The Office of University Communications has collaborated with communicators from across campus to provide these guidelines for using social media. You can use them to help us
engage with people about the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Facebook, Twitter
and other online communities.
1. Make a plan. You’ll need it.
2. Name and design your site.
3. Add your site to the UNL directory.
4. Tips for making the most of social media.
5. Specifics: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
1. Make a plan. You’ll need it.
It’s important to have a written plan (here’s a template) that lays out how your use of a specific tactic carries out your strategy that gets you to your overall goal.
A social media plan should be a subset or an addendum to a larger strategic/integrated communication plan.
You need to be able to evaluate and measure your outcomes to determine whether you met your objectives.
A plan can be as informal as an outline or a list of tasks on a calendar – or it can be very specific, detailed and formal – dozens of pages with specific scripts or details.
Research is important at every step in which you have unknowns. (Who is our audience? What are their social media habits? What are our competitors doing?) If you don't know an answer to a basic question on which you're formulating a decision – find the answer through some research.
Everyone’s social media plan will be somewhat different. Base it on your organization’s culture. There is not a one-size-fits-all plan template, but the items in UNL’s template are fundamental items to address in a social media plan.
Social Media Plan template
You may choose to add more to your plan depending on your organization’s needs and the social media channels you choose. If you need to research something specific on one or more of these specific areas, note that in your plan.
· What is the description for the demographic group?
· Who/what is your persona or personality?
· What is your style?
· What is your message?
· What is your frequency?
· What is your call to action?
2. Name and design your site.
Account/Page Name
We recommend that all official University of Nebraska-Lincoln college, department and unit Facebook fan page and Twitter account names begin with UNL in the name, followed by the unit name, e.g. UNL News.
Facebook profile image
Size:
180 x 540 pixels – maximum,
180 x 180 pixels - minimum
A Photoshop file is available with logos and space available for unit-specific content to be added.
All files should contain one of the Academic N icons as provided in the top 180px space. This will allow for "official identification" in the thumbnail graphic.
These are examples of Academic N icons available for use.
3. Add your site to the UNL directory.
4. Tips for making the most of social media.
Know the rules of the game.
Follow the terms of service and conditions of your chosen platform, such as Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.
Be conversational - and accurate.
It’s social media. Write the posts in a conversational tone – one person to another. But, while the tone of the posts should be casual, the content should be checked (and double-checked) for spelling, accuracy, correct links, appropriateness and timeliness/relevancy. Always consider the potential outcomes of posts – what could it mean to the reputation of UNL, your boss, and you.
Keep it polite and positive - even if others don’t.
In the broadest sense, the work in social media (and all efforts communicating about UNL) is to act as cheerleaders of the brand. It’s our job to be friendly.
“Listen.” Ask questions. Re-post users’ great comments.
Read what others are saying about UNL in comments and add to discussion properly. Be careful not to over-post and dominate the community.
More Social Media tips from:
Kodak
NPR
Tufts University
*Use these guidelines to help you share content on professional and personal accounts, understanding that people who know you work for UNL may find it difficult to separate you, the person, from you, the UNL employee.
5. Specifics: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
Facebook:
Page vs. Group
Twitter:
26 things Twitter is not
10 Commandments of Twitter (from The Chronicle of Higher Education)
YouTube:
UNL playlist vs. New site
In contrast to Facebook and Twitter, it is likely more effective to create a playlist within the official UNL YouTube site (youtube.com/unl) for your college/unit rather than establishing a one-off presence.
