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Best Practices

Who is your audience and what are your key objectives/messages? Are the same messages being communicated elsewhere already?
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.
Know what they care about. Know how they engage with your social media presence. And know what you want them to do – share, like, click, comment, etc.
Who will manage and update your account? (This includes monitoring the account; creating, verifying, and posting new content; and responding to audience interactions, both positive and negative, when appropriate.)
Where will you get your content? What will it include? How will it engage your audience? Are you sure your desired content isn’t infringing on someone else’s copyrighted music, lyrics, images, etc.?
Do you have a comment-and-response protocol for conversing with your audience? Are you adhering to it? (If sensitive issues arise, please inform your supervisor and call the Office of University Communications at 740-368-3335 for advice and assistance.)
Have you checked your facts before posting, including spelling and grammar? If you do post erroneous information, correct it as soon as possible.

Take time to analyze your needs and goals to ensure you choose the right social media platform(s). For example: Instagram is used to document life and highlight moments that tell a vibrant story. It’s a place for high-quality images and creative text. If your organization does not routinely lend itself to high-quality photos, it's OK not to use that platform.
Be careful not to overextend yourself. Decide realistically how much you can do. Will you be able to produce the amount and caliber of content you need to engage your audience and achieve your goals?
Think about strategy. Is it best to have students post items using a specific hashtag on their personal accounts to promote an event? Just like every group/event does not need an Instagram account, not everyone/everything needs a hashtag. (But when appropriate, don't forget to tag #OhWooo or @ohiowesleyan.)
Disable inactive accounts (6 months on inactivity). Incorrect and outdated information is worse than no information!

Make a pre-production list of what you need to create engaging content.
What voice will you use? Do you need additional comment or information? Where will you get it?
How and where will you capture the image(s) you need?
How will you ensure of the information is accurate and appropriate to share?

The way you talk about OWU shapes the way people feel about it. In other words, you’re not just passing on information when you communicate about Ohio Wesleyan. You’re illustrating the ways in which our intellectual hunger makes a difference in the world.
We want people to perceive OWU as: smart, open-minded, inclusive, and relevant.
Use language that is confident, energetic, powerful, and welcoming.
The number one rule? Don’t be boring. This graphic provides other important guidelines:

It’s OK to cross-promote relevant University organizations, offices, and events, but it’s best to create your own content (instead of just sharing posts from other OWU accounts).
Keep your posts short and to the point.
The same content won’t necessarily appeal to prospective students and alumni, nor is all content suited for all social media channels. Be thoughtful about where and what you post.
Direct your audience to more information on your department/official OWU website.
If content doesn’t exist on one of these sites, contact the Office of University Communications for assistance.
Never disclose non-public information about OWU or members of the campus community.
Like and Follow all official University accounts. (This helps to expand the visibility and impact of our posts)

Be sure to tag Ohio Wesleyan profiles and hashtags in posts you think are extremely important and appropriate for broader distribution.
@ohiowesleyan is appropriate for Facebook, X, and Instagram.

#OhWooo: Expresses Ohio Wesleyan spirit, excitement, and pride. Use this tag to tell OWU’s story. From campus beauty shots to news about grants and scholarships, #OhWooo is used to share connections and stories.
#GreatDayToBeABishop: Engages alumni and shares their accomplishments. Something created by an alumnus – “It’s a great day to be a Bishop” – has turned into a natural way to express pride on social media.
#OWUPride and #GoBishops: Shows support for on athletic events and achievements. You’ll see coaches and athletic teams using these tags, but we encourage all Battling Bishop fans to use them.

P 740-368-3335
F 740-368-3332
E owupr@owu.edu