Web Strategy and Development Blog

Social Media Kit: Fall 2014 Commencement

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Missouri State University’s fall 2014 commencement ceremonies will take place Friday, Dec. 12, 2014, at JQH Arena. A total of 1,577 students will receive their degrees.

Key details

  • What: Fall 2014 commencement
  • When: Friday, Dec. 12, 2014
    • 12:30 p.m. – College of Business and College of Education graduates
    • 4 p.m. – College of Arts and Letters; College of Health and Human Services; College of Humanities and Public Affairs; College of Natural and Applied Sciences; School of Agriculture; and Global Studies graduates
  • Where: JQH Arena
  • Live streaming: www.new.livestream.com/mostate
  • Social media tagboard: bit.ly/1ySfUxf
  • Event website: www.missouristate.edu/commencement

Share your story

Help us celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates by sharing the experience on social media. If you are graduating or attending graduation to celebrate with someone, we want to hear about it!

We encourage you to join the online conversation before and during commencement by posting about it on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and tagging your posts with the official hashtag: #BearGrads.

Make your post social media savvy

  • Tag the post with the official commencement hashtag: #BearGrads
  • Whenever possible, tag Missouri State University or @missouristate
  • If applicable, tag the post with the Springfield, Missouri, hashtag: #SGF
  • If you would like to provide a link for more information on the event, please link to: www.missouristate.edu/commencement
  • When you post to Facebook, boost your status update by sharing it with a photo or video.
  • Nothing beats a first-hand perspective! If you attend commencement, consider sharing a photo from or quote about your experience.

Visual assets

Photos

Graduate celebrating at commencement         View of graduates from overhead         Graduates clapping and celebrating         Commemorative mortarboards at commencement

      

Video

 

Facebook cover photos

Brand your Facebook profile or page with a custom Bear grads photo. Click the image you like below to save the pre-cropped, full-size image.

commencement-2014-spring-social_01-facebook       commencement-2014-spring-social_04-facebook       commencement-2014-spring-social_05-facebook

Twitter images

Brand your Twitter profile with a custom Bear grads photo. Click the image you like below to save the pre-cropped, full-size image.

Photos for the new Twitter look

commencement-2014-spring-social_04-twitter_new       commencement-2014-spring-social_05-twitter_new       commencement-2014-spring-social_01-twitter_new

Photos for the old Twitter look

commencement-2014-spring-social_01-twitter_old       commencement-2014-spring-social_04-twitter_old       commencement-2014-spring-social_05-twitter_old

Office decorations

Recognize the students in your area who are graduating by downloading a “Congratulations, graduates!” poster for your office. One poster option provides customizable space for featuring your graduates.

graduation poster        Customizable graduation poster

Sample social media posts

Sample tweets

  • Congratulations to our 1,577 #BearGrads! We’re proud of you!
  • Can’t make it to commencement? Watch the ceremonies live online at http://new.livestream.com/mostate/ #BearGrads
  • Hey graduate – What’s your favorite college memory? Share using #BearGrads.
  • Graduating on Friday? Share your photos from the day using #BearGrads. Congrats!
  • See what our #BearGrads have to say about commencement day: bit.ly/1ySfUxf. Join the conversation with #BearGrads

Review our steps for turning a link into a tweet.

Sample Facebook posts

Facebook allows for some additional customization. This sample post provides content recommendations based on our best practice tips for optimizing link sharing on Facebook.

Photo sharing

Graduates celebrating and taking photos

Congrats to 1,577 new Missouri State alums! See what they have to say about graduation day: www.tagboard.com/BearGrads/20442 #BearGrads

Link sharing

  • URL: www.tagboard.com/BearGrads/20442
  • Headline: #BearGrads on Tagboard
  • Long text content: 1,577 Missouri State Bears will receive their degrees Friday, Dec.12. Will you be donning your cap and gown? Share your experiences using #BearGrads
  • Short text content: Get an inside look at commencement through the eyes of Missouri State University graduates.

Explore your social media options at Social Media 101

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Is your University unit thinking about adding a social media account? Not sure what platform is best for you? Join the office of web and new media for a survey of social media Sept. 30 at 9:30 a.m. in Temple Hall.

The session of Short and Snappy: Writing for the Digital World held in July 2014What is Social Media 101?

At Social Media 101 we will discuss:

  • Best practices for starting a social media presence
  • The user demographics of different platforms
  • Content considerations for different platforms

Who is Social Media 101 for?

This workshop is perfect for University faculty, staff and student employees who have not established a social media presence for their area and those who are thinking about adding additional platforms.

How do I sign up?

Registration is requested (but not required) via My Learning Connection.

Social Media Kit: Public Affairs Week

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Public Affairs Week is an annual, week-long event developed by and for Missouri State students. The week consists of a series of presentations and special events that relate to the year’s public affairs theme – The Ethical Citizen.

Key details

  • What: Public Affairs Week
  • When: Sept. 15-19, 2014
  • Where: Across campus, with most events at the PSU
  • Who: Various speakers and presenters
  • Tickets: Free and open to the public
  • Sponsors: Public Affairs, SAC, SGA

Share your story

Help us spread the word about Public Affairs Week to the Missouri State and local communities by sharing it on social media. If you attend an event, we want to hear about your experience!

We encourage you to join the online conversation during Public Affairs Week by posting about it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and tagging your posts with the official hashtag: #CitizenBear

Make your post social media savvy

Visual assets

Photos

Video

Sample social media posts

Sample tweets

Review our steps for turning a link into a tweet.

