Brand Updates

Meet Sprout: A collaborative way to do social media

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The community engagement pillar of public affairs extends to social media management. We have an opportunity to become even better in that space.

The office of university communications (UC) invites Missouri State faculty and staff to attend a demo with Sprout Social, one of the leading social media software companies in the industry. UC has used the platform for more than a year to manage university-level accounts. The investment helped its social media team work more collaboratively and create a better product.

Sprout Social is an all-in-one social media management platform that helps organizations around the country (including Missouri State) build stronger relationships with their audiences through streamlined social media engagement.

What Sprout can do

Sprout’s platform includes several features that allows organizations to:

  • Schedule and publish content across most social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
  • Retweet, like, share and reply to customer comments.
  • Tag user accounts and posts to better understand who’s interacting with you.
  • Create reports that analyze content that’s working … and content that isn’t.
  • And much more.

The details

Sprout representatives Chelsea Dunn and Lexi Fallon will provide a platform demonstration and answer questions 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. May 25, 2021 on Zoom.

The demo is free and open to Missouri State faculty and staff, including student workers and graduate assistants who operate official university social media accounts.

Join on Zoom

Recap: Social media for all

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Missouri State University is committed to developing digital content that anybody can access and understand, regardless of their physical abilities. MSU’s information should be equally available to people who have disabilities including (but not limited to) visual, auditory and cognitive.

Social media for all

Accessible content helps everybody, even people who have no disabilities. Whether you’ve experienced a slow internet connection at home, accessed information on a mobile device or wanted to watch a video with the sound off, accessible practices make those tasks easier.

And it helps Missouri State enroll students, ensure legal compliance and support the public affairs mission.

Kevin Agee, a content strategist from the office of university communications, presented “Social media for all: Creating accessible content” via Zoom on Dec. 2. The presentation slides are now available.

Download the presentation slides (PDF)

Building cohesion with social media avatars

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When our audiences look at Missouri State University social media accounts, they should see a unified visual identity.

That’s why we’ve created brand-friendly social media avatars (or profile pictures) for academic and administrative areas on campus.

Avatars for Plaster Student Union, College of Business and Marketing and Communications
We encourage you to download and use these assets to further brand your social media accounts with the Missouri State look and feel.

Download your avatars

A digital #BearGrads experience

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More than 2,800 students will graduate from Missouri State this week. Although we can’t celebrate them in person until later this year, we can still give you a way to express your pride online.

Facebook Frames

Click or tap on each image to open Facebook and test the frame on your profile picture.

For #BearGrads

Missouri State Bear Grad on maroon with graduation cap

For families

"So proud of my Bear Grad" in maroon and white"So proud of my Bear Grad" with walking Bear

GIPHY stickers and GIFs

We’ve loaded several #BearGrads-themed stickers and GIFs for you to use on Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. Access the collection or search using the “beargrads” tag.

Access the collection

YouTube congratulations from President Smart, deans and administrators

President Clif Smart, deans and administrators recorded messages of congratulations to the class of 2020.

Learn how to tell MSU’s story at MarCom Training Week

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Here’s the perfect New Year’s resolution: Serve your Missouri State audiences better than ever. We can show you how in just one week.

The division of marketing and communications will present the first MarCom Training Week Feb. 3-7, 2020, at Plaster Student Union 308. All sessions are free. Registration is required on My Learning Connection via My Missouri State.

Register now

The schedule

Feb. 3

How to sound like Missouri State, 9-10 a.m.

  • How to write about Missouri State within brand.
  • Assistance available within the brand website.
  • What style to use when writing for the university.
  • Best practices for readability.

How to look like Missouri State, 10:15-11:15 a.m.

  • Brand visual guidelines.
  • What brand resources are available.
  • How to use university logos and branding elements.
  • Best practices for designing within the brand.

Feb. 4

Making your statement with video, 2:30-4:30 p.m.

  • The goals of using video.
  • How to plan your video shoot.
  • What techniques you can use to improve your video quality.
  • How and when to live-stream.
  • Resources to help you shoot, edit and release your videos.

Feb. 5

Making your statement with social media, 9-11 a.m.

  • Choosing and creating a profile.
  • Discovering what content works best on each platform.
  • Branding your department or college across channels.
  • Delivering good customer service.
  • Effective tools.

5 blogging tips for beginners, 1-2 p.m.

  • Getting started (creating a blog, adding users and roles).
  • What to post on your blog (news, profiles/features, events).
  • Visuals (photos, video).
  • Text (readability, headings, linking).
  • Sharing and promoting your blog (social media, email, analytics).

Feb. 6

Publicizing your event with calendars and social media, 9-10 a.m.

  • Best practices for using Missouri State’s online calendar.
  • Keys to sharing events on social media.
  • Where to find other community calendar resources.

How to be a Web Press star, 10:15-11:45 a.m.

  • Which Web Press content groups to use.
  • Making your website usable and accessible for all.
  • How to create an action-oriented website.

Making your statement with photography, 1-2 p.m.

  • How to best utilize the office of visual media and make your photo request productive.
  • Ways to use your own camera or cell phone to get great photos.
  • How to work with people, lighting, handling releases and setting the stage for a beautiful image.

Feb. 7

Making your statement with media relations, 1-3 p.m.

  • Ways to prepare and practice for media interviews.
  • Why a strong appearance in a newspaper or on TV reflects well on you, your department and the university.