Social Media Guidelines and Expectations
Indiana State University

Social Media focus on building awareness and relationships with audiences. The university's audiences are:

• Internal audiences (students, faculty, staff, trustees, emeriti)
• Prospective students
• Government
• Donors and alumni
• Corporations and business leaders
• Communities
• Parents and grandparents
• Philanthropic organizations

The latest figures indicate that well over 9 in 10 internet users now use social media each month, that equates to annualized growth of 10.1 percent, or an average of more than 13 new users in different platforms. Below is an interactive infographic that shows the real time data of the active social media users in different platforms.

Coupofy. (2022). Social Media in Real Time. Coupofy. Retrieved from http://www.coupofy.com/social-media-in-realtime/

Social Media Guidelines and Expectations

ISU's official accounts can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok. As part of the University's Social Media Guidelines and Expectations, departments and units are asked to complete the Social Media Account Registration Form prior to starting a social media account. If your department or unit already maintains a social media account, please fill out the form and provide the most recent information about your account(s) if you have not done so.

Before creating a new social media account for your unit, please review the social media guidelines and expectations. You should only create a social media account in the name of a recognized ISU entity if you are authorized to do so by your Vice President or Cabinet Member.

The guidelines and expectations apply to all university departments and offices using the Indiana State University name (variations include ISU, Indiana State, Indiana State U) in social media account administration in platforms including, but not limited to, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn. It is not intended to prohibit creative expression but to support, protect, and clarify. Public pages and direct messages are both subject to these guidelines and expectations. This does not apply to personal pages of employees of the institution.

Throughout this lesson, you will encounter Self-Check Questions like the one below. These will help you determine your ability to meet the stated objectives of the lesson. While this lesson mainly serves as a basic information to social media account managers, you might want to earn 80% of the possible points to solidify and demostrate the contents in this resource.

Image: "Social Media" by mohamed hassam in pxhere is under CC0 1.0

Institutional Social Media Use

In the administration of the account, ISU employees and units must comply with the following:

• Applicable federal requirements, including but not limited to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).
• University regulations, policies, and procedures which dictate appropriate and expected behavior. 
• University Communication in the Office of the President will provide members of the media and the public with university news (See Policy 915). University Communication will be the first to announce all university news. Social media administrators can then share the information from University Communication's social media platforms. 
• Indiana State University maintains trademarked and copyrighted word marks and logos. The logos can be used by a department or unit for official social media presence, but you must seek approval from University Marketing prior to use.
• University accounts must not post about or comment on political issues (See Policy 915).
• Personnel issues should not be discussed on social media.
• Respect copyright and intellectual property rights of other entities, artists, and organizations.
• University-owned computers, tablets, and devices are reserved for university-related business.
• Read, obey, and comply with the Terms of Service and community guidelines on all social media platforms, e.g. Facebook community standards. 
• Post only public information. Proprietary or confidential information, personal and/or private information about Indiana State University, staff, and students cannot be posted on social media.
• Posts should not include obscenity, copyright infringement, libel, and threats.
• Report inappropriate posts or accounts with university-related information to University Marketing and University Communication.
• Place this statement or a link to this statement on the social media account profile, bio, about section or other visible area:
• The university reserves the right to remove posts and comments from its official social media properties if they:
1. incite violence or otherwise discriminatory or harassing;
2. are obscene or defamatory;
3. are repeatedly irrelevant to the university;
4. are contradictory to University Policies.

Please complete the activity to gauge your understanding.

New Accounts

The maintenance of social media account(s) is time-consuming. It will need upkeep and frequent posts in order to grow a following and for it to be an effective means of communication for your department/unit. Before creating any account, think about the time and commitment you need to make in order to be successful.

• Please secure approval from your Vice President or Cabinet Member and submit the social media registration form before starting an account.
• Create a plan before starting the account. In this plan, you should think about who your audience is and what type of information you will be posting. Your objectives for starting an account, the audience you're trying to reach, and the type of content you wish to post all factor into your choice of social media platform. Also, your posting schedule and content type(s) will depend on the platform you choose.
• All new account administrators must acknowledge that they have read and will abide by Indiana State University's Social Media Guidelines and Expectations.
• The account should be created with the department's generic email address. If you need to obtain one, please submit a ticket through the Office of Information Technology. 
• All social media accounts affiliated with Indiana State University must be registered. Name and contact info of administrators and back up administrators must be provided.
• Please contact University Marketing prior to using the Indiana State University logo, seal, or other official marks in profile images.
• All social media administrators must attend a social media administrators meeting/workshop. These meetings/workshops are organized by University Communication.
• An account needs at least two administrators. One of the administrators should be a university staff or faculty member. If an administrator leaves, someone should take their place and a new password should be created for the account, and this new password shared with people involved. Only people managing the account should have access to the information.  
• If one of the account managers is a student, it is highly recommended that the posts be approved by a university staff member prior to posting the content. The university department/organization is responsible for all of their accounts' posts.
• Social media administrators are responsible for monitoring and regularly updating the social media account you manage.
• Social posts should align with overall university messaging and campus aesthetic. Use up-to-date hashtags and images.

