Social media is one of the most powerful ways to connect with students and promote your department's events, campaigns, and services. This guide will help you understand how social media works within UMSU, what platforms come with your Office Bearer role, and how to make the most of them. 

Understanding Social Media's Role at UMSU

We utilise our social platforms to engage students in a way that feels authentic and relevant to their lives as Unimelb students.

  • The main @UMSUunimelb Instagram and UMSU University of Melbourne Student Union Facebook accounts are centrally managed by the Communications department. They serve as our official channels and act as a central source of information for the student body. 
  • Department accounts exist to give individual teams their own voice, presence, and community. Encourage people interested in what you do to follow your socials to stay up-to-date on events.
  • The central UMSU channels may amplify your content, so be sure to maintain consistent branding that represents your department across all posts.


What Platforms You Can Use

As an Office Bearer, you'll inherit access to:
  • Instagram profile
  • Facebook page
  • Department web pages
You can post freely on these platforms, provided your content follows UMSU's conduct and branding guidelines. You do not need approval for every post, but your content should always reflect our organisational values. 

If you decide to post on another platform, the UMSU Comms and Design teams will not be able to endorse or assist with promoting and maintaining those accounts.

Tip: Think of your social media accounts as community hubs – keep them active, welcoming, and relevant


Account Access & Admin Info

  • The Communications department has backend admin access to all department accounts.
  • Do not change your passwords unless instructed. This can disrupt future access and handovers.
  • If you're locked out, see a suspicious log-in, or experience technical issues, contact the Communications team immediately.

What to Post (And What Works)

The best performing content tends to include:
  • Photos and videos of real people – students love seeing themselves and their peers.
  • Memes – people go to social media for entertainment, blending your brand in with their doomscrolling positions you in a familiar landscape. Note: please thoroughly research any references to ensure no offense is caused.
  • Event previews – behind-the-scenes content, and service updates.
Static graphics can be useful for sharing information, but they work best when balanced with content that shows your department's personality and community.

What's Expected of You

  • Stay active. An abandoned Instagram page doesn't build trust or visibility.
  • Be responsive. Students often use DMs to ask questions about upcoming events or services. Treat your socials inboxes like a front desk.
  • Stay relevant. Post content that speaks to your audience and showcases what you have to offer.
  • Follow guidelines. Consult the articles here on HelpDocs to learn about the regulations you must follow when posting on behalf of UMSU and its departments. If you're ever unsure, feel free to ask before you post. 

Need Help?

The Communications team can assist with social media strategy, IT access issues and recommended tools and platforms. Submit a ticket through the HelpDocs site or by emailing cme-support@union.unimelb.edu.au.

We are unable to create content on your behalf outside of the designated designs requested through your initial ticket. However, we are available to guide and support your efforts.