To spread the word about their organizations during the past year and a half, many public-sector communicators have had to pivot their work to the virtual realm.

And many public-sector services that used to be offered in-person have been reimagined online, providing a silver lining to the past 18 months — the opportunity to modernize operations in step with technological advances, always a plus in the public sector.

For communicators, embracing new technology lets us discover tools we may not have used before, such as video.

To create successful brands, companies spend countless hours trying to define how they wish to be perceived. Public-sector agencies should have the same goal.

Building a brand allows a public-sector organization to establish a good reputation — a valuable asset in times of crisis and in today’s digital age, when misinformation runs rampant. While agencies don’t sell or promote products, they offer crucial services that deserve the same exposure and outreach.