Social Media Strategy and Best Practices

1. Define Your Goals

• Before you begin crafting your social media content, it's crucial to define your objectives.

• Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, foster student engagement or promote specific events?

• Establish clear and measurable goals to guide your strategy.

2. Know Your Audience

• Understanding your target audience is key to delivering content that resonates.
• Research and identify the demographics, interests and needs of your followers.
• This knowledge will shape your content, tone and messaging, making it more relatable and compelling.

3. Maintain Brand Consistency

• Consistency is the cornerstone of a strong brand.

• Ensure that your social media profiles align with BW's brand guidelines, including logo usage, color schemes and tone of voice.

• This cohesive visual and verbal identity will strengthen brand recognition and trust.

4. Plan Your Content

• Create a content calendar to organize your social media posts.
• Strategically plan your content to align with important dates, events or campus initiatives.
• This will help you stay consistent, maintain an active presence and avoid last-minute scrambling.

5. Engage and Interact

• Social media is all about building connections.
• Engage with your audience by responding to comments, messages and mentions promptly.
• Encourage conversation, ask questions, and create polls to foster interaction and make your followers feel heard.

6. Utilize Visual Storytelling

• Capture attention with eye-catching visuals.
• Use high-quality photos, videos and graphics to tell compelling stories about your department, program or student organization.
• Visual content is more likely to be shared and remembered, boosting your reach.

7. Hashtags and Tagging

• Harness the power of hashtags to increase your visibility.
• Research relevant BW hashtags and include them in your posts.
• Additionally, tag other relevant accounts, departments or organizations to foster collaboration and amplify your reach.
• Whenever possible, mention BW (@BaldwinWallace on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter) or use BW hashtags in your social media posts. This adds legitimacy and ties your channel to our brand.

8. Monitor and Analyze

• Regularly review your social media analytics to understand what's working and what needs improvement.
• Utilize platform insights to analyze engagement rates, reach and demographics.
• Adjust your strategy based on these insights to optimize your social media presence.

9. Crisis Management

• Determine key personnel responsible for monitoring and responding to social media issues promptly and professionally.
• Transparency and quick resolution are paramount to maintaining trust.
• In the event of any serious issues or crises arising on social media, it is imperative to escalate the matter to the Office of University Relations immediately.

10. Stay Informed and Adapt

• Social media trends and algorithms evolve rapidly, so it's essential to stay informed.
• Keep up with industry updates and network with other social media managers at BW.
• Adapt your strategy to incorporate new features, platforms and best practices.