Downloadable VPA Social Media Guidelines PDF 136KB
The College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Office of Communications has created a set of guidelines for those who are involved in the creation and maintenance of social media accounts associated with VPA. If you have any questions about the guidelines below, please contact Erica Blust at esblust@syr.edu.
The Guidelines
While we understand that rules that govern social media are its antithesis, this document is a means of sharing core brand and social media guidance for those involved in creating/maintaining social media accounts associated with VPA and its schools, departments, programs, classes, and clubs/groups (sanctioned or otherwise).
These are guiding principles for the activities of the college.
VPA’s Social Media Statement
VPA embraces the use of social media. Social media provides a valuable tool for developing and maintaining relationships with students, alumni, donors, parents, and the global community. Social media affords VPA a forum to engage in discussions and share insights, news, and experiences. We value the two-way conversation and welcome this opportunity to receive feedback.
Remember that the goals of VPA social media should correlate with our mission, vision, and values and:
- Establish/maintain the “vibrancy of VPA”–a place and community of people who create a brand together that’s bigger than each maintain independently
- Engage prospective students
- Establish relationships with incoming students
- Maintain relationships with current students, alumni, and friends/donors
- Share news and promote events (exhibitions, lectures, performances, etc.)
- Share exciting and unique content
- Reach a wider, more diverse audience
- Learn about the target community and its needs/interests
- Educate the public about the overall awesomeness of VPA
Both in professional and institutional roles, VPA employees and students should follow the same behavioral standards online as they would in real life. The same ethics, laws, professional expectations, and guidelines for interacting with each other, students, parents, alumni, donors, media, and other University constituents apply online as in the real world.
General Guidelines
Starting Something New
If your area/class/group within VPA would like to use social media, first consider whether or not it is the right channel to accomplish your goals. If it is, check to make sure your area/class/group doesn’t already have an existing account that you can use. Once you have an account, be familiar with these guidelines to minimize any potential inconsistencies/degradation to our brand values. It is our hope that all VPA social media sites:
- have a particular goal/mission
- have a particular audience in mind
- have a strategy for keeping information up-to-date and a process to ensure ongoing activity
- have a process for measuring success
- have cover/profile imagery/icons that are aligned with the VPA brand*
So that all accounts either maintain relevance and timeliness or are closed, it is suggested that all accounts have no less than two administrators. If students create and/or assume responsibility for accounts, there should be several students from different years listed as administrators and/or a faculty/staff administrator.
Any outgoing administrator should be replaced by another who will succeed the remaining administrators so there is consistency in the maintenance of the account.
If and when any account becomes inappropriate, irrelevant and/or unkempt, VPA will take actions to remove the account to avoid irreparable damage to the college/brand.
*To obtain branded profile images for your account, contact Erica Blust, esblust@syr.edu.
Handling Negative Posts
When you’ve developed a vibrant social media community, it’s inevitable that you’ll get some negative posts. Most of these posts, handled well, create an opportunity to strengthen your community by solving a problem or generating a good discussion. Some may require a team response. Here’s an overview of what to do.