The audience you’re intending to reach and the overall goal of your social media presence will help determine the platform you should utilize. The Strat Comm social media team recommends starting small – it’s not necessary to be on every platform. For example, if you’re trying to reach students, Instagram or Twitter may be the best platform to start with. An important consideration for Instagram is the need for compelling imagery when posting on that platform. If that’s something that may be a challenge, Instagram may not be the best platform for your department.

For further assistance with selecting a platform for your social media presence or creating the account, please contact the Strat Comm social team at social@ua.edu.

Before creating an account, evaluate your needs by asking a few questions:

  • What is the goal of your social media account?
  • Who is the audience? (This will help determine platform)
  • What information are you planning to share?
  • Who will create content for, and manage, this account?
  • What KPIs are important?

How to create a Facebook account

How to create a Twitter account

How to create an Instagram account

How to create a LinkedIn company page

Profile frames are a free and easy way to spread the word about your college or department.

  • Create a frame overlay. You can do this in your own design program or reach out to the Design and Production team in Strategic Communications.
  • Files should be 720px wide by 720px high, and saved as a .PNG file with transparent background.
  • Go here to upload your free frame: https://www.facebook.com/frames/manage/
  • Click on “Open Frame Studio.”
  • Follow the prompts, including the option to geo-fence the location that frames are shown.
  • Create your filter: You can create this through Snapchat’s filter designer, your own design program or reach out to the Design and Production team in Strategic Communications.
    -Files should be 1080px wide by 2340px high, under 300 KB in size and saved as a .PNG file with transparent background.
  • Upload your filter: Snapchat gives you three options when it comes to uploading your filter:
    -Community Filters – paid filters that will be used for a one-time event, repeating events (daily or weekly basis) or run indefinitely – renewing annually.
    -Geofilters – free filters for a public place that will be visible for an extended period of time. These must be approved by Snapchat.
    -Moment Filters – filters for quick moments like grabbing lunch, watching a game or studying. These must be approved by Snapchat.

  • Select your location: Draw a fence around the location you want your filter to be visible. The price of your filter will be based on date range and location.

If you have any questions about your Snapchat filter please contact Mallori Lanier at Mallori.Lanier@ua.edu

When you encounter a troll, it’s important to remember that every situation is different and needs to be handled carefully. The social media team of Strategic Communications has created a Social Media Decision Tree that can be used in these instances.

The Strat Comm social team considers all requests to help with event promotion on a case-by-case basis.
Some factors taken into consideration include:

  • intended audience
  • the mission of the University’s Strategic Plan
  • current state of campus affairs
  • other content previously planned

If you have an event you’d like shared on UA’s institutional channels, please send the info in an email to social@ua.edu. We encourage you to reach out as early as possible in advance of your event in order to give the social media team ample time to consider your request.
Required information:

  • Event details – name, description, location, time, date
  • Any imagery being used to accompany promotions

The StratComm social team utilizes Sprout Social. This tool allows the social team to maintain a constant pulse on what’s happening across social platforms. Not only used to manage and monitor accounts, this tool has robust analytics, which are regularly reviewed, and listening capabilities that are especially critical during a crisis situation. While this tool does have a cost associated with it, StratComm has negotiated a discounted rate for departments on campus. In addition, there are some free tools available:

  • Facebook Creator Studio
  • Buffer
  • Tweetdeck

Trending Tide is a social media communicators network that was created to increase consistency in messaging and staying on brand across social media accounts that represent UA. This group works to authentically share the story of our University. Not only does this group help ensure the most timely and up to date information is being shared across UA-driven social platforms, but it also provides an opportunity to align social strategies and messaging across university-related social media accounts. To request to join the private Tending Tide Facebook group, please visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/TrendingTide.