Facebook events

All of the major events for Public Affairs Week have an associated Facebook event; please link to these Facebook event pages where appropriate:

Sample Facebook posts

Sharing about Public Affairs Week on Facebook allows for some additional customization. The sample posts provide content recommendations based on our best practice tips for optimizing link sharing on Facebook.

Example 1

  • URL: http://publicaffairs.missouristate.edu/paw/
  • Headline: Become a #CitizenBear during Public Affairs Week
  • Long text content: Expand your understanding of the public affairs theme during this student-organized week of activities.
  • Short text content: Highlights include the Hunger Banquet, MSU Talks and the Civic Engagement Conference.

Example 2

PAW01

Learn how to become a #CitizenBear during Public Affairs Week. See the lineup of great events: http://publicaffairs.missouristate.edu/paw/Schedule.htm

Highlights from Social Media Boot Camp

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The office of Web and new media presented Social Media Boot Camp for Missouri State University faculty, staff and student employees on August 14.

The training included sessions on marketing strategy and goal setting, social media best practices, Facebook, Twitter and emerging platforms. Attendees practiced tips and tricks for making the most of social media.

Lucie Amberg at Social Media BootcampMarketing, strategy and goal setting

Lucie Amberg presented on this topic.

Key takeaways

  • Think strategically about social media and consider what goals you’re trying to accomplish with it. Ask yourself these questions:
    • Why is the audience following this account?
    • What information is the audience seeking?
    • What do I want the audience to get from this platform?
    • What can I realistically accomplish in this medium?
  • Leverage Missouri State’s marketing initiatives to get the benefit of a larger audience.
    • Consider how your content illustrates our key points of quality academic programs, a warm community experience and affordable education.
    • When possible, tie to the messages of Follow Your Passion and Find Your Place

Access the presentation: Marketing and Goal Setting

Social media best practices

Courtney Wendel-Stevenson presented on this topic.

Key takeaways

  • Use social media as a way to interact with and listen to your audience, not simply as a way to share information.
  • One of the most important things about your social media is the content you share.
  • Strive to think like a journalist and write short text that includes the most important information first.
  • When applicable, tag relevant accounts and include properly sized photos and hash tags in your posts.

Access the presentation: Social Media Best Practices

Courtney Wendel-Stevenson at Social Media Boot CampFacebook

Courtney Wendel-Stevenson presented on this topic.

Key takeaway

  • Capitalize on the unique functionality of Facebook events.
    • Tag the event location’s Facebook page in the location section if possible. If not, include the location’s complete address so Facebook can auto-generate a map.
    • Add other Facebook pages as event co-sponsors when possible.
    • Provide a direct link to ticketing or an event website.
  • Understand that your followers’ Facebook news feeds are dynamic. Boost your page’s EdgeRank by getting followers to comment, like or click on your posts.
  • Regularly track major insights including your number of followers, post reach and post engagement.

Access the presentation: Facebook

Twitter

Jessica Clements presented on this topic.

Key takeaways

  • Incorporate multimedia and links into your tweets to make them more shareable.
  • Tweets move off of people’s home feeds quickly. If a tweet works once, share it again!
  • Spot trends and see if you can tailor your content to fit that context
  • New Twitter features:
    • Twitter cards: Rich content attached to your tweets as a result of embedding html into your webpage.
    • Embedded tweets: Tweets embedded below your post as a result of including a direct link to the tweet in your post.
    • Multiple photos in one tweet: Photo collages made by attaching multiple photos to one tweet.

Access the presentation: Tweetable

Emerging platforms

Jessica Clements and Courtney Wendel-Stevenson presented on this topic.

Key takeaways

LinkedIn

  • Emphasizes career development
  • Allows you to leverage your professional network
  • Has high usage rates among statistically more elusive user groups

Pinterest

  • Showcases visual content in a unique, appealing way
  • Sources and repurposes content over long periods of time
  • Offers opportunities for the Missouri State Pinterest account to host collaborative boards for other University units. For more information, email Courtney Wendel-Stevenson.

Instagram

  • Great medium for visually telling a story
  • Can function as a feeder to other social networks
  • Popular with a younger demographic

Social media aggregators

  • Aggregators like Storify and Tagboard combine posts across platforms around a common theme – typically a hashtag.
  • Why use an aggregator?
    • Provides a way to archive conversation
    • Connects to people beyond a singular platform
    • Tells a story about your event
    • Becomes a single destination for event coverage

Access the presentations: LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and Social Media Aggregators

Resources

View copies of our handout and resources page.

Social Media 101: Exploring your options in social media

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Why should your department or organization join social media? The office of web and new media discussed the strategy behind joining social media and best practices for managing your accounts during Social Media 101.

Going where the people are

From marketing to public relations, social media:

  • Empowers you to be your own journalist and get your story out.
  • Allows you to connect with people where they are.
  • Allows you to build relationships with people who are interested in your organization and activities.
  • Can empower people to be ambassadors for your brand.

Each social media platform has a unique user base, meaning that different platforms may allow you to reach different key audiences for your brand. Demographics for popular platforms are below:

Key practices for all platforms

  • Integrate social media into your communications plan. Set goals for your accounts.
  • Adopt a long-term philosophy. If you decide to commit to a page, stick with it. Post frequently and consistently.
  • Content is king. Write like a journalist: Master the headline and lead
  • Be authentic and infuse personality into your posts.
  • Regularly use photos on Facebook and LinkedIn, occasionally on Twitter
  • Use hashtags on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook
  • Tag relevant people, places and locations when possible
  • Whenever possible, provide a link for more information
  • Connect with your followers offline by promoting your accounts at events, hosting contests, etc.

Review our basic tips for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram by downloading the presentation slides.

Register for more social media trainings

Want to learn more about social media? Consider registering for these upcoming trainings: