The information on this page is intended for all members of the Worcester State community, including students, faculty, staff, and alumni. This information is broken down into general best practices and best practices specific to social media managers and professional use.
If you have any questions, please contact Mary Leufstedt, Staff Associate of Web & Digital Communications, at mleufstedt@worcester.edu.
Engage with others online with the same respect you would show to classmates, colleagues, and campus members in person. It is important to remain constructive and respectful, even when discussing negative experiences or disagreements. Remember that your online presence reflects on the university, so present your opinions thoughtfully.
Be on the lookout for “phishers.” Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails or messages pretending to be from reputable sources in order to gain personal information, such as passwords. Monitor your social media carefully to ensure you quickly notice if an unauthorized party gains access. Report all “phishing” activity to the university’s IT department.
Additionally, practice caution when sharing links to virtual meetings. Rather than posting meeting links publicly, send them through private emails or messages. This will prevent unauthorized parties from attending meetings.
You are personally responsible for the content you share online. Be mindful that everything you post is public, will exist on the internet for a long time, and may be redistributed.
Additionally, think before you post. Do not post anything until you have fully thought through the post’s content. When acting on viral social media trends or redistributing/creating memes, think carefully about which trends you choose to participate in. Think through any negative connotations that may be tied to the meme or trend at hand—again, you are representing Worcester State University in this online environment.
Remember, there is no such thing as a “private” social media account, and anything can be saved, forwarded, and “follow you” personally and professionally.
Worcester State students, employees, faculty, and representatives who post on behalf of the university must be mindful when using official accounts. This includes interactions such as liking, sharing, commenting, and engaging on posts, as well as following other accounts using university-affiliated profiles. Keep the university’s reputation top of mind.
Gain a clear understanding of each social media platform, how it is best used, and who your audience is on each. Your audience will likely not be active on all platforms, so focus your efforts on where you will most likely reach them.
When posting to multiple platforms, tailor your content to fit each. Do not just cross-post. Instead, be intentional about the content you post on each platform. Follow each platform’s best practices and stay consistent with the Worcester State brand’s tone and style throughout.
Consider your message, audience, strategy, and goals when creating content. Using a content calendar can help you organize posts and collaborate as a team to create high-quality content that aids in reaching your goals. For more guidance around creating a social media content calendar, visit our article, “How to Create a Social Media Content Calendar.”
Evaluate page analytics and metrics to optimize your content and performance. This will help you to refine your strategy and better understand your audience’s preferences and behaviors. For more information on how to evaluate your performance on social media, visit our article, “Guide to Measuring Social Media Success.”
Don’t leave the “social” out of your social media. By responding to comments and following up on messages, you are engaging your audience and making your page more valuable to them.
With this, include a plan for responding to negative comments or interactions. If you find communication becomes antagonistic, deals with sensitive topics, or casts Worcester State in a negative light, reach out to the Communications and Marketing Office. If audience members continually break rules or post spam, consider blocking them. Remember that you are not obligated to respond to all comments, especially those that may be harmful. The Communications and Marketing Office is here to help with creating the best plan of action for responding to these.
When sharing content in a public forum, negative and harmful comments may be received. These comments are expected to be handled with care and with a thoughtful response. Always err on the side of caution.
When responding to negative messages, always try to:
When reacting in a crisis, always wait for the official go-ahead before posting sensitive or critical information, and follow the lead of the Communications and Marketing Office.
When an audience member directs a question towards your account, it is expected that your response time should be reasonably prompt. While you are not required to monitor your account 24/7, you should be monitoring and responding promptly during operating hours. During periods when the university is closed or over the weekends, the account manager should make time to quickly check on the social channel(s) and make sure there is nothing that needs immediate action or attention. General questions outside of operating hours can wait to be answered, but emergency situations should be passed along to university leadership and the Communications and Marketing Office.
Gather the correct information about programs and events before you post. When quoting sources, cite and link back whenever possible. If you make a mistake, correct it as quickly as possible. Additionally, always double-check for accuracy with grammar and spelling. Utilizing a resource like Grammarly or QuillBot can aid in the proofing process.
Contribute valuable insights and discussions aimed at creating an open conversation with your audience. Serve as a thought leader on sites by sharing valuable information that your audience is looking for. Do not dominate conversations or self-promote.
We do not permit sharing content that does not align with Worcester State’s mission and do not permit selling products or promoting for-profit ventures on university-affiliated accounts, unless it is part of official university business. If the sale of products or services is found to not be approved by the university, you will be asked to take this down. Repeated violation of this and other social media policies may result in termination of your account.
