Before you make your social media presence known on every major platform, consider your audience, goals, available resources and already existing university accounts. Each social media platform has its own unique capabilities, and understanding these best practices before you sign up is important.
Before starting a social media account at Texas State, ask the following questions.
Have a clear plan and purpose for an account before you start. Each account should have its own purpose and intended audience. How does the purpose of your Twitter account differ from your Facebook account? Have a clear idea of what you hope to accomplish from having each account.
Could you benefit from a partnership or collaboration with other on-campus account(s)?
There are dozens of social media accounts listed on our social media directory. Rather than creating a new account, which will require building a following and creating regular content, consider using an existing account. A small number of strong accounts will reach a larger audience than a large number of accounts with few followers.
For example, if you are wanting to create an account for a specific event that does not occur often, try reaching out to a department-level or college-level account on campus that has an engaged following and already speaks to your targeted audience.
Do you have the resources to manage your account(s)?
Running a social media account is a 24/7 job. Be sure that your account administrators are comfortable managing the account after hours.
Consider long-term sustainability. Student workers are a great resources for assisting with account management, but it is necessary to have a full-time faculty or staff member to oversee the long-term management of any social media account you open.
It is recommended to start your social media presence on one network at a time. Creating regular content, engaging with your audience, building your followers and monitoring requires time and effort. Allocating your resources to one channel will allow you to gauge how much energy your social media accounts will require.
What will you post and how often?
In order for your account to be successful you will need to post regularly, year-round. In order to stay engaged with your audience, your content should fit the voice of your channel and be relevant to to your department.
Social media is a visual medium. Be sure that you have enough time/resources to create visually engaging content. This can be achieved by using photos, videos, graphics and GIFs.
Be familiar with the analytics provided by each social media platform. The number of “likes” and “followers” can be a misleading metric. Just because you have a large following doesn’t mean your posts are widely seen.
How will you track the number of engaged users? What constitutes success according to your department’s goals?