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Kansas State University
128 Dole Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
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media@k-state.edu

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K-STATE SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES

 

Getting started:

 

In summer 2009, Donalyn Rhodes, publication services, and Cheryl May, communications and marketing, were talking about social media, and wondering if communicators and designers from the Kansas State University community might want to come together to develop some suggestions for making more effective use of these new media opportunities. 

They did! More than 45 people participated in the summer project. Many served on subcommittees to develop suggested guidelines for Facebook, Twitter, blogs and more. The intent was not to be restrictive, but to assist those new to social media. Donalyn designed backgrounds K-Staters can use for Twitter, (backgrounds available to K-State offices from media@k-state.edu) avatars for Twitter and Facebook, and a background for YouTube. Subcommittee chairs were Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, publications services, Twitter; Susan Berhow, KSU Foundation, blogs; Elaine Edwards, College of Agriculture Department of Communications, branding; Cheryl May, communications and marketing, YouTube; and Sharon Morrow, publications services, Facebook. Sharon also edited all the guidelines for us. Advisers were anthropologist Michael Wesch, the 2008 national CASE/Carnegie Professor of the Year; and Noel Schulz, K-State's first lady and Paslay professor of electrical and computer engineering.

This project proved that campus communicators are not only happy to work together cooperatively to coordinate the look of Web sites and social media at K-State, but also eager to do so. This should be good news for those of us looking forward to integrated marketing initiatives coming with the hiring of our new vice president for communications and marketing.

Here are the suggested guidelines for official K-State social media accounts:

Blogs
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Branding - style ideas

 

Suggested guidelines and best practices for social media at K-State

 

• Add and update photos constantly. Post some of students, campus and Manhattan. Albums provide future students an idea of what they'll experience on campus. 
• Post updates at least twice a week, but don't overdo it. Although Twitter users post throughout the day, many Facebook users do not. However, post enough to let users know you care enough about. Too many updates might annoy users here. 
• Post a general e-mail address and phone number when providing contact information. For example, do not list a direct line for an individual in the office.
• Ask questions in your updates. For example: What's your favorite thing about Manhattan? This will create interaction among the community, and it's easy maintenance for you as much of the content is created among users.
• Invite fans to take photos and video of themselves and send to you for posting -- think of unusual ideas. Alumni is asking people to submit photos of themselves in the "K-S-U" pose. Invite fans to submit photos and video from tailgating, campus events, graduation and then post them.

• Delete profanity to avoid offending our users.

• Respond to any negative comments about K-State and provide accurate information about our university.

• Help users out. Are they having trouble contacting an office? Find a phone number. Is someone wondering when K-State plays KU in basketball? Find the date for them, and post this information publicly.
• Create "boxes" that feature different programs, events at K-State.
• Incorporate news feeds. This is an effortless way to keep content dynamic.
• Utilize reciprocal links to other social networking presence(s) and home pages.
• Create K-State flair just in general and also for specific events, clubs, organizations, etc.

 

These K-Staters participated in this volunteer effort

 

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson
Susan Berhow
Natalie Blair
Tami Breymeyer
Dena Bunnel
Rob Caffey
Lynn Carlin
Trevor Davis
Dan Donnert
Elaine Edwards
Donna Ekart
Carolyn Elliott
Brett Foltz
Stephanie Gorges
Morgan Hanson
Phil Harner
Suzy Hay
Dalton Henry
Kristin Hodges
Susan Jagerson
Shaun Kirmer
Benjamin Kohl
Kenny Lannou
Kelly Law
Julie Lea
Emily Lehning
Steve Logback
Jane Marshall
Cheryl May
David Mayes
Jenny McCraw Dale
Sharon Morrow
Michael Oetken
Jennyfer Owensby
Donalyn Rhodes
Kevin Roberts
Noel Schulz
Melinda Sinn
Dave Smoller
Joni Smoller
Gerry Snyder
Alejandro Sune
Laura Tietjen
Rosanna Vail
Michael Wesch
Nancy Zimmerli-Cates

 

Related links

 

Database of social media policies
Federal guidelines for secure use of social media by federal departments and agencies (PDF)
State of Utah social media guidelines for Utah public employees and state officials (PDF)
Social media monitoring and measurement tools
50 best branding ideas for colleges and universities from University Business
Why what's in your Twitter profile matters
How to measure social media payoff

 

Published by K-State Communications and Marketing; compiled by members of the volunteer social media work group, summer 2009