Introduction
Representing the HPU brand
Before You Get Started
Questions to Ask Prior to Creating a
HPU Social Media Account
Social Media Platforms & The Required
Posting Frequency
Helpful Hints
Expectations
Related Appropriate Use Guidelines
With the regular usage of social media in today’s society, it is important that employees who use social media, are aware of High Point University’s expectations regarding social media engagement.
We invite HPU faculty, staff and students who are considering establishing or have already started a social media site as a university representative to contact the social media team in the Office of Communications for advice and support, as appropriate The office can help you to establish your goals, build a social media plan, learn about do’s and don’ts, select the appropriate social media tool to support your goals, promote your site, and otherwise navigate through the process of establishing and maintaining a social media presence
KayleeBillings AssistantVicePresident ofEnrollmentMarketing
kbrown5@highpointedu 336-841-9784
Director of Social Media Strategy
hgrove1@highpoint.edu 336-841-9431
HaileyGrove
If you are representing your High Point University department, group, organization or activity, you are representing your own professional reputation as well as the university’s Even on your personal site, if you indicate that you are a High Point University faculty, staff member or student, visitors to the site may perceive that you are speaking for your department or the university; since you are invoking your professional affiliation with HPU, it may be hard to contend otherwise if you are not explicit about that fact.
If you oversee an HPU brand account, it’s important to recognize that your account speaks to the perception of the larger university brand and should aim to tell the HPU story through the lens of promoting your department or organization. Participating in social media to take part in trends or short-lived movements, should not be the motivation for creating and managing an account. If it does a post does not speak to who you are as a department or organization, it may be deemed inappropriate. Avoid sharing content that would be considered personal and non-department related Instead, the account should focus on students and how the organization benefits students.
Prior to creating a social media site, be sure to visit the Office of Communications website to complete the High Point University Social Media Request form.
The Social Media Specialist will set up a meeting with you to discuss your needs and decide which platform best suits your department’s request. Accounts made for High Point University MUST be created after approval and under the instruction of the HPU Social Media Team
If the social media presence will be for departmental purposes, identify the faculty, staff member, or student who will manage the site. Assign and train at least one backup who is familiar with the communications goals you have set for the site.
Be prepared to share your overall goals and purpose with having a social media account. Not all organizations need every type of account to further promote their area, and this will ultimately be at the discretion of HPU’s social media team.
What social media, if any, has already been established by colleagues or the University for this purpose?
What do you hope to accomplish with this social media presence?
What communications goals will the social media help you accomplish that other media, such as a website, couldn’t? Who is your social media audience? What content do you want to have contributed on a regular basis to the social site? Who will be updating content on this social media presence?
Study various social media sites to answer the question: Which of the social media platforms available to you will best help you fulfill your goals for reaching your key audiences in an efficient way? ** Must be pre-approved to qualify for a TikTok account
Instagramisavisual-centricsocialmediaplatformwhereuserssharephotosandvideoswith theirfollowers,placingemphasisoncreativityandaestheticpresentation Instagramisthe mostpopularsocialmediaplatformamongstourstudents
Departments
Facebookpagesenablepublicfigures,businesses,organizationsandotherentitiestocreate anauthenticandpublicpresenceonFacebook.Facebookpagesarevisibletoanyoneon Facebookbydefault Instagramisthemostpopularsocialmediaplatformamongstour parentsandfamilies
Departments
LinkedInisaprofessionalnetworkingplatformdesignedforcareerdevelopment,networking, andindustry-relatedcontent LinkedInisahubforcareer-focusedinteractionsandindustry insights,makingitpopularamongstourcurrentstudents,alumni,andprofessionalfriendsof HighPointUniversity.
RequiredPostFrequency
nowrefferedtoasX,isanonlinesocialnetworkingandmicro-bloggingservicethat enablesuserstosendandread140charactertextmessages WhileTwitterisstillbeingused theplatformisslowlyphazingout.Wedon’tusuallyrecommend atwitteraccount.
RequiredPostFrequency
TikTokisavideo-sharingsocialmediaplatformwhereuserscreateandshareshort-form videos,oftenshowcasingtalents,creativity,andhumor Itsaudiencespansawiderangeof demographics,withastrongpresenceamongyoungerusers,particularlyGenZ(under25). TikTok'salgorithmpromotesviralcontentandtrends,fosteringacommunityknownforits innovativeandengagingvideocontent.
DuetothehighdemandforcontentonTikTokandthefrequencyofdailyposts,any university-affiliatedgroupmustobtainpre-approvaltocreateaTikTokaccount.Failureto obtainpre-approvelfromtheHPUOfficeofCommunicationsbeforecreatinganaccountput theaccountinimmediateviolationandtheOfficeofCommunicationsreservestherightto removetheaccount.TheOfficeofCommunicationsalsoreservestherighttodenytheinitial creationofaTikTokatourdescretion
NoHPUsocialaccountshouldhaveasingleadmin Thismakessurethat youhavecoveragewhensomeoneisawayorhasleftHPU BesuretoselectaprofileimagethatmeetsHighPointUniversitybrand standards.Pleasecontactcommunication@highpoint.eduifyouneed assistancecreatinganappropriateprofilepictureorcoverphoto. Sticktotherequiredpostfrequencytoensureconsistency. Useofficialhashtagspromotedbytheuniversity,suchas#HPU365. MakesuretohavesharedbothusernameandpasswordwiththeOffice ofCommunicationsSocialMediaTeam
Beprofessionalandrespectfulalways. Anythingyoupostonasocialmediasitein yourroleasaHighPointUniversityfacultyor staffmemberreflectsonyouandthe University Assuch,beprofessionaland deliberatewithyourcomments Beactive,timelyandresponsive.
Socialmediarequiresdiligentattentionto remainengaging.Scheduletimetocheckyour site(s)atleastonceadayduringthework weekandplantopostfreshcontentseveral timeseachweek.
Interactwithyourcommunity. Domorethanjustsharenews Commenton interestingpostsandencouragerelated dialogues
Separatepersonalfromprofessional. Contentthatyoumightshareonapersonal mediasitemaynotbeappropriateforsharing onanofficialHPUsite.Giventheavailabilityof informationonline,considerhowyourpersonal sitemightleadtoyoubeingperceivedinyour roleasafacultyorstaffmember.
BePrepared.
Bepreparedtorespondtonegativecomments inaprofessionalmannerbyproviding informationthatmaybehelpfulinclarifying theissue.Removecommentsthatareprofane, thatattackanyindividualorgroupbynameor otherclearlyidentifyingcharacteristicsand thatareobviouslyadvertisingorspam.
DonotuseUniversityresourcestodefame,harass,intimidateorthreatenanyotherperson(s), ortopromotebigotryordiscrimination
Donotpublish,post,transmitorotherwisemakeavailablecontentthatiscopyrighted, obsceneorlegallyobjectionable
Donotviolatecopyrightlaws.ThisincludesusingHighPointUniversitycomputingfacilities andresourcestoreceive,retransmit,duplicate,destroyortamperwithsoftwareordata, whetherstoredortransmitted,unlessauthorizedbycopyright,license,Universitypolicyand allotherapplicablelaws.
DonotuseHighPointUniversitysocialmediaplatformsforcommercialorpolitical purposes
DonotuseHighPointUniversitysocialmediaplatformsforfundraisingactivitiesnotendorsed bytheUniversity.
By signing below, you acknowledge that you have reviewed the guidelines and agree to uphold the integrity of the High Point University brand.
Due to the rapidly changing nature of social media, you also acknowledge that the university’s primary social media team, housed in the Office of Communications has the right to at any point and for any reason suspend any university affiliated account.
Please Sign
Date: Signature of Employee
Signature of area VP, Dean or Advisor