Download - Social Media at Brandeis
Social Media Best
PracticesAllie Morse ‘10
Digital Content and Social Media Specialist
Office of Communications
Social Media Best Practices
Overview of social media at Brandeis
Emerging social channels
Overall tips and strategy
Brandeis University Channels
facebook.com/brandeisuniversity
twitter.com/brandeisu
instagram.com/brandeisuniversity
youtube.com/brandeisuniversity
No matter the platform…
Social media is not about the platform, it’s about the people
Audience first, content second, distribution third
Pictures speak louder than words
Playing in someone else’s sandbox
Rapidly changing
From a student’s perspective
More email than ever
Less likely to check email than ever
Inundated with messages everywhere they look
How do we break through the noise?
Social Media Ambassadors
7 student leaders
Sounding board
Keeps content fresh, relevant and authentic
Generate content
Instagram takeover
Hashtags & Competitions
#Brandeis
#Brandeisbound
Check in with me!
Success of competitions
varies dramatically
Hashtags -> Storify
Storify
• Collects public posts into
one shareable piece of
content
• Tangible results to hashtag
campaigns
• Contact me!
You represent Brandeis
• Be professional
• Your Brandeis account is
not a personal account
• Think and proofread
before you tweet/post
What is Facebook?• Originally designed for and
by college students
• More than 1 billion users
• Longer form conversations
• Pages and groups
• “I’ve heard millennials are
abandoning Facebook,
should I?”
Why post?
57% of 18-33 year olds use Facebook to coordinate social
plans
62% of 18-33 year olds post about what they’re doing, where
they are and who they’re with
FOMO strong on Facebook
Students have indicated that they appreciate relevant info –
ask your audience!
Don’t be noise
Post at least 3 – 5 times a week IF you have content
Pictures generate interaction, links drive traffic
Content does not need to be written by your team or
Brandeis communications – look for the unique!
Student workers are goldmines
Hacking your own “boost”
Know your insights & audience behavior
Boost content that is already likely to get many views
Engage your audience in fun, low commitment ways
Social media doesn’t exist solely online
Make every interaction count!
Why tweet?
• 74% of users are between 15-25
• Customer service and conversation
• Our students are there and expect us to be as well
• Prospective students
Effective Presence
• Clear goal and strategy
• Tweet frequently, but not too much
• Content geared toward Twitter – punchy, images
• Monitor and respond promptly
• Drive audience back to your website
Thinking about timing
• Spacing
• Who and where is your audience?
• 1AM in Boston is noon in New Delhi
• Weekends and big events
Community
• LISTEN and show respect
• #Brandeis
• Lists
• Not island of lost events
• Think about Waltham
Syntax
Don’t start a post with @____, acts as a reply
Better: .@BrandeisU is awesome!
Catchy and brief
Images! 480x240
Build community & give nods
What is Instagram?
Photo blogging app
Hashtags are king
More than half of all American Millennials are on Instagram
Authentic, real content
Send me your photos!
Instagram Takeovers
Week 3 of Instagram takeover by Social Media
Ambassadors
Gives our audience what they want
Students for the summer
Measurement
Likes aren’t everything
Better to have 100 engaged followers than 1000 bots
Know what is effective
Native tracking applications
3rd party programs: Google Docs, Bit.ly, HootSuite
Emergencies, Controversies,
Complaints
• Emergency language comes from Communications
• Does this situation need a RT?
• Address strong complaints “offline” in a DM
• When in doubt, ask Communications.