June 2011
See below for the inaugural issue of Social Media News, a monthly update from the New Media Initiatives Group at St. Thomas. Social media administrators of St. Thomas-affiliated social media sites will receive an update as new issues are posted online. This hopefully is the beginning of a dialogue about online, mobile and other electronic initiatives happening across campus. The New Media Initiatives Group will share ideas and offer best practices. We hope that social media administrators will reciprocate by sending us methods and solutions for engaging St. Thomas constituents in new ways. All ideas and feedback can be e-mailed to the New Media Group.
This month's topics
Facebook Update
Ok. So you no longer "become a fan of UST" on Facebook, you "Like us" now. And why does everyone keep telling you that a group is better than a fan page? Our next issue will include more information on this topic, including a look at the important differences between groups and pages and why one might be better for you. Please send an e-mail message to the New Media Group with any specific questions you may have in the meantime.
Those of you using groups in Facebook may have noticed recently that you've been asked to upgrade to the new group format. The old-style Facebook groups soon will be archived. Click here for an article that clearly explains the process.
Unfortunately, not all groups will be given the opportunity to easily upgrade to the new format. Groups that are too small or not very active will only be archived. In this case, you will need to create a new group and ask your members to join the new group. Once you're ready for members to migrate, post a message in the old group and ask them to make the switch. Read more online about the process.
For those of you who have already upgraded or have created new groups and migrated members, please let us know how the process went for you. We'd like to share tips and tricks on new Facebook groups in the next issue.
Branding
If you’ve ever tried to search for a St. Thomas site on Facebook or Twitter, you know how it can be a challenge. Imagine how difficult it can be for alumni, friends, community members and prospective students to find us.
As you know, consistent branding and especially imaging is critical to advancing the university’s message, and that starts with the basics: your page name and icon.
Consider the following in your own work:
- Naming: When initiating a social media site, this element is the most crucial, considering that web searches will use the site's name. Consider using "University of St. Thomas" or "UST" (i.e. "UST School of Law").
- Images: The UST-branded purple icon is available for you to use and is already sized properly. Using this icon will tie you immediately into the university presence with your users.
- Design assistance: If you’d prefer using a custom icon, keep in mind how to represent the university appropriately, as well as the resolution size. While the NMIG doesn't have the resources to create icons, we can offer feedback on your design. In a future issue of Social Media News, we will offer instructions on how to easily customize your icon while maintaining the integrity of the St. Thomas brand.
- Tone: Please remember to represent St. Thomas in tone as well as image. The school’s mission calls for integrity, compassion and thoughtful communication. The world of social media calls for humor and casual interaction, but do your best to represent St. Thomas online as you would in any public forum.
Don't Miss Clip
(Each month we’ll include something for the afternoon coffee break. Send us recommendations!)
A New York-based improv company brings us our first clip. Click below to view "Gotta Share: The Musical," which combines a (pre-approved) flash mob with social media commentary. Enjoy!