An effective social media presence requires careful planning. A successful account takes time to maintain and requires staff resources to develop engaging content. Inactive social media is confusing to audiences and reflects poorly on the university.
What are your goals? What results do you hope to achieve?
Who is the audience? What group(s) of people do you hope to reach?
What social network(s) is that audience using?
How will you measure success?
How does social media fit into your existing communications strategy?
Are there any similar existing accounts or larger umbrella accounts
Can you use an existing account with a built-in following to reach your audience?
Do you have unique, engaging, shareable content?
Who will manage the account(s)?
How often will you be able to post?
The Augusta University social media team in the Communications & Marketing reserves the right to monitor all content and remove file(s) that violate university policies and/or U.S. law. Augusta University social media channels or affiliate accounts cannot be used for political campaigning, personal private gain, or activities that violate U.S. law or university policies.
In the process of normal day-to-day university activities, Augusta University collects large amounts of personal data on its students, faculty, and staff. Much of this data is not sensitive, and is in fact publicly available. However, some of it is sensitive, including personal, financial, and legal information. Sensitive data include information protected by state and federal law, as well as that protected by the university. If you have questions regarding social media and releasing sensitive information or data, visit our Data Collection page.
All Augusta University logos cannot be modified or used for personal endorsements, and the trademarked Augusta University name cannot be used to promote a product, business, cause, political party or candidate.
Our Brand Guidelines and Brand Usage define the aspects of our communications and marketing standards, as well as how we desire to use everything from typefaces, photography and videography, editorial guidelines, and web and e-communications.
All of your posts, comments and actions on social networks have the ability to affect the reputation of the university as well as other individuals affiliated with AU.
Write for your audiences, but know your posts can reach anyone and may be misinterpreted or may show up outside of their original context. Messages should be tailored for each channel; not all messages belong on all channels.
While student interns can be tremendous collaborators on social media initiatives, they should not be the “owners” of Augusta University-branded social media accounts or profiles. Such profiles should be owned and maintained by staff and/or faculty as appropriate.
Comments are an important part of social networking services. Do not delete comments simply because you disagree with the commenter’s point of view or because the commenter has reacted negatively. On the other hand, you should monitor social accounts or profiles for which you are responsible and report or delete comments that expose the private data of others, contain commercial solicitations, are factually erroneous/libelous, are off-topic, are threatening or abusive, or are obscene. If you encounter threatening comments on a post, please contact Communications and Marketing or Public Safety.
Units are strongly discouraged from advertising on websites that host offensive content or promote hatred, intolerance, discrimination, or violence. It is your unit’s responsibility to manage and exclude websites and domains with inappropriate content. Examples of inappropriate or offensive content include, but are not limited to: bullying or intimidation of an individual or group, racial or sexual discrimination or stereotyping, hate group paraphernalia, graphic crime scene or accident images, cruelty to animals, murder, self-harm, extortion or blackmail, and/or ads using profane language.
The guidelines for personal use of social media are not intended to and do not limit your right to engage in protected concerted activities related to terms and conditions of employment.
If you identify your affiliation with Augusta University in your profile or comments, other users will naturally associate you with the university. You should always think before you post, be civil to others and their opinions and not post personal information about others unless you have their permission. Your behavior should be consistent with the Information Security, Intellectual Property, and Privacy Policies of the university.
