The following are guidelines for administrators who represent Cape Cod Community College (4Cs) through social media. They were developed by the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing, which oversees the College’s official social media presence and chairs 4Cs Social Media Users Group.
These guidelines provide tips for creating successful social media channels and for representing 4Cs in an appropriate, authentic, transparent, and secure way. They also include cautions about potential pitfalls.
This page is an ongoing project; guidelines will be revised or updated as new social media platforms emerge, best practices evolve, or new concerns arise.
If you are a 4Cs social media manager and you have a suggestion or question, please email jfonseca@vbj4.com.
Be Strategic.
Social media should be part of a broader communication strategy. Consider the following questions, ideally before you launch a new channel, but even when it is already established.
Listen.
Monitor the conversation on your channels—and beyond—to learn about your audiences’ likes, dislikes, attitudes, and social media behavior. Never "post and run," leaving the ensuing conversation unattended. Regularly check your channels for:
Think First.
How are others likely to react to the post? Remember that "delete" only goes so far on the Internet, so use good judgment before each post.
Remember that audience members may have varying reactions to a post that appears to be completely positive.
This doesn't mean that no news or topic that might draw potential disagreement can be posted. Rather, it means posting should be a considered activity, and social media administrators should be aware that monitoring and moderating a discussion may be needed.
Be Valuable.
Keep the page fresh, ideally posting multiple times per week, but not so frequently that you will fill up users' timelines. A channel that lies dormant can be worse than no channel at all. Good sources of content include:
Be Social.
Respond to inquiries and comments directed toward your channels wherever possible. Engagement is more effective than pushing out information. Proactive ways to engage an audience include:
Understand What Social Means.
The decision to create a channel that includes conversation should be made with the understanding that members of your audience may have differing, sometimes opposing, views. A site that deletes every negative post is not a social site. Establish ground rules, such as the community guidelines for 4Cs official Facebook page, for courteous and appropriate behavior on the page and abide by them:
But Don’t Overdo It.
As a social media administrator, you are simultaneously the host of your site and a guest at a larger gathering, so observe the social etiquette. Make your audience feel welcome at your site, provide refreshments (information/personality), but don't try too hard. As noted above, limit the number of regular posts.
Be Accurate.
Don't guess or speculate about the answer to a College-related question or share information related to 4Cs from unverified sources.
Be Timely.
Often the best-received content is carefully planned and well timed. What is your audience talking about? And when? Posts that capitalize on active, real conversations usually have higher engagement. The best social media practitioners also know the best times their audience is most active and likely to see posts on the various platforms.
Be Transparent.
No administrator should speak on behalf of Cape Cod Community College on College-wide issues without authorization, nor should an employee of one 4Cs department speak "for" another department. In addition, administrators should be clear about their affiliation with the College when answering questions or posting about 4Cs, even on external platforms.
Respect Confidentiality.
Sharing information on social media is public dissemination.
Safeguard Privacy.
Cybercrime is real.
Be Courteous and Respectful.
Remember that all posts on channels run by 4Cs departments reflect on the College. Ground rules for any site that hosts conversations should be clearly posted and followed. Even if a poster is being rude or annoying, the response on behalf of 4Cs should be courteous. Avoid appearing to endorse flame posts by others through retweets or other shares.
It is also important to be aware of the world around you. Do not post during times that would make you appear to be out of touch with current events and happenings.
Be Helpful.
Social media has created the expectation of a prompt response to inquiries or complaints.
Use Good Judgment.
Don't post or share anything that runs counter to or undermines the College's messages or integrity, or that could potentially hurt or embarrass 4Cs staff, students, alumni, or individuals and organizations beyond the College. Adhere to all College policies, and refrain from using information or conducting activities that may violate local, state, or federal laws and regulations, including infringement of copyright or intellectual property rights.
Evaluate.
Regular evaluations of your efforts should be carried out to improve content and strategy, as well as to learn more about your audience. Analyze engagement on popular posts, both positive and negative, look at what was successful and what did not meet expectations, and be willing to change strategies and come up with new ideas. Social media is a lot of trial and error. It is not a project, but an ongoing effort.
Your Social Team.
Based on the social media guidelines, it is clear that social media accounts need a good deal of attention by today’s common usage. Your department must have the resources and manpower to allocate to this endeavor.
Many College practitioners use students to aid in the process. While this may be necessary, avoid total reliance on the student body.
Crisis Communication.
In an event of any emergency on campus, we ask that all social media accounts affiliated with the College refrain from posting and direct followers to the official Cape Cod Community College accounts.
The following posts should be used on Facebook: “For updates on the current situation on campus, follow @CapeCodCommunityCollege. Thank you.”
The following posts should be used on Instagram: “For updates on the current situation on campus, follow @CapeCodCC. Thank you.”
The following posts should be used on Twitter: “For updates on the current situation on campus, follow @CapeCodComCol. Thank you.”
Those in charge of social media accounts at Cape Cod Community College should do the following:
In critical situations, social media managers who are a part of the Social Media Users Group will be alerted via email.
When you use social channels from an official 4Cs account, you are representing the 4Cs brand and the College. Here are some simple guidelines to do so in the best way possible.
It is important to stay consistent over time and across platforms. This will help your followers easily identify you over time. The use of the official 4Cs profile images provided to you also ensures that followers and potential new audiences know you represent an official 4Cs account.
