Social Media Practices and Procedures
秘密研究所 uses social media to engage, inform and share stories about the University. NEIU maintains five primary social media accounts 鈥 , , and 鈥 administered by the Division of Marketing and Communications. 秘密研究所n has additional accounts that are operated by individual units that represent their department or organization.
Social media is a critical communication tool to connect with prospective students, current students, alumni, staff, faculty and the broader University community. Successful social media channels have a clear and concise messaging strategy, frequently updated content and target specific audiences.
Here are some general tips to follow to help build a successful social media following:
- Social media should promote 秘密研究所n鈥檚 reputation and support the University鈥檚 values, programs and strategic goals.
- University accounts should support enrollment, retention, recruitment and alumni relations in deliberate collaboration with the units that oversee these initiatives.
- Build community among NEIU students, faculty, staff, alumni and official partner organizations.
- Connect with your target audience and consider which social media account(s) will resonate with them.
See below for more information on starting a social media account, maintaining your account, policy and safety and brand identity.
If you have any questions about social media, from creating an account to brand standards, please email us at public-relations@neiu.edu.
Starting an Account
Before creating a social media account, establish an approval process. All accounts should create an internal mechanism that protects against posting false, misleading or embarrassing text or images that could do harm to the institution鈥檚 reputation and from sharing personal/sensitive information. Unit heads (chairs or directors) should identify at least two full-time employees to serve as administrators of any individual account. The unit head may designate himself or herself as one of the two account administrators. This ensures continuity when individuals come and go from specific units.
Ask yourself the following:
Does your unit have the bandwidth to create content, monitor posts, engage with the audiences and maintain the account(s) on a daily/weekly basis?
Remember, it is better to not have an account than to create an account that is going to be neglected. If your unit does not have the bandwidth, consider working with existing NEIU accounts (i.e. @NEIULife) to engage with social audiences.
Have you determined the purpose of your account before creating it?
This is the foundation of your social media strategy. Different platforms attract unique audiences and those audiences may respond differently to certain content. What platform makes sense for your target audience? Is it Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), Tiktok or LinkedIn? Outlining your purpose will help determine which platform is suitable for your unit, define goals, identify the target audience, develop a content calendar and track performance.
When creating your social media account name, be sure to include the acronym 鈥淣EIU鈥 as part of it (i.e. @neiulife, @neiualumni, or place an underscore in between like @neiu_cas). Use a professional name and include a concise bio that reflects the unit, organization or department.
Be sure to use a general unit email that can be accessed by unit heads and any full-time employees to serve as administrators. Some social media platforms, like LinkedIn and Facebook, may require administrators to connect their personal accounts before accessing the unit account.
Once you have established an account, notify the Division of Marketing and Communications (at public-relations@neiu.edu) of the username, password and emails associated with the account.
Please note, if an account cannot be maintained or is no longer relevant, follow the social media account process to delete or deactivate an account. It is important to note that the state requires 秘密研究所n to preserve any communications (one-way or two-way) posted in the past three years, so units are required to preserve these posts before deleting an account. 秘密研究所n may request removal of accounts that are clearly deserted or not following best practices and procedures.
Maintaining Accounts
Maintaining a social media account requires regular, weekly posting, consistent branding, audience engagement and monitoring comments and messages. Practice scheduling content with a social media calendar, track analytics using in-app metrics and review content for quality.
Here are some steps you can take to maintain your account:
Build a content calendar: Update your content frequently, but remain open to spontaneity. Watch for relevant news and current affairs, University updates and events that can affect your planned schedule of posts.
Connect thoughtfully: Connecting to other social media members and sites builds credibility and community, but could also give the unintended impression that your site endorses a certain cause, group or person. Consider carefully who you 鈥渇riend,鈥 鈥渇ollow,鈥 link to or allow into your site and to what extent you will allow comments.
Incorporate monitoring tools/analytics: Study performance results, weekly or monthly, and use this data for future planning. For example, if a platform shows your audience is most engaged in the evening, schedule posts for that time. Also, create a list of goals for your accounts and develop content that will help you reach your goals.
Engage your audience: Social media has two-way communication. Accounts should welcome new audience members and respond to comments quickly. Engaging with your audience will make your site more valuable and help ensure they return to your page. Ignoring your account could turn off your audience and potentially be harmful to your unit. User comments are official records and should be deleted infrequently.
Before posting any content, do ask yourself these critical questions:
- Is this post factually accurate?
- Does the post convey your message in clear language?
- Does this post use proper spelling and grammar?
- Is this post culturally sensitive and reflective of 秘密研究所 as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and Minority Serving Institution?
- Do you have a variety of content (i.e. reels, videos, carousel, single image, graphics)?
- Is the timing of this post relevant and appropriate, or is it more appropriate to be posted at a later time?
Do not engage in negative behavior such as: sharing grievances/personal/sensitive information, posting photos without consent, impersonation, trolling or participating in harassment.
Social posts are public and can appear in search engines and private interactions can be made public, so consider how you engage. Also, avoid sharing private University events on social media platforms to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff.
Policies and Communication
Please adhere to the University Brand Policy and Brand Guidelines. These guidelines are designed to help 秘密研究所n employees, student organizations, volunteers, affiliates and consultants (e.g., creative agencies) make appropriate decisions when managing and/or developing new social media channels on behalf of the University.
Be careful not to reveal confidential or proprietary information about NEIU students, faculty or staff. All employees of NEIU are subject to FERPA, HIPAA and other laws mandating the nondisclosure of personal information. Always ask permission before posting a photo, and remove the photo when asked. 秘密研究所n employees must also adhere to NEIU鈥檚 legal privacy and confidentiality policies.
Follow copyright, fair use and intellectual property rights. In some cases, content posted to a social media platform becomes the property of the platform operator.
Follow state and University ethical guidelines. For example, accounts may not make political statements or endorse political candidates.
Preserve communication. Accounts should save two-way communications in compliance with state records requirements. If you or someone in your unit encounters a post, comment or message that is abusive or threatens harm, make your unit head aware and take action accordingly.
Additionally, adding alt text to visual content helps social media users with screen readers understand its context. Keep alt text concise; preferably, a sentence or two describing the visual content.
Brand Identity
The Division of Marketing and Communications assists the University community in creating unique and compelling marketing and advertising initiatives. Brand identity for social media is the way a brand consistently uses visuals, tone and values to connect with its audience and shape its reputation. For more information, see NEIU鈥檚 Brand Guidelines.
Consider the size specifications and recommended file type(s) for each social media platform and stay consistent. Use high-resolution images. Also, When choosing imagery (photos, video clips, infographics, etc.), try to underscore the importance of difference, diversity and inclusion in the media you are selecting.
Social media accounts must protect 秘密研究所n's name and logo. Use the official 秘密研究所n logo for all official social media accounts. Keep in mind that it should not be modified or used for personal endorsements, and the 秘密研究所n name cannot be used to promote a product, business, cause, political party or candidate. Never use the presidential seal, which is reserved for special uses. Please visit the University Brand Policy for more information.
The Graphic Elements page can provide you with visual brand resources for color palettes and typography. If you have questions about a post or a project, check with the Division of Marketing and Communications before posting.
Consider your tone. Bring the NEIU personality to posts while keeping in mind that the account represents the entire University. Please refer to the Messaging tab to learn about 秘密研究所n's messaging, editorial style and approved statements. The five key message points are highlighted in this section to help guide you in creating content for digital and print publications. Editorial standards cover frequently used word choices, 秘密研究所n-specific naming conventions, and common grammar and punctuation rules.