People's attention
spans on social media
are very short
and people are very quick
to scroll past stuff
that blends into their
everyday
feed.
The essentials, quickfire!
Post
regularly
Planning
your
social media content in
advance is key. Set
weekly reminders if you
need
them.
Keep
it
short
100
words or
less if you can. Direct
them to your
webpages/events to ‘find
out
more’.
Use
ONE link or your link
in
bio
For
Facebook/X, include ONE
link in your post to avoid
confusing students.
Hyperlinks don't work on
Insta. Try to avoid using
links in your copy
and instead direct people
to your 'link in bio'.
(e.g.
Linkt.ree)
Limit
emojis
We've received
heaps of
feedback from
students that they
don't like when our posts
use lots of emojis, as
they
can make things difficult
to
read.
Proofread
Typos
are a bad look.
Mix
it up - POST
REELS!
Variety
is
key. Use a mix of photos,
videos and links. This is
a big one. Reel content on
IG in particular is huge.
Make short vids. Low-fi
content is key. See our Resources below for regular content. Vox pops (with
consent!), ASMR, viral
trends and even just
little updates where your
followers can see your
face... there are heaps of
options.
Use
content/trigger
warnings
These
are super important if
your content contains
sensitive material. Find
our
guide for writing on Help Docs.
Include
image
descriptions
If
you’re
posting images, make sure
to include image
descriptions so your
content is
accessible to people with
low vision. You can add these if using
Meta Business Suite by
clicking the pencil icon
next to the photo and
selecting 'Alt Text'.
alternatively, you can add
them underneath your
caption using full stop +
enter so they are hidden
under 'see
more'.
Tune
your Controversy
Radar
Sometimes
our witty quips and memes
can turn into awkward or
even rep-damaging
gaffes. It’s a good idea
to do a bit of background
research when you’re
posting something that
references pop-culture or
something topical, just to
be
on the safe
side.
Keep
it
fresh
Update
your
socials and website pages
regularly.
Engage
with your
followers
Answer
questions and respond to
comments. Even a single
emoji can make someone’s
day!
Moderate
comments
You may
be held accountable for
content that
is published on your page,
even if you didn’t write
it. Refer to UMSU
Facebook
Terms of Reference for more info. You should
also familiarise
yourself with the Social
Media Policy and
Guidelines, as
well as our Social
Media Moderation
guide.
Budget
for
ads
Invest
in
Facebook or Instagram
adverts for your big
campaigns and events. Not
sure how
ads or boosted posts work?
Don’t stress! Click here for more
info.
Give
us some behind the
scenes
action
People
love to see faces. You
don’t need to say much,
“hard at work in
the office today” will
do!
Tag
@umsuunimelb for FB
shares and/or add
us as a
collaborator on your IG
posts
You’ll
get
better reach while
retaining more direct
"ownership" of your
content.
Remember,
you are part of
UMSU
Everything
(posts, events etc) must
go through your department
account – not your
personal
accounts.
Post
format
template
Not sure how to format
your posts? You can follow our 'tried and
tested' structure below as a guide:
TITLE / CATCHY
HEADLINE
BODY — talk about your event and
why students should come (2-4
sentences
max).
WHEN: [DATE]
WHERE: [LOCATION]
MORE INFO: [LINK]
Add UMSU as a collaborator
Why Use Collaborator Posts?
- Instantly share content across multiple UMSU department feeds
- Reach wider student audiences
- Keep ownership of your content
- Help students discover your department
Key Guidelines
- Add collaborators BEFORE publishing
- Request collaborations during business hours (9am-5pm)
Steps to Create Collaborative Posts
Create your post and go to the share screen
- Tap "Tag People" > "Invite Collaborator"
- Search for and select @UMSUunimelb or other UMSU department (you can also tag @lifeatunimelb
- Share post and wait for collaborator to accept
Collaborators will receive the request via DM and must accept for the post to appear on both feeds.
Resources
A super quick guide to
approaching social media and creating
engaging content.
Topics covered include:
- What *is* social media?
- Knowing your audience
- Golden rules of
- Insights and evaluation
- Keeping your content real
- Being careful with your rep!
Presentation slides: Ted
Talk - Socials.pdf
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