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Getting Started on Social Media

There are multiple types of social media and scores of outlets. Here’s how to get started for your department or program.

  1. Define goal and who you’re trying to reach (prospective students, alumni, research partners).
  2. Choose which media to help achieve your goal. Determine if you should be using multiple networks. If so, we do not recommend that you link accounts.
  3. Develop a strategy. Determine who will be responsible for maintaining your network. Decide how frequently will you post and consider using an editorial calendar.
  4. Set up your account. Note: University Facebook accounts must have a minimum of two individuals with administrative privileges. Once a university account reaches 100 followers, administrative access must be granted to Web Communications. This prevents accounts getting locked out if the maintainer leaves the university.
  5. Add the UMass Lowell logo and/or wallpaper. The UMass Lowell logo should not be altered in any way.
  6. Link back to the university or your department website.
  7. Use discretion when posting. Keep in mind that these are not your personal Instagram, Twitter or Facebook accounts. You are representing your department and the university. As such, you should post information that is informative and productive in nature. Social media is not an outlet for complaints, frustration and criticism about the university or the administration. The university reserves the right to remove, at any time, at its sole discretion, any content posted on a blog or social network that it deems in violation of university policy or local, state or federal law.
  8. Most social media allow some type of comments. Engagement – and generating conversation – is one of the benefits of social media. When you engage in social media, you need to be ready to potentially get criticism in a public domain. Be prepared for positive and negative feedback and have a plan with how to respond to both. For example, on the university social media channels maintained by Web Communications, we don’t engage in negative, unconstructive comments unless it’s to correct inaccurate or misinformation. On Facebook, you have the option to block, delete or hide posts. Your primary objective is to protect the university, your department and yourself.
  9. Now that you’re up and running, how will you promote your social media presence? Let Web Communications know when you are posting regularly and have at least 100 friends/followers, and we will link your accounts on our social media pages, customize the icon on your department website or add a feed to your landing page. Email contacts, include links on your email signature, add to print materials. Instagram, Facebook and Twitter have icons that can be used in electronic and print materials.

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