Best Practices

Using social media effectively requires the creation of informative and engaging content combined with a knowledge of the unique functions of the particular platforms. These tips and tricks can help you manage your social media accounts. 

Content

Your content should always be authentic, engaging and compelling to your primary audience of the platform you are using. Remember, it’s social, so it shouldn’t always be about you. Sometimes, it should be about your users. Pepper your presence with questions and allow for opportunities for you engage with your users. Post with regular frequency to make sure you are consistently reaching your users.

Photos/Video/Graphics

Your Facebook posts should almost always include images or video. On Instagram, your imagery should be specific to your unit and tell your story. If you are using videos, keep them on the short side, preferably no longer than 1-2 minutes depending on the platform. (Instagram videos over one minute will become an IGTV post.) If you are using graphics, keep them simple and clear of text as much as possible and put the details in the post itself. This usually means creating graphics that are different than those used in print — your graphic should be created specifically for social media. 

Monitoring and Engagement

In social media, you need to be a good conversationalist. Sometimes small talk is more valuable than messaging. Remember to interact with your users by responding to comments or questions, liking comments, etc. Keep the overall sentiment positive and professional, even when dealing with negative comments. Following our policies regarding comments is also important.