Social Media Policy Review
- University employees do not have permission or authority to place advertising on social media sites without the approval of UMAC.
- Each social media account must include a designated full-time employee of UMAC as a second administrator.
- Use of the institution’s marks, brands, and messaging must fall within approved guidelines and policies outlined in UT’s branding guide.
- All federal, state, and local laws and regulations must be followed, including but not limited to: copyrights, Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), NCAA rules, Anti-discrimination laws, etc.
Online Tools
Hootsuite [FREE or paid]: Use this social listening tool to hear what people are saying about topics you care about and get in on the conversation.
Buffer [paid]: Use this intuitive tool to schedule social posts ahead of time. Costs as little as $15/month.
Canva [FREE or paid]: Use this tool alongside UT’s branding guide to create beautiful designs without having to learn how to use Adobe software.
“Where can I get photos?”
Please be careful when using stock photos! It’s important to maintain consistency in the quality of photos you use on social media. You don’t want your stock photo to stick out like a sore thumb.
Utah Tech stock photo database [FREE]: A photo database curated by UMAC for all to use for free
Unsplash [FREE]: Beautiful photos with no copyright issues to worry about.
Pixabay [FREE]: Hit and miss stock photos, but still available for any use for free.
Photo & Video Editor for iPhone
Social Media Voice
One of the first things you’re going to want to do if your page is new or you’re the new administrator of it is to create a consistent social voice. Click HERE to see our favorite blog post about it from Buffer!
Utah Tech’s Hashtags
HERE‘s a really good explanation of how to use hashtags.
#utahtechuniversity #activelearningactivelife #blazeforward
Content Ideas
Ideas for content you can share
- News articles about your department/college/organization or UT
- Posts from Blazer Bulletin
- Helpful articles/blog posts from outside sources
- Funny, inspiring, or motivational quotes
- Posts from followers; make sure to always give them credit by using a re-post button or tagging them in an image you’re re-sharing.
Ideas for original content
- Use daily themes. You can find ones that people are already using, or you can come up with your own! Use the weekly or on days when you need content. Use hashtags that go along with each theme. Examples: #motivationmonday, #triviatuesday, #wisdomwednesday
- Never miss a holiday. You can create posts for national holidays and observances, as well as obscure ones like Sunglasses Day or Pi Day.
- Ask an engaging question.
- Ask your followers to “fill in the blank”.
- Post a really cool, relevant photo asking your followers to “caption this photo”.
- Showcase one of your faculty, staff, or students when they do something cool.
- Share testimonials
- Post about frequently asked questions
- recommend other pages to follow
- Post comics or memes
- Hold a photo contest
- Tell people about any awards you’ve received
- Thank your followers