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Recap: Making Your Statement in a Digital World – Sept. 29, 2017

October 3, 2017 by Kai Raymer

person on laptop

We recently presented Making Your Statement in a Digital World, a comprehensive training session for Missouri State website, blog and social media managers.

Still have questions or need help?

We’re hosting two post-training open labs, to answer your questions and provide support. Please join us. No preregistration is required.

Key details

  • Dates: Friday, Oct. 27 and Friday, Nov. 10
  • Time: 2-4 p.m., both dates
  • Location: Meyer Library 106 Cheek Hall 100
  • About: Both sessions will be held in conjunction with the Web Help Desk open lab.

Access the presentations

The Sept. 29 training session was presented in four parts.

  • Readability
  • Blogging
  • Accessibility
  • Social media and visual platforms
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Visual (YouTube, Instagram, aggregators, Snapchat)

wideshot of people walking on campus

Key takeaways

Readability

  • Use concise text and a scannable layout to make your content more readable. Put the most important information at the top.
  • Always ask, “how does this look on mobile?” Current and future students are researching your department/program on their phones.
  • Write less, people will read more. People will read more of a 300-word article than they will a 600-word article.
  • No one wants to put extra effort into reading. Seventy percent of people read at an intermediate (middle school) level. Newspapers aim for a 7th grade reading level.
  • Headings, bulleted lists and visual elements. Use them.
  • The YoastSEO plugin for WordPress is a great tool for improving your writing.
  • Improving your content readability has many benefits, including audience reach and audience action.

Blogging

  • Does your blog tell a story? Who is speaking in your story and how are you conveying that meaning? It’s important to start in the action and develop some sort of conflict that is resolved.
  • Be sure you are defining your audience; alumni, faculty, staff, and/or students?
  • Utilize the formatting strategies from readability while adding photography and pull quotes.
  • Update your blog with engaging stories at least once a month, if not more.

Students taking photo with Boomer

Accessibility

  • Accessibility means people with disabilities can use and navigate your website.
  • There are federal guidelines for accessibility. MSU, which receives federal funding, falls under WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
  • Think of your website as a public space (i.e. a courthouse or city hall). Make accommodations for all.
  • Accessibility overlaps with readability and best practices for websites. Having an accessible website means your website is better overall.
  • Alt text, headings and descriptive links are crucial for accessibility. Our Accessibility blog series also covers these topics, and more.

Social media and visual platforms

  • Share human – don’t be afraid to act like a human and interact with your audience one-on-one.
  • Set up a Facebook business account where people can find your contact information. Be prepared to respond to their questions.
  • Think visual – when on location for an event share raw photos, but when promoting the event utilize photo services to help boost your presence.
  • Video is king across all platforms. Be sure to add captioning for accessibility and to increase views.
  • Measure your success based off the goals your team sets: more followers, increased engagement, more views, etc. Keep a log of your analytics so you can compare data from previous years.

Students in computer lab

Filed Under: Accessibility, News, Social media, Training, Web Press, web strategy and development, WordPress blogs Tagged With: Accessibility, aggregators, blog, blogging, Blogs, content, facebook, instagram, presentations, readability, snapchat, Social Media, Training, Twitter, Web, web and new media, YouTube

5 ways to engage with Missouri State using social during Welcome Weekend

August 9, 2017 by Alyson Epperson

Students at Welcome Weekend

Once we meet, then we tweet

Missouri State holds the trophy for funniest Twitter in Springfield. Follow your university for the best GIFs, tips and Welcome Weekend coverage. Tell the Twitterverse how much you love your university with #GoMaroon.

Students at Playfair

Make new memories on Snapchat

Add Missouri State on Snapchat to discover where the action is happening during Welcome Weekend. Show off your photogenic campus by using the Missouri State filters! Save them to your memories because this will be a weekend worth remembering.

snapchat code

Join the live Bear Path

Join us live on Facebook at 3 p.m. Aug. 20 as we walk through Bear Path! You will not want to miss this energetic welcome from the Missouri State faculty, staff and students.

Students at Bear Path

Insta-this!

Follow Missouri State on Instagram for the best photos of students, campus and all things Missouri State. These photos will stop your scroll and demand a heart. Use the #GoMaroon to share your photos and start your collection as a Bear.

Students take a selfie

Watch for our cameras, too!

If you put your phone down to take in this unforgettable weekend – don’t worry, all of it will be captured for you. Video cameras might catch you moving into your new home, high-fiving friends at Playfair and smiling every moment in between. Don’t believe us? Watch this.

Filed Under: web strategy and development Tagged With: facebook, instagram, snapchat, Social Media, Twitter, welcome weekend

5 ways to engage with Missouri State with social during Welcome Weekend

August 2, 2016 by Mary Chiles

Students at Bear Bash

You got a friend in me

Add your new buddies on social so you can meet up again! You can even check out the library while you do it – maybe you’ll run into your pal! (Meet his other friends by following him on Twitter.)

via GIPHY

Almost famous?

Get Missouri State famous! See someone filming with a video camera? They’re looking for a star – and it’s you! Get out there and strut your stuff. You may find yourself in a video like –

Hashtag it up

Gotta tell the Twitter world how much you love Missouri State? Yeah you do. Add #GoMaroon and tweet yo’ self. You may start a trend.

18666_8937

Tweet Clif

Remember in “Independence Day” (the first one) when the General tells Bill Pullman, “Mr. President, I’d sure like to know what you’re doing here.” He’s a pilot and belongs in the air! We know! What would your own school president say ? Just ask @ClifSmart on Twitter.

via GIPHY

Write the Story (on Snapchat!)

Show off your new campus on Snapchat with the Bears filter. Take a photo, then swipe right until you see the Make Your Missouri Statement filter!

snapchat-geofilter

 

Filed Under: Social media, web strategy and development Tagged With: giphy, list, snapchat, Social Media, Twitter

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