Transcription
LEE UNIVERSITYSOCIAL MEDIAP L AY B O O K
SECTION00Letter & Table of ContentsINTRODUCTIONTA B L E O F C O N T E N T SSocial media is one of the greatest tools we can utilize at LeeSection 01Brand Identity,Audience,& Messaging01Section 02Content& Engagement04Section 03Channels07Section 04Influencers13Section 05Ads & Analytics15Section 06Events16University to share what God is doing on campus with the rest ofthe world. We view this tool as an important part of our overallcommunication strategy, and want you to be successful on yoursocial media channels as well.Lee University is here to be your guide, and this playbookwill help equip your team to implement social media in yourdepartment. We will place emphasis on curating phenomenalcontent with a devotion to listening and engaging youraudience.Please do not feel overwhelmed as you read the playbook, everyelement is part of a best-case scenario. Start with what can bedone, and done well, to engage your audience. Do not start witheverything if your team cannot keep up with consistent postingand engagement. Over time, you will see what your audienceresponds to and you can narrow your focus to best reach them.Together we can make huge strides in the realm of social mediafor Lee University as a whole, connect with people who weconsider family, and share the love of Jesus with the world.
SECTION01Brand Identity, Audience, & MessagingHere are the passion points and messaging phrases that align with Lee University,and should be viewed as guiding language to posting on social media.Brand PositioningStatementLee University provides a lifelong familycentered on Christ.ValueCommunication PointsLee University delivers better value through:Help lead people to: Excellence Come to Lee University Support Send their student to Lee University Family Sign up for Lee Day Participate in Summer Honors Participate in other camps or preview programs Enroll in online classes Enroll in Graduate program Schedule a visitCause / ObjectiveKey MessagesThe why behind Lee UniversityTaglines, phrases, or words you should use verbatim:Lee University wants to ignite your passion, give you the Ignite your passion Donatesteps to reach your goals, and walk alongside you on the Igniting transformational faith See the value of a Lee University educationjourney. Let the Lee family ignite your passion The most energized campus in AmericaThink through additional tangible ways people can get America’s most energizing Christian universityinvolved!Personality Expect something greatThe characteristics or qualities that form your identity See the value Largest Church of God university in the worldLee University is a welcoming, energized, passionate familythat strives for excellence and to see beauty in all.This is just a starter list that you can continue adding to foryour specific department / audience / goals1
SECTION01AudiencesBrand Identity, Audience, & MessagingThe most important aspect for them is having a faith-basedlooking to complete a degree later in life. They are onlinecollege experience.students that spend a lot of time on the computer. They areThe following audiences have been identified by Lee Universityas the current and prospective demographics we want to reach.You may find that your department identifies immediatelywith a couple of these audiences, but there may be othersthat don’t line up with what you offer and your goals. This isconcerned with being able to have a hands-on approach andLee Proud: Typically, 17-23 year olds (graduate student ageshave quick access to faculty even though they are remote.vary) who are current Lee students. They are influencersThey want to feel a part of the Lee community and to have aof applicants and potential students who have yet to apply,Christ-centered experience.perfectly normal! Focus on the audiences that you do need toand they are involved in many aspects of college life. Theyreach and consider pursuing content that reaches the otherare the ones in all the clubs, athletics, campus leadership,Faculty / Staff: These people vary in age and involvementaudiences in the future. You will find everyone in the audiencesetc. They are the school “mascots.”in the Lee University community. They are often formerstudents who loved their experience at Lee or they heardbelow represented on all social channels, with focus needed onInstagram (primary), Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.Parents: Usually between 40 and 60 years old, parentsgreat things about the Lee family and wanted to work there.want to know that their children, prospective or currentThe faculty / staff are often an enthused audience thatSmall Town: 17-18 year olds living in small town Americastudents, are well taken care of, given every opportunitymake the Lee experience better for current students, whilelooking to attend a smaller school. They want a feeling ofpossible, and are highly valued. They find assurancealso inspiring prospective students to want to partake infamily and need the security of a smaller school. They arethrough information, good value for their dollar, and seeingwhat the school offers.often terrified to leave home and have not traveled much.their student happy.Some of these people may come from homeschool or smallChristian school backgrounds.Location Target: You will find Lee students from mostOnlookers: The greater Cleveland and Tennesseestates and many countries, but the majority come fromcommunity. They may have heard of Lee, but are notsouthern and midwest states, including: Tennessee,Not Sure About College: 17-20 year olds who do notfamiliar with all of the programs offered at Lee and theGeorgia, Ohio, Alabama, Kentucky, Florida, South Carolina,consider themselves scholars and struggled through highgreat education it provides. They believe Lee is a “music”North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, andschool. They are probably the first in their families to attendschool. These people would love to see how Lee students areIndiana. With an emphasis on proximity, we place acollege. They may even be frightened, not ready to leaveserving or learning from those in the community.primary focus on current and potential students withinhome, and not sure if they can do the college thing. They arelooking for support and a simple process.50 miles of the Greater Chattanooga area, and then moveRich Heritage: Lee alumni in their late 20’s to late 50’s whobeyond the 50 mile radius to reach a broader audience.are proud of their Lee experience. They are interested inLooking for Meaning: 17-22 year olds who want tonews and updates, and ways to get involved (like speakingDenomination Target: As the largest COG liberal artsserve. They want a degree, but more than that they wantin classes, mentoring students, providing internshiphigher education in the world, Church of God congregationsmeaningful opportunities. They believe in a higher callingplacements, etc.)are a huge audience. Beyond the COG demographic,for their lives and they want a college that cares about this.we want to reach people who identify as Christian andNon-Traditional Student: Typically, in their mid 30’sPentecostal.2
SECTIONTONE01Brand Identity, Audience, & MessagingTone serves as a lens for content posting. These specificthat since you are a smaller school, it gives each student a better chance to participatetones are carefully chosen and meant to help create alignedin a myriad of extraordinary experiences. Be sure to uphold excellence in all you do,language, thoughts, and feelings that lead people to action.the details matter. Show the fun that students have, the enthusiastic worship, brilliantThese are things you need to be careful to convey not merelymusicians, club activities, and dynamic campus life.with what you say, but how it’s said.VOICEChristlikeWith a Christ-centered campus, faith must be an essential element youconvey. Worship and chapel services are a central component of the strengthening offaith on campus, this expression of faith must be displayed. Be intentional to celebratefaith outside of large gatherings, including events like student Bible study groups,the work of student Resident Chaplains in each hall, mission trips, and more! YouYour voice is your style, your point of view, your personality. Becareful to make sure it’s in fact your voice! Voice serves as theanchor for content posting, to help create an aligned tone andlanguage, leading people to action.Avoid some of these common mistakes:are caring, compassionate, and welcoming, while also offering a transformationalexperience. The idea of “welcome” stems from the biblical concept of hospitality, whichinvites any and all in, while maintaining an absolute truth, giving objective moralityYour content has no voiceSounds staunch, corporate, or robotic. Be true to your north star.based on the teaching of Jesus Christ.SupportiveLee thrives on a culture of family with a well organized support systemto help students succeed. Show faculty spending time with students inside and outsideCopying another brand’s voiceNot authentic. Be genuine.of the classroom, like when they host dinners at their home. Show students gettinginvolved for a greater cause through clubs and other groups in the Lee community.Highlight the athletic teams working together to reach goals and to overcome obstacles.Also, the academic support system is extensive and has been established to help anySpelling and grammar take a backseatLooks/sounds uneducated. Reread content before scheduling or posting.student succeed, no matter their background.ExcellenceLee strives for excellence, so it’s important to keep that spirit in mindwhen you implement content on social media. Along with valuing grammar andInconsistency in voice across platformsCreates noise which is your enemy. Be consistent.content presentation, celebrate your students’ successes! Share content about currentstudents doing things like presenting research and competing in different disciplinesand arenas. Share the global experiences of students and faculty, including that eachstudent is required to do a cross-culture trip in order to graduate. Highlight the factToo much jargonHard to understand. Be clear and concise.3
SECTION02LEE UNIVERSITYSOCIAL MEDIAContent & EngagmentSocial Media Goals Grow your audienceLee University is a dynamic family that Expand brand awarenessempowers students to achieve academic Add and retain students!excellence through personal connection.How do you sum up all of this withoutlimiting the scope, relationships, orcreativity in social media content creationand engagement?Without a guide in the process, it would bechaotic and disjointed. Lee University is hereto be your guide! This playbook will helpyou identify the problem your audience isfacing, the problem that you have an answerto. Once you know what you audience needs,you can align messaging, voice, and socialplatforms usage to reach your people. Wewant you to feel empowered to take chargeand get your message out to the world.Game PlanYou are one team with three roles: Content Strategy, Creation, and Engagement. Theseroles work together so that what is resonating with people is taken into consideration whenstrategizing and creating. If you have a small team, you may play multiple roles, which is okay!Do the best you can with the resources at your disposal.Content Strategy focuses on messaging to make sure that you are aligned with keywords,phrases, tone, and voice throughout all communication.Creation needs to be intentional. It cannot be over emphasized that compelling contentgenerates engagement. Think of the content you create as a conversational bridge betweenyou and a potential family, make it compelling, original, and worth stopping for.Engagement on the other hand is relational, receptive, and responsive. This meansresponding to every comment or post, liking and sharing, thanking people for following,noticing something interesting about their bio, a post, or a blog. In the case of undesirableor unfavorable posts, respond positively without affirming anything negