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Social Media Guidelines
Social media is a fantastic way to reach and interact with a worldwide audience. The growth in social media networking over the last few years has created an exciting new method of sharing information. We want to encourage all staff to actively engage in social media. However, it’s important to remember that you are representing GCU when using social media tools. The following guidelines will help you to use the various platforms safely.
Please read the sections that relate to your social media activity - you may be the owner or simply contributing – and refer to it for future reference.
These guidelines give an overview of the main points to bear in mind when using social media for professional purposes. Much of the guidance relates to legal obligations you have as a University employee.
The use of social media includes (but is not limited to) posting direct content or comments on eg:
Facebook Google+ Twitter Pinterest Personal blogs YouTube News and opinion articles Discussion boards
The number of social media channels and the way in which people interact with them is constantly growing and changing. Please consider this general guidance for any online content that you create outside the University website.
Please see the following key points for producing social media content.
Key PointsGCU – Be aware that public criticism or abuse of GCU, our staff or employees will be taken very seriously and could lead to disciplinary action.
Be responsible – You are responsible for what you say on the social web. Avoid saying anything offensive or inappropriate.
Be aware of existing laws – remember that copyright laws still apply online. Similarly, when engaging in discussions about individuals or organisations, don’t make comments which could be construed as defamatory.
Separate personal and professional – Comments that you deem suitable for friends and family may not be suitable for a wider audience. For example, if you have a personal Facebook account, you should also create a GCU one for communicating with staff and students.
Twitter – Similarly, if you start using Twitter, decide whether you want a personal account or a GCU account. If you will be tweeting for work purposes – like promoting events or relaying information – then it’s better to have an account that makes it clear you are a GCU employee.
Avoid arguments or disputes – There is no point in becoming embroiled in an argument. If a discussion starts to become personal, it’s better to end it there.
Be honest – Always tell the truth. If you make a mistake, correct it as quickly as possible.
Respect confidentiality – Don’t discuss confidential GCU matters online. Also avoid public criticism of the University, its policies, its staff and student bodies.
Be friendly – The purpose of social media is to bring people together. Respond to those who want to engage with you. Be welcoming and receptive.
Check settings – Review the privacy settings of each of the platforms you are posting on. Who can see what you are sending out? Are you comfortable with that?
Remember permanence – Once information is out on the web, it’s virtually impossible to permanently delete. Even if you remove it from the original place, there’s no way of knowing where it has been reposted or sent.
Only use at certain times – Using social media when angry can lead to things being said you don’t mean. Try to keep a clear head when using social media for work-related purposes.
Think of the audience – It’s easy for comments to be misconstrued or misinterpreted on social media platforms. You may have a comment taken out of context. Try to think about how each comment looks to others.
Best Practice Be aware of how your comments may reflect upon the University or the project or service
you are involved with. Be aware of Data Protection and Freedom of Information legislation and requirements. Always credit the source when using links. Don’t post discriminatory or bullying material
Never post any commercially confidential or sensitive information. Never use your personal presence as the first point of publication for any official reports or
announcements. Notify marketing of any new social media presence Be aware of members of your audiences who find social networks inaccessible and offer an
equal level of service. Regularly moderate comments. Take care with branding and use appropriate URLs and usernames. Link to official sites. Be transparent about who is contributing. Publish regularly and relevantly. Always check the Terms & Conditions of any provider. Engage with stakeholders and link or refer to others’ relevant content. Ensure that any negative comments or criticisms are balanced.
What to use and when
One of the biggest benefits that Facebook can provide is the ability to information shared among people in your network. Students, peers and the general public can make up your network, and you can promote events, news, research and more through your Facebook profile.
Tone of voice: lively, friendly, measured, informative
Facebook is the social media equivalent of a bar or café. You are there with a select group, but everyone can see you.
Professional and personal social circles may overlap, so think carefully about what you post (particularly images). It is strongly advised that you set up a separate GCU page from your personal page.
Facebook content is more persistent than Twitter, so you need to think carefully before you post. Without suppressing your personality completely, you might need to consider whether your profile is suitable for everyone who might see it.
You can be more focused on delivering a message here than on Twitter. People look to the Facebook profile of organisations for information, news and what the latest situation is with that organisation.
Examples:
Nobel Laureate Kofi Annan has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) for his work to address international issues such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic, poverty and human rights.
Our latest prospectus is now available! Get along to our website to download a copy. If you are struggling with exam stress, remember that counselling is available 24/7 from the
following sources… Prices in refectory have been cut by 10% today. Even more reason to visit! Latest Senate Highlights are now available.
There are two main ways to use Facebook, a Page or a Group. Both allow you to
create discussions and others to reply have a wall for people to write on. Both allow you to share videos and pictures. require you to manually remove posts as an administrator if something does not meet your
standards or guidelines allow you to create events
Facebook Page
Pages can be viewed by unregistered users, though you will need to set your security preferences for this. A viewer does not need to be a Facebook member to view your page. You can add extra applications to make your page more personal and send messages to all members using the updates feature. Pages also allow you to see statistics.
A page is best used when you are looking to send out information.
Facebook Group
A Facebook group is open only to people who join the group. It is ideal for discussions between people with common interests who will regularly look to share information.
Twitter is a great way to join a global conversation which includes over 200 million users. It’s also a great way to follow niché information feeds so is particularly useful in specialist areas like research. Of course, it can also be used as a giant news feed, both for news you are interested in and information you want to get out.
Tone of voice: topical, immediate, authoritative, knowledgeable, relaxed
Twitter is a conversation. It’s the place to mix the personal and professional, with a strong emphasis on the present moment and humour. It is constant and, for users, continuous.
