presents

SOCIAL MEDIA

NEWSLETTER

July 2024

INTRODUCTION

And just like that, the middle of 2024 is here! So far this summer, along with frequent trips to ​my neighborhood pool and eating a copious amount of ice pops with my kiddos, my days ​have been about planning for the fall semester and revisiting my yearly goals to ensure I'm ​on track for the next six months.

Recently, I had a collaborative meeting with a new-ish communicator at VCU. They were ​seeking guidance on incorporating the UNCOMMON brand into their fall semester strategy. ​Over some delicious coffee from our team’s espresso machine, we bonded over our shared ​love of memes and home decor reels and discussed a wide range of topics, including their ​ideas on making the best impact in their new role.

By the end of our conversation, I had gained a deeper understanding of the needs and ​perspectives of their role as a VCU communications professional, they received the resources ​and motivational pep talk they needed, and we both created a new connection infused with ​collaboration and support.

Inspired by this meeting, I want to extend this spirit of collaboration to all of you. Starting this ​month, I will be holding in-person and virtual office hours twice a week to offer creative pep ​talks and personalized support. These sessions are designed to help you stay inspired, refine ​your UNCOMMON strategy and achieve your goals over the next six months and beyond!

Let's come together over a cup of coffee or tea, ​share our ideas, work through challenges and make ​the fall semester our most impactful yet. I’m excited ​to connect with you 1:1 and support your journey as ​we continue to elevate our work at VCU!

Kenda Boone

Director of Social Media Storytelling

Enterprise Marketing & Communications, VCU

Any suggestions for someone who wants to share ​their event on social media, are there any guidelines ​someone would need to follow?

Promoting events on social media can be highly effective, but it's ​important to do it thoughtfully to maximize engagement and ​adhere to any platform guidelines. Here are some general ​guidelines and suggestions:

Craft engaging posts with eye-catching visuals, compelling copy and clear calls-to-​action. Use high-quality images or videos to grab attention in the crowded social ​media feeds. Try not to put too many words on graphics, keep words limited to the ​utmost MOST important information and share a link with the caption for people to ​get more information or register. Do NOT use QR codes on social media graphics, ​they should only be used on flyers, presentations, etc., where people can pull out ​their phones to capture the QR code to lead to more information.

Identify which social media platforms your target audience is most active on and focus your efforts there. ​Different platforms have different demographics and strengths, so tailor your content accordingly.

Utilize relevant and trending hashtags to increase the discoverability of your event posts. However, avoid ​overusing hashtags, which can make your posts look spammy.

Respond promptly to comments, messages and mentions related to your event. Engaging with your audience ​helps foster a sense of community and encourages participation.

Build anticipation by sharing teasers and behind-the-scenes glimpses of your event preparation. This can ​generate excitement and intrigue among your followers.

Encourage attendees to share their experiences using a branded event hashtag. Repost user-generated content ​to showcase social proof and extend the reach of your event.

Clearly communicate important details such as date, time, location, ticket prices, speakers, agenda and any ​special guests or performers. Make it easy for people to find all the information they need to attend or ​participate.

Start promoting your event well in advance to build momentum and give people enough time to plan to attend. ​Create a content calendar with a mix of promotional posts, countdowns, reminders and last-minute updates.

Familiarize yourself with the advertising policies and community guidelines of each social media platform you ​use. Ensure that your content complies with these rules to avoid any issues or penalties.

Use analytics tools provided by social media platforms to track the performance of your event posts. Monitor ​metrics such as reach, engagement, click-through rates and ticket sales to evaluate the effectiveness of your ​promotional efforts and make adjustments as needed.

CONTENT TIPS & TRENDS

We hope your summer is off to a great start! Last month, we shared some content ideas that you ​could tackle this summer. This month, we’re giving you a sneak peek of the summer content that we ​plan to publish on VCU’s accounts. We hope these will spark some inspiration and be helpful in ​planning your own content! - Loan Nguyen & Jaleelah Harris

LET’s TALK DESIGN

Summer is flying by and the August deadline for brand compliance is growing closer and closer! I wanted to ​share all of the resources that have been going out each month in one place so that you can access, ​familiarize and use all the tools at your disposal to get your graphics in line with VCU’s brand guidelines. As ​always, if you have questions, concerns, or need any help reach out at identity@vcu.edu. - Abby Giuseppe

Helpful links

Social Media Guidelines

Model release form & terms

Social Media Branding page

Social Media Acceptable Use Policy

CONTENT HIGHLIGHT

• No, your student intern should not be an admin, aka a manager of your social media accounts. However, they may help you create and post content. Only full-time employees should be registered admins. Update admins here.
  

How do I make sure my social media posts are accessible?

• Take the VCU social media accessibility training via Talent@VCU to learn tips for each platform.
  

What are the first things I should do when a social media admin leaves or changes?

• Change the passwords to your accounts and put in a ticket to Jira to update admin contacts for your social media channels.
  

Missed a monthly meeting or newsletter?

• Check out our social admin Google Drive here or our monthly newsletters here.
  

UNCOMMON branding update:

• Reminder that starting in August 2024, any content that does not meet brand standards will not be shared or reposted to the main VCU accounts. Check out the brand website to log in and download logos, letterheads, templates, social frames and more. For branding help, fill out the form here.
  

Join the VCU Social Media Admin group on Facebook!

Visit our website!

Official VCU Social Media:

President Rao’s Social Media: