Social Media Best Practices
Managing a social media presence is an awesome responsibility. It can be fun and fulfilling too! Follow these best practices to serve your community well and get the most out of the experience.
You’re Representing MCC
Remember you’re representing MCC — what you say will be viewed by readers as the voice of the college.
- Be sure to include MCC’s official statement (as noted in the MCC Social Media Protocol (PDF)) in your account’s description/biography space. If the entire statement doesn’t fit, you can abbreviate it the best you can.
- Do not post anything threatening or obscene; avoid being critical of individuals or groups.
- Always keep the privacy of individuals in mind, especially with photos or video of children under the age of 18; you’ll need written parental permission from a parent or guardian to post these.
- Do not use photos involving alcohol, patients, or graphic or violent scenes.
- Avoid equating your own or your group’s personal opinions with College policy.
- Do not promote political candidates, products, or anything that might result in personal financial gain.
- Include a citation if you use quotes, photos, etc., from another source. If possible, include a link to the original source.
- MCC retains the right to remove any objectionable content at any time.
ABM (Always Be Monitoring)
We cannot stress this enough. Social media is active 24/7 and doesn’t care for conventional office hours. Conversation happens at all hours of the day and night, and can amplify quickly. Be sure someone is assigned to keep an eye on your account(s) so that if a discussion or comment that needs handling pops up, someone is able to address it ASAP.
Avoid Personal News
Be wary of posting personal information on your social media site — that’s best kept for your own personal sites. Stick to news that directly relates to the area of MCC that you are representing with your account.
Be Clear
Honesty is always your best policy. Be clear about who or what you are representing and what your role is at the College. Choose a username that says exactly who you are (i.e., “MCC XXX Club”), rather than something that might not be easily understood by someone coming on the page for the first time.
Be Respectful of Privacy
Be conscious of the privacy of students, faculty, staff, and others. Protect the rights of those who may not want to see their face or read their words in a public forum. In some cases, for example, FERPA privacy requirements make it illegal to share information. As well, if a student has restricted the release of their information, that will be noted in Banner. Be aware of law and policy, and use your good judgment.
Observe Copyright Restrictions
Although sharing is common with social media, avoid posting anything that is copyright-protected. One good place to find free images that can be used on your site is creativecommons.org. A Google search will yield others.
Pay Attention to Analytics
Many social media sites offer an analytics or tracking function, allowing you to know things like the gender and age makeup of people who are seeing your posts and the time of day they are reading them. Check these analytics regularly — they can help you determine what content is working and what is not as popular.
Post a Variety of Content
In addition to posting information about your own area of MCC, there’s a wealth of information on the Internet that can be re-purposed for your use. Consider sharing postings or articles from respected, credible sites that pertain to your group. Be creative, and keep your readers in mind at all times: what do they want to read? (And don’t forget to give credit when credit is due!)
Post Regularly
The expectation of your readers is that you will post at regular intervals. For some platforms, such as Facebook, that may mean several times a week. For others, like Twitter, multiple times a day is more common. Find out what is standard for your platform and keep that in mind as you develop and post content.
Read and Respond to Comments Quickly
You know you need to post regularly to your social media platform. But it’s also important to read the comments of your readers, and respond as appropriate. This two-way communication is at the heart of what social media are about.
If you receive a comment that is critical of your organization (but is not harmful or threatening), don’t panic: consider whether you can use this opportunity to clarify and educate your readers with a well-worded, reasonable, respectful response executed in a timely manner. Readers generally expect a response within an hour. Read Handling Negative Posts so you’re prepared.
Remember: Everything on the Internet Lives Forever
What you post on social media sites remains a part of the Internet for the foreseeable future. Even if you have second thoughts about a post and delete it, it may have already been seen and shared. If in doubt, don’t post. Take a moment to review all content before posting, envisioning any possible way it could be misconstrued or misused.
Respect Your Constituents
Remember that when you speak via an MCC social media account, you are speaking with the voice of the College. The MCC mission is inclusive and welcoming so you will want to share information in a friendly, respectful and engaging way. Do not belittle or criticize any person or group. Your postings should be factual and informative, with value for the reader. Avoid sarcasm, profanity, arguments, or debates with a disgruntled poster.
Set the Ground Rules
MCC asks you to state some basic ground rules for comments, including the expectation that posters follow MCC’s policies, so that you can take action if anyone posts anything inflammatory or inappropriate. Remember, though, that honest but critical comments may offer an excellent opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue that could change reader (or your own) perceptions and present you and your group in a positive, professional light.
If you have any concerns about social media content, email David Hoy (dhoy4@monroecc.edu), social media specialist, Marketing & Web, or call (585) 292-3023.