Social Media Brand and Policies
Although some of these policies and guidelines are unique to ߣߣÊÓƵ, ߣߣÊÓƵ has modeled parts of them on what are considered the best practices of other institutions of higher learning. Many universities are working together in this way to provide consistency across the industry. Yet, just as social media is constantly changing, these policies and guidelines will also continue to evolve. It is important to refer to them frequently for new information.
Brand
ߣߣÊÓƵ’s “voice” in social media environments is similar to its style in publications: conversational, friendly, authentic. Often, we ask for audience reaction, and find that this style helps us with interactions and encourages their response and involvement.
Preferred Hashtag
In all cases, we prefer to use the #ߣߣÊÓƵOH, with capitalization if possible. When creating a hashtag for a special event, it is preferred to incorporate ߣߣÊÓƵOH into the name, rather than just ߣߣÊÓƵ (i.e., #ߣߣÊÓƵOHrules).
Key Descriptors
ߣߣÊÓƵ tests audiences periodically to see what their perceptions are, and common adjectives or descriptors seem to occur that we strive to reference in varying ways in our promotional material:
Smart, prestigious, Ohio location, beautiful/stunning campus, undergraduate focus, student success, extensive study abroad opportunities, Midwest values, residential, Public Ivy, successful graduates, community service, strong academics, excellence, impressive.
Commonly Referenced Social Media Sites
All official ߣߣÊÓƵ University social media accounts must follow ߣߣÊÓƵ identity standards. ߣߣÊÓƵ colleges, programs, departments and business units must use official ߣߣÊÓƵ social media icons on official social media sites to visually connect with the university, differentiate from competing accounts, and establish uniform quality, credibility and user experiences. The simplest graphics that represent the ߣߣÊÓƵ brand should be used so that sites can be readily identified at a glance.
Fan Page Name: Must be titled "ߣߣÊÓƵ University Name of Department or Organization”. This will indicate the site is officially associated with ߣߣÊÓƵ, enhancing its credibility. It will also help users find the page more easily and narrow the search.
Profile Picture: ߣߣÊÓƵ Facebook accounts that represent the university should have the branded logo incorporated within the profile picture, with the specific department or organization listed beneath. The more branded the profile pictures that use the ߣߣÊÓƵ University colors and font are, the more official the account looks and the more likely it is to be found and recognized.
Note: Profile image should be square, at least 180 pixels tall by 180 pixels wide. The image will appear on the screen as 160px tall by 160px wide.
Cover photo: Cover photos can be customized by department or area. If it's a school or college, it is suggested to use a "beauty shot" of the building that represents that division, as those are often instantly recognized. Every time a cover photo is updated, the new photo appears in the newsfeed of those who like the page, which can be a great way to promote an event. Photographs of individuals should be used with permission; photographs owned by ߣߣÊÓƵ University (and available on the WebDAM site managed by University Communications and Marketing) may be used at any time. Copyrighted material can be used only with permission.
Note: Cover photos are 851 pixels wide and 315 pixels tall.
Twitter Handle: In 2012 ߣߣÊÓƵ University changed its website domain name to www.ߣߣÊÓƵOH.edu. This change affected ߣߣÊÓƵ social media, especially Twitter. For consistency with university brand standards, ease in finding the sites, stronger visibility due to the ߣߣÊÓƵOH web domain name, and to officially connect an account to ߣߣÊÓƵ, official ߣߣÊÓƵ twitter handles should be named @ߣߣÊÓƵOH_ followed by the name of the department or organization (or its acronym). ߣߣÊÓƵ’s central/main twitter account is the only one titled @ߣߣÊÓƵUniversity.
Twitter Username: The username must be "ߣߣÊÓƵ University Name of Department or Organization” and should be consistent with the Facebook fan page name.
Twitter Bio: The bio should include the phrase “Official twitter for ߣߣÊÓƵ University _______”, a link to your website, hashtag used (if any), information about your department, and/or reasons to follow you.
Profile Picture: For the purpose of not confusing followers, the primary ߣߣÊÓƵ University twitter account @ߣߣÊÓƵUniversity should be the only account to use the solo beveled “M” for the profile image. Other accounts should use their official logo, the M with a name beneath (see above), or an image to represent their account.
Header Photo: The header photo must appear behind the profile photo, as with the Facebook cover photo example shown in the previous section. If the account is for a school or college, it is suggested to use a "beauty shot" of the building that represents that division, but the department may choose to use this space as they wish. Background Design: Since most people use mobile devices or third-party sites to view Twitter, a background is not always visible. However, using the default twitter background looks unprofessional and is likely to result in fewer followers. Use branded designs (the social media manager can assist you here) and colors to designate the account as an official ߣߣÊÓƵ University site.