SOCIAL MEDIA BEST PRACTICES
We recommend that individuals who are administrators for University-affiliated social media accounts employ the following best practices to increase the likelihood of success in building and maintaining a vibrant and engaging social media presence.
Be Strategic and Consistent
Before starting a new social media account, it's worthwhile to ask a few questions regarding what your goals may be for your platform, who your audience is and what your overall content strategy plan may be.
For example:
- What goals does your group want to achieve with your account(s)?
- Do your goals/objectives align with University, college and/or department mission and strategy?
- Who is your target audience?
- Who will plan and execute content creation?
If you are unsure of these answers, it may be best to hold off on starting a new account until you have additional information. It takes dedicated time and resources to post new, interesting content regularly (two to four times a week).
Do Your Research
Try to stay updated on key trends and changes within digital marketing. It's also helpful to become familiar with standards and practices related to web privacy, accessibility, intellectual property and copyright, among others.
Consider benchmarking the efforts of successful social media accounts working towards goals/objectives similar to yours. Research the credibility and online activity of content sources before sharing or citing content.
Be Positive and Respectful
As a member of the Villanova University community, it's important to understand and practice the University's commitment to respecting the dignity of others and to embracing the civil and thoughtful discussion of opposing viewpoints.
Be Accurate and Give Credit
Do not speculate--know the facts before posting. Properly attribute content to sources using citations and links whenever possible.
Above all, correct errors quickly--this is vital to building credibility and earning the respect of others in your online community.
Stay on Topic
Engage in discussion about Villanova, such as conversations about University-sponsored events and activities happening on campus. Whenever possible, social media posts should be informative and direct followers to relevant, detailed content within Villanova's website.
Monitor Comments
Administrators of social media accounts often have some control over comments that appear on an account, and these controls should be used judiciously. If you have questions or concerns regarding the tone or content of any comments or discussions or use of account controls, you should consult with UCM.
If the tone or content of any comment or discussion is threatening to any person, place or property or potentially violates the law or University policies, contact Villanova University Public Safety as soon as possible.
Listen, Analyze and Evaluate
The feedback you obtain from social listening and analytic tools allows you to evaluate strategy in order to engage with your communities more effectively. Each social media platform provides helpful analytics free of charge.
Don't Forget About Accessibility
Content shared on the web and on social media such as text, images, audio and video must be accessible to all individuals including those with hearing, visual, or other impairments or disabilities.
Remember to include things like captions, alt text and other types of metadata to ensure a pleasurable experience for our online community.