Some more tips:

• Use "Indiana State U," "IndState," or "Indiana State University" with your unit's name when naming accounts. For example, @IndStateCriminology or for Facebook: Indiana State University Criminology. Using this naming structure will make platform search easier.
• Put Indiana State in the bio of your social media accounts. It can be as simple as, "Indiana State University Football," or, "Residential Life at Indiana State University." If possible, tag Terre Haute, Indiana as your location. 

Click on the icon below for a quick quiz on New Accounts.

Social Media Registration Form

Social Media Registration Form

All social media accounts (new or old) affiliated with Indiana State University must be registered using the form above. As part of the registration process, it is required that you provide the name, phone number and email address for the account manager and a backup manager(s), as well as account information.

Moderating Accounts

Any public post with comments enabled is susceptible to positive or negative comments. Your response or lack of response is also just as public. While not all comments require a response, your attention and response to legitimate and relevant comments are important to people who engage with your site. Plus, comments add to the level of engagement on your account.  Maintain positivity in your responses and avoid negative engagement. Try to resolve the issue quickly, in a few responses, and in a private manner, if possible.

Do not delete comments as a way of resolving the issue. However, comments that 

1. incite violence or otherwise discriminatory or harassing;
2. are obscene or defamatory;
3. are repeatedly irrelevant to the university;
4. are contradictory to University Policies, 

may be hidden or deleted and that account may be blocked. If you believe a comment is in violation and should be deleted, contact University Marketing and University Communication before any action is taken. Deleted posts must be documented and a copy maintained.

Inactive Accounts

Inactive accounts reflect poorly on the university. It can also be confusing if a department or organization has both active and inactive accounts. When people are searching for you on social media, they may only find the inactive account(s).

If an account is dormant after six months, the university can delete the account. If you no longer intend to update your account/site, please unpublish or delete it, and notify University Marketing and University Communication.

Advertising on Social Media

If you are interested in boosting posts or using your social channels for advertising purposes, please contact University Marketing or University Communication to be sure you are using institutional dollars in the most efficient way to reach your goals.

Photography, Videography, Music, and Livestreaming

Secure proper permissions before using photos, videos, and music with your posts. 

When taking photos and videos at events, identify who you are and inform your subjects that you are taking the images for social media. Respect requests from anyone who does not want to be a part of the video or photo.

Signed model releases are encouraged and recommended for any image or video in which a person can be recognized and identified. For images captured in public places or at public events where there is a reasonable expectation of being photographed or filmed, model releases are generally not required. However, best practice is to advise those who may be included on the image or video to see if they have any objections, and to adhere to the subject's wishes.

 Examples of instances when model releases are required include:

• When the image or video will be used to market or endorse a program, product or institution.
• Events/activities that include minors. For visiting classes, signed releases can often be acquired before the visit.
• Images or videos of potentially sensitive topics such as therapy sessions, counseling services or financial aid.

Remember to preserve the integrity of the photo assets. Avoid altering images to change the meaning or message of an image.

Livestreamed events should be well-planned and rehearsed in advance. Administrators should identify potential issues that might occur during livestream. Keep in mind technical and accessibility issues, and that "anything can happen" because it's streaming live.

It's time again to check your understanding!

Image: "Social Media" by jmexclusives is under Pixabay for free usage of image
Image: "Photographer in Normal Hall" is courtesy of ISU, photographed by Tony Campbell

General Advice for Social Media Use

General advice for social media use:

• Ask yourself: If this posting were on the front page of the New York Times, how would you feel?
• Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation in your posts. Check for mistakes and typos before and after publication.
• Promote your department's social media account by talking about it at events you host, or linking it to your website. Put your account usernames and/or handles on your email signatures, print materials, etc.
• Have your Indiana State social media accounts follow other Indiana State affiliated accounts. You can retweet another account's tweet or share their Facebook post. This will give the post a bigger audience. If your account makes an effort to help other university accounts, they will do the same for you.   
• When posting on behalf of the university, or even posting about the university on your personal account(s), think about current university social media campaigns and what could apply to your post. Tailor your posts to relevant hashtags (example: #IndState, #SycamoreStrong) or taglines so your account is in sync with other campus outlets and your posts will have more reach. 

Here are some more points to keep in mind for social media use:

• Be respectful of fans, followers, and those you engage with online. Use discretion regarding the use of public forums versus direct messages.
• Be aware that as a member of the community, people may judge your work and the university by what you say.
• The internet is not private. What is posted online never goes away completely and may receive negative and positive reactions. Be careful what you post!
• It is hard to read tone on the internet so be careful how you convey yourself and the institution. Sarcasm can be difficult to detect. It is best to keep the content professional and free of any sarcastic tones or words that could be conveyed as rude or offensive. 

Let's see what you take away from this section.

Image: "Internet Networking Marketing Social Media" is by Max Pixel under CC0 1.0

Non-Compliance

Failure to comply with these guidelines and expectations will result in:

• Social media posts or accounts being deleted.
• Revocation of rights to use university-related social media.
• Disciplinary actions and sanctions according to university policies.

Here is the quick quiz question! 

Image: "Sign" by Manuchi is under Pixabay for free usage of image

Accessibility Guides

If something's accessible, it means that it was designed and developed so that people with disabilities can also use it. Your social posts must be accessible to ensure that posts are inclusive to all individuals. Keeping social media accessible means recognizing exclusion, learning from your followers, and presenting information in the clearest ways possible.

For accessibility reasons, posted photos should include either a caption or alt-text. If the post is a video, closed captioning must be available. Text-to-speech software reads all elements of a web page or social media post – including emojis. Avoid long strings of emojis, or alternating each word with an emoji, to make the experience more accessible to people with visual impairments.

Here are some tips to ensure that your social media posts are accessible for people with disabilities:

1. If it is a photo:
• It needs to be a plain image with no text on it.
• Alternate (alt) text needs to be added for the image if the platform supports it, or an image description should be included at the end of the post if the platform does not support alt text.
2. If it is a video:
• It needs to have accurate captions.
• Anything important going on the screen needs to be talked about out loud.
3. If it is text:
• It needs to be free of acronyms, jargons and abbreviations.
• It needs to save any mentions and hashtags for the end of the post.
• The hashtags should be camel cased, #LikeThisExample.
• It should use emojis sparingly, if at all.

It is important to follow the accessibility guildelines in different social media platforms. Here are some links for accessibility guide provided for some social media platforms:

• Twitter Accessibility Guide
• Facebook Accessibility Guide (Photo)
• Facebook Accessibility Guide (Video)
• LinkedIn Accessibility Guide (Photo)
• LinkedIn Accessibility Guide (Video)
• Instagram Accessibility Guide
• YouTube Automatic Captioning
• YouTube Manual Subtitles and Closed Captions

Here is the next quiz to check your understanding.

Image: "Accessible Communication" by Giulia Forsythe is under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Resources and Contacts

Below are the resources with links and contact informations that might be useful while creating social media contents or to get information.

• University Communication: Here is the phone number and email adderss to contact the University Communication:
• Email: isu-universitycommun@indstate.edu
• Phone: 812-237-8764
• University Marketing: Here is also the email address and phone number for marketing if you need to contact them:
• Email: isu-marketing@mail.indstate.edu
• Phone: (812) 237-3773
• University photo collection
• Social Media Registration Form
• Indiana State University Brand Guidelines

Here is a final activity where you will have to distinguish the correct form of social media posts, announcements, events, achievements, and news. Also keep in mind if the posts are accessible or not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some frequently asked questions by the social media managers.

How many people are on social media?

As of April 2020, a total of 3.81 billion people around the world use social media, putting the worldwide social media penetration rate at 49%.

What does it take to run a social media account?

The resources needed to run a social media account consist of time for planning, posting and monitoring as well as a continuous flow of content. It could take 1-2 hours per day to manage an engaging social media platform.

Can I post the same content on all platforms?

Content applicable to one platform may not be best for another. When determining contents, think about the platform's requirements, your goals, and your audiences. In general, keep the best, most polished editorial content for Facebook. Share quick snippets of information and news on Twitter. Fun and engaging photos and short video should be shared on Instagram. Keep long form video to YouTube.

Do I need to have a presence on all social media platforms?

It is not necessary to create a social profile on every platform. Assess the target audience you are trying to reach and the type of messages you are trying to send to discover which platform works best to achieve your social media goals. 

How will I know if what I'm doing on social media is working?

Successful social media posts perform well, meaning they receive a high number of likes, shares and comments. Analytics are available natively through each social media platforms.

Conclusion

Social media guidelines lay down some rules for the accounts associated with Indiana State University. Done right, guidelines can empower the university social media managers with the information they need to make the right choices on social media platforms for the University. It can even turn students, faculty and staff into invaluable ambassadors for Indiana State University. Hopefully, the social media guidelines and expectations provided you with the tools you needed to engage positively, respectfully, and inclusively in different social media platforms.

Below is the link to all Social Media Accounts that are currently known and active on campus. This database contains the type of platform, account name, the link to the account and the account handle or tag. You will have access to this file only if you open through your Indiana State account.

If your department or organization account is not listed in the database even after you have registered for the the account, then please email University Communication (isu-universitycommun@indstate.edu) regarding it.

That's it for now!

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