1.
Social Media Best
Practices
Allie Morse ‘10
Digital Content and Social Media Specialist
Office of Communications

2.
Social Media Best Practices
 Overview of social media at Brandeis
 Facebook
 Twitter
 Instagram
 Emerging social channels
 Overall tips and strategy

3.
Brandeis University Channels
facebook.com/brandeisuniversity
twitter.com/brandeisu
instagram.com/brandeisuniversity
youtube.com/brandeisuniversity

4.
No matter the platform…
 Social media is not about the platform, it’s about the people
 Audience first, content second, distribution third
 Pictures speak louder than words
 Playing in someone else’s sandbox
 Rapidly changing

5.
From a student’s perspective
 More email than ever
 Less likely to check email than ever
 Inundated with messages everywhere they look
 How do we break through the noise?

6.
Social Media Ambassadors
 7 student leaders
 Sounding board
 Keeps content fresh,
relevant and authentic
 Generate content
 Instagram takeover

7.
Hashtags & Competitions
 #Brandeis
 #Brandeisbound
 Check in with me!
 Success of competitions
varies dramatically
 Hashtags -> Storify

8.
Storify
• Collects public posts into
one shareable piece of
content
• Tangible results to hashtag
campaigns
• Contact me!

9.
You represent Brandeis
• Be professional
• Your Brandeis account is
not a personal account
• Think and proofread
before you tweet/post

10.
What is Facebook?
• Originally designed for and
by college students
• More than 1 billion users
• Longer form conversations
• Pages and groups
• “I’ve heard millennials are
abandoning Facebook,
should I?”

11.
Why post?
 57% of 18-33 year olds use Facebook to coordinate social
plans
 62% of 18-33 year olds post about what they’re doing, where
they are and who they’re with
 FOMO strong on Facebook
 Students have indicated that they appreciate relevant info –
ask your audience!

12.
Don’t be noise
 Post at least 3 – 5 times a week IF you have content
 Pictures generate interaction, links drive traffic
 Content does not need to be written by your team or
Brandeis communications – look for the unique!
 Student workers are goldmines

13.
Brandeis Classical Studies Community

14.
New Challenges
 Ever-changing algorithm
 Boosting posts and ad sets

15.
Hacking your own “boost”
 Know your insights & audience behavior
 Boost content that is already likely to get many views
 Engage your audience in fun, low commitment ways
 Social media doesn’t exist solely online
 Make every interaction count!

16.
Tips and Tricks
 Schedule posts
 Save drafts
 Change the headline,
teaser and photo
 Facebook debugger

17.
What is Twitter?
 Digital watercooler
 140 characters
 Fast-paced
 Clients and tools

18.
Why tweet?
• 74% of users are between 15-25
• Customer service and conversation
• Our students are there and expect us to be as well
• Prospective students

19.
Effective Presence
• Clear goal and strategy
• Tweet frequently, but not too much
• Content geared toward Twitter – punchy, images
• Monitor and respond promptly
• Drive audience back to your website

20.
Thinking about timing
• Spacing
• Who and where is your audience?
• 1AM in Boston is noon in New Delhi
• Weekends and big events

21.
Source: Followerwonk.com

22.
Source: Followerwonk.com

23.
Community
• LISTEN and show respect
• #Brandeis
• Lists
• Not island of lost events
• Think about Waltham

24.
Syntax
 Don’t start a post with @____, acts as a reply
 Better: .@BrandeisU is awesome!
 Catchy and brief
 Images! 480x240
 Build community & give nods

25.
Instagram

26.
What is Instagram?
 Photo blogging app
 Hashtags are king
 More than half of all
American Millennials are on
Instagram
 Authentic, real content
 Send me your photos!

27.
Instagram Takeovers
 Week 3 of Instagram takeover by Social Media
Ambassadors
 Gives our audience what they want
 Students for the summer

28.
Other platforms
 Youtube
 Pinterest
 Tumblr

29.
Emerging platforms
 Tide is shifting from
bullhorn to peer to peer
 Snapchat
 Meerkat
 YikYak

30.
Measurement
 Likes aren’t everything
 Better to have 100 engaged followers than 1000 bots
 Know what is effective
 Native tracking applications
 3rd party programs: Google Docs, Bit.ly, HootSuite

31.
Emergencies, Controversies,
Complaints
• Emergency language comes from Communications
• Does this situation need a RT?
• Address strong complaints “offline” in a DM
• When in doubt, ask Communications.

32.
Be human
• Sense of humor
• Responsive to audience’s
interests

33.
Questions?
amorse@brandeis.edu
@allieemorse