
Public comment invitations before formal assessments
It’s a clean way to show transparency and community engagement without cluttering your files.
This is another example of working smarter, not harder.
If the proof already exists publicly in a clean digital format, use it that way.
Instead of recreating it.
Instead of screenshotting it.
Instead of pasting it into Word.
Let PowerDMS display it exactly how your community saw it.
If you want to take this further, check out my other content on embedding external content in PowerDMS. Once you start using these tools intentionally, your assessment becomes much more polished and much easier for assessors to navigate. Check out the quick video demonstrating the steps below:
Who do you know that could benefit from these accreditation-friendly tips and resources? Consider sharing this link with a colleague so they can sign up:https://www.accreditationacademy.net/signup
Areaka P. Jewell
Accreditation Academy
areaka@accreditationacademy.net
(305) 360-1075