Institutional Social Media
If you post on behalf of an official university unit, the following policies must be followed:
- Notify the University: Departments or university units that have a social media page or would like to start one should contact the Assistant Director, Digital Marketing & Social Media. Please contact (ext 2800) to discuss best practices/policies before launching a social media site to ensure all social media sites coordinate with other University sites and their content.
- Identify a content manager: All University pages must have an appointed employee who is identified as being responsible for content. Pages must be set up using a msutexas.edu email.
- Add Marketing and Public Information as an administrator to all University social media sites: All department and office social media sites should have multiple administrators. Please contact the Assistant Director, Digital Marketing & Social Media to add Marketing and Public Information as an administrator to your site. Sites will need to register their social media username, email, admin contact (MSU Texas Staff or Faculty only), and social media password. This information is saved in the unfortunate event that the site administrator abruptly leaves or is unable to perform their duties.
- Link back to the University: Whenever possible, link back to the MSU website. Ideally, posts should be very brief, redirecting a visitor to content that resides within the MSU website. When linking to a news article about MSU, check first to see if you can link to a release on The Wichitan or MSU Texas News instead of to an external site. All Facebook pages should "like" the Midwestern State University Facebook page. Whenever possible, follow other MSU social media sites (i.e. Twitter, YouTube, Instagram). Contact the Assistant Director, Digital Marketing & Social Media (socialmedia@msutexas.edu) for links.
- Use consistent logos: Use the approved logos and colors for MSU to communicate to fans, followers, and viewers that you are affiliated with the University. Contact Marketing and Public Information (ext 4352) for University logos and social media icons.
- Respect copyright and fair use: When posting, be mindful of the copyright and intellectual property rights of others and MSU. If you have questions about using an image found on the internet, please contact (ext 4352). Don't assume because it's on the internet, that the image is free for usage.
- Acknowledge who you are: You are representing MSU. When posting on a University social media platform on behalf of MSU, follow these guidelines:
- Have a plan: Departments should consider their messages, audiences, and goals, as well as a strategy for keeping information on social media sites up-to-date. Departments should have a content calendar with at least three months of content ready for posting before beginning a social media account.
- Content Calendar from Hootsuite: Example and More Information
- Protect the institutional voice: Posts on social media sites should protect the University’s institutional voice by remaining professional in tone and in good taste. With the exception of the MSU-level Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Giphy, and YouTube sites, no individual MSU unit should construe its social media site as representing the university as a whole. Consider this when naming pages or accounts, selecting a profile picture or icon, and selecting content to post—names, profile images, and posts should all be clearly linked to the particular department or unit rather than to the institution as a whole. Do NOT use the acronym MWSU.
- Have a plan: Departments should consider their messages, audiences, and goals, as well as a strategy for keeping information on social media sites up-to-date. Departments should have a content calendar with at least three months of content ready for posting before beginning a social media account.
- Terms of service: Obey the Terms of Service of any social media platform that you are using.
- Terms of misuse: These guidelines are for contributors on behalf of MSU Texas departments and University units.
- Community Guidelines: To learn more about guidelines once you are approved for your social media, please visit this website for more information.
- Education: If you need to develop a strategy or want to learn more about social media best practices, please contact us at socialmedia@msutexas.edu to answer social media questions.