Social media posting best practices

What should you post in social media?

Below are some engagement ideas and tips to consider when posting content to your social media properties:

1. Announcements / shout outs
   Announce upcoming events, achievements by students, faculty or alumni and important dates.
    
2. Photos
   Post photos of the campus, an event or students and alumni. (e.g., post "a week in photos" or highlight pictures taken by the Brock community and give them credit). Check out Brock University's Flickr page for photo ideas.
    
3. Promote
   Campus events and school pride.
    
4. Stat / fact / ranking
   Highlight Brock's inclusion in a ranking list (e.g., MacLean's university rankings) or a fun fact about the University.
    
5. Question
   Ask open-ended questions (e.g., "What's your favourite place on campus to study?" or "If you were president for a day, what would you change?").
    
6. Link
   Link to an outside news story or press release and ask for opinions.(e.g., The Brock News).
    
7. Video
   Incorporate a video attachment. Check out Brock's YouTube channel for inspiration.
    
8. Giveaway / trivia
   Offer a prize if fans take some action or post a comment. Consider starting "Trivia Tuesdays" and ask questions about Brock, its history, or any topic that's relevant. (Please remember to abide by Facebook's promotions guidelines)
    
9. Score / result / pre-game
   Give updates on Brock Badgers' scores, upcoming games and athletes.
    
10. Take the conversation offline
    Social media is only a starting point. Create meet ups, tweet ups and other offline events to get your community together and interacting with your organization and each other.
     

Dos and don’ts to keep in mind when posting:

DON’T:

• Use social media as a megaphone: resist the urge to use social media as a fire hose of University news and events.
• Auto-post: you can replicate content across platforms, but keep in mind the different communities and audiences you are reaching.
• Delete negative comments: a negative response is still a response. Life is not all sunshine, puppies and rainbows and social media reflects this. However, DO delete comments that are spamming, hateful, deceptive or contain foul language. See Brock Univeristy's Facebook page guidelines for more information.

DO:

• Experiment on your own personal social channels first: pick one tool to focus on, get really good at it, and then consider expanding. Start using the tools you have used effectively before diving into something else.
• Have a personality: people talk to people, not brands.
• Use humor: it makes you seem more human.
• Involve students: ask them for feedback and ideas for content.
• Use social media to drive people back to your website: it’s the one place where you control everything.
• Follow and listen your followers: take what students, alumni, parents and community members are saying to guide your content. In Twitter, consider monitoring hashtags like #BrockU, #GetInvolvedBU, #BrockGrad, etc. More information on social media monitoring and listening.
• Manage expectations: answering a tweet at 2 a.m. can seem like dedication, but your followers will begin to expect this of you. Try saying hello in the morning when you sign on, and goodbye when you sign off.
• Use social media to test: get feedback on photos, stories, event ideas, etc.
• Develop and nurture relationships.
• Be present: being present is different than having a presence. Make sure you are monitoring your social property and are present to answer questions and engage with your followers.
• Report back to your leaders: we are the eyes and ears of the University. Report back any interesting findings.
• Tie social media activities to institutional goals: forget measuring social media by the number of fans you have. This is great, but the best measurements link to University or department goals.
• Determine your content strategy and create an editorial calendar: you can use a simple excel sheet, Google or Outlook calendar or search online for a free tool.
• Market your social media channels offline: promote your social media presence in your brochures and other print materials. 
• Integrate your social channels on your website.

Do you think anything else should be added to this list? 
Email Brock University social media.