Remember that Twitter is a two-way thing. You have to get involved to be noticed. The best way to do this is to jump into the conversation and become a part of it by re-tweeting, responding and using messages.
Tweet a few interesting third-party links, things you find of interest, observations – anything at all. Within that, mix in important information you want to get across. Remember that you can repeat it, but don’t hammer it home – how would you feel about receiving the same message 50 times in a day?
Join in with trending topics. Don’t be controversial, don’t say anything you wouldn’t say face to face.
Whatever you tweet, keep it clean, friendly and funny!
Examples:
New research from #GCU team indicates that…. Anyone travelling into #GCU today, please check public transport (link) #GCU graduations coming soon! Go to website for all the details.
#GCU Students Association nominations are now open Interesting article on University funding in today’s Guardian (link)
You should use Twitter if you have a lot of information to share regularly or if a group you want to interact with are regular tweeters.
LinkedIn is the social media choice of professional people. A vast networking tool, it can put you in touch with valuable sources of information or resources.
Tone of voice: urbane, friendly, professional
LinkedIn is where we paint a picture of ourselves as individual professionals. We can also create corporate profiles detailing what our departments/teams do.
It is a great place to network and to share expertise.
Keep the tone relatively formal, but concise – remember that users are busy people. Keep your profile updated, connect with members of relevant groups and consider what your interests say about you. Answer questions in your area if you can help the questioner.
GCU is hosting an event on Social justice on 26/01/12. Speakers include….. Get in touch for more information.
Interesting article on the future of education in emerging markets: link Looking for an HR Professional with Academic experience for potential new role. Does anyone have any experience of System X Software? Looking at installing it and want to
hear feedback.
Podcasting
Podcasts are audio/video recordings which can be downloaded from websites or media management tools like iTunes.
Tone of voice: Friendly, informative, entertaining
Podcasting is an ideal way to present in-depth, specialised information. It’s a great way to get detailed info to people in easy ways. Podcasts can be short one-offs, or part of a series. They can feature one person or a group. Think of them like radio broadcasts. They are easy to produce and are becoming increasingly easy to access.
With a podcast, the first thing to be aware of is that it must be easy to listen to! No matter how good the quality of information, no-one will get to hear it if the delivery is unlistenable (same with sound quality.)
Then be aware of what you want to say and how you want to say it. Choose who you want to deliver it and then record and upload!
Blogging
Blogs are a great way to share opinions, thoughts and theories. They provide a bit more space and are an excellent way to start discussions (although you will need to moderate the comments sections.)
Tone of voice: entertaining, informative, discussive
Keep blog posts short – a few paragraphs at most – and use them to discuss what is happening within the University, the education sector or general topics that may be of interest to your audience. Keep it light and avoid controversy. Keep updating regularly to attract readers.
Here are the GCU blogs:
http://caledonianblogs.net/
The Harvard Business blog site and the BBC site are also both good examples on how to blog:
http://blogs.hbr.org/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/
These are tools that are used to create blogs. Some of them, like Blogger, Tumblr, Vox or Xanga are straightforward platforms that are great for people who want to create a simple blog. If you’re ready to create a more in-depth blog with regular updates, try Joomla, Drupal, Typepad or WordPress. These are the blogging platforms used by the most prevalent bloggers.
Within the University, we can help you set up a blog and give you advice on how to get more traffic towards it.
Blogging is a really exciting way to share your thoughts and experience with the world. However, there are some things you should be aware of before you start.
Once something is online, it’s almost impossible to fully delete
Although you can delete the original item, there’s no way of telling if it has been copied or reposted. So make sure the content is something you are happy to put your name to.
Only post things that you would want everyone (in GCU, at home, in other countries) to know
Before you post, ask yourself if this is something you are happy for everyone to see. If not, then is it appropriate to be posted?
Do not share personal information
Any information which can be used to breach your financial or personal security should be kept offline.
Think before you post
What could be the consequences of this post? If your post may upset someone or cause complaints, it’s sensible not to post it.
Know who you’re communicating with
Make sure that what you are writing about makes sense to your audience. Will they understand the terms you are using?
Have a good reason to post
What is the point of your post? Is it informative or entertaining? Will it spark a debate? Will people find it useful?
Treat other people the way you want to be treated
Be polite, approachable and friendly. Try not to be cruel or offensive.
Use appropriate language, proper grammar and spelling
You are representing yourself and GCU. Make sure the blog is something you would be comfortable showing your employer or potential employers.
Only post information that you can verify is true
Avoid gossip or speculation about events. If you make a mistake, change it as quickly as you can.
Give credit to sourced material
Anytime you use media from another source, be sure to properly cite the creator of the original work.
Templates and stylesYou can personalise various social media sites to make them more relevant to you. Here are a few tips on what to do.
Username: Make it immediately clear you work at GCU by starting your name with ‘GCU’ then add in details. So for example, GCU London:
GCU Banking:
In terms of style, use an image you feel comfortable with. It is recommended that you use the GCU logo for accounts which are general – for example, a department or team account. Should you be using a personal account, you may wish to include a photograph of yourself. Don’t use other images – they may not be appropriate or may be copyrighted.
You will have the choice of various styles and templates. Play around until you find the one which best suits you. Try to avoid making the screen look to busy. Don’t use controversial imagery.
Facebook pages can incorporate logos and images to sit whatever you are trying to accomplish. There are various settings you can use to arrange the page how you want it.
Blogs
Before you begin a blog, think about what you are trying to convey. Make sure the images you use are in keeping with that. Use appropriate logos - i.e. the GCU logo.
REMEMBER – IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT ANYTHING TO DO WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, PLEASE CONTACT DAVID EDGAR ON x1689 [email protected]