Purpose
Social media is a very powerful tool and should be used in the most positive, effective, and collaborative way. Sharing news, posting student or faculty success stories, or merely posting a picture of a happy student on campus can make all the difference when prospective students are looking at which colleges to apply to and attend. The most important way to succeed in social media is engagement with our community. Feel free to use these guidelines as a way to promote Fitchburg State University in the best way possible on social media platforms.
Statement
We invite you all to send in content to us in Marketing and we are here to support you and your department the best way on social media. If your department has a social media account and you cannot follow these guidelines then we suggest that you delete it. If you feel as though you would like your department to be represented on social media but do not want to run your own accounts, then feel free to send in requests for social media through our Marketing Request Form.
Our goal is to NOT dilute our brand with these multiple accounts so it is vital to keep only active social media accounts. With that in mind, if your page is actively curated with fresh content, we would like all the pages to reflect the brand of Fitchburg State in the best way possible.
*If you are keeping your social media we ask that you make Caroline Lanni, our Marketing Staff Assistant, New Media an administrator of your social media page so we can all collaborate together.
*Admins, please deactivate your departmental social media if it is inactive.
Marketing and Integrated Communications Social Media Platforms
The Marketing and Integrated Communications department is responsible for the university’s primary social media platforms. Our content includes posting student life, faculty, success stories at Fitchburg State, and showcasing the entire brand of this institution. The current social media platforms that we are active on are:
We also manage the social media platforms for the School of Graduate, Online, and Continuing Education.
Your Social Media Account(s)
Should Include:
- Minimum of 2-3 posts a week. Social media needs to be active to work. If you can’t support that volume of posts, reconsider having an account. We’re here to support your social media needs.
- The Fitchburg State academic logo must be displayed on your department's social media pages to indicate that you are with the university.
- Work with Print Services on creating a university logo for your department profile pictures so everyone does not have the same logo on the same platforms. For clubs/organizations, your profile picture can be your club/organizations name with the university logo - like the KPop Club profile picture to the right.
- For departments, have the Fitchburg State logo with your department name like this one below right.
- Colors you should always try and incorporate in your posts and on your page are: PMS 343 Green (RGB Values: 00-86-63 / Hex Values: 00563F), PMS 123 Yellow (RGB Values: 233-175-43 / Hex Values: E9AF2F).
- Each department is allowed one account on each social media platform. No double accounts on the same platform.
- Make sure the university logo is displayed on your social media posts like flyers and posters.
- The use of the university's logos must be limited to official university business. Guidelines have been set up for the use of the university logo. Users should be aware of these standards.
- The university account will post and share content that is branded properly.
- View the Branded Assets on our website.
Use of the Fitchburg State Falcon artwork is reserved for the Athletics Department and is not for general use. For further questions, contact Matthew Burke, Director of Athletics at 978.665.3313, or mburke43@fitchburgstate.edu.
Posting Recommendations
- If you are hosting a social media giveaway or challenge please make it a rule of the contest or challenge to follow the main Fitchburg State account on the platform where the contest is happening on.
- While it's fine to have QR codes on your posts, it is best practice to have more room for visuals and not include QR codes. Providing a link in your caption for students to visit the link in your bio would be best. The link in your bio is more user friendly than screenshotting QR codes.
- Post departmental content and share university wide content from the main university accounts.
- When posting content that you would like shared on one of the university social media platforms, notify the Marketing team via email at fsumarketing@fitchburgstate.edu to share or repost your post.
- Be sure to tag the university main accounts so we see your post.
- If you are posting graphics they must be branded with the university logo and colors.
- Do not refer to the university as FSU, spell it out.
- Keep your page active!
- Showcase the Fitchburg State brand in all your social posts.
- The best way to showcase content is photography: Capture your students, faculty, events, and programs with the use of visuals, i.e. pictures and videos.
- If you need assistance with photography or video please complete the marketing request form for photography or video assistance on the Marketing and Integrated Communications page.
- Be sure to check what you are posting and ensure that nothing is offensive or inappropriate. When using logos and branded items on your social pages be sure to review our Branded Assets.
- Be sure to post content that reflects the Fitchburg State brand in a positive light, and showcase the people of our university, students, faculty, alumni, and staff.
- Each social media account should be shared with Caroline Lanni clanni1@fitchburgstate.edu as an assistant admin to the account so that we can collaborate.
- In addition to adding Caroline, we recommend that you add someone else on your team/department as a backup.
Tips on engaging with your audience
- Do not address negative comments. Hide comments and do not delete them; sometimes deleting comments makes things worse.
- Always be sure to screenshot and save a dangerous or negative comment that may cause other issues in the future.
- Notify Marketing at fsumarketing@fitchburgstate.edu;immediately if you have any concerns about posts or comments on your account if a bad situation arises.
- Negative comments that could have a major impact should be reported on that social platform. Issues that arise need to be addressed and sent to the student affairs office or email studentconduct@fitchburgstate.edu.
- If you have concerns about how a post will be perceived, do not post it. If you think it might be looked at wrong or someone could get offended by it then simply do not post it. It’s best practice to have more than one set of eyes reviewing content before posting.
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Fitchburg State University reserves the right to review, edit and/or delete any postings that it deems inappropriate on university run social media pages. These include:
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Abusive or hurtful comments
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Off-topic of redundant comments
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Comments that use foul language or “hate speech”
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Personal attacks or defamatory statements or comments
- Comments that violate the privacy of our campus community members
Types of compelling content
- Stories of our Falcons, whether alumni, a current student, or a prospective student sharing their story as a Falcon helps to tell our story to prospective students.
- Highlight achievements: Faculty, students, or alumni!
- Connecting Fitchburg State to the community: Showcasing our partnerships with other businesses or places.
- Enroll in Google Alerts: Share any positive content that pertains to Fitchburg State.
- Post events for our community.
- Share other department’s posts or the main Fitchburg State posts to your own department account.
- Using hashtags on your posts: #fitchburgstate #fitchburgfalcons
Follow Our Social Media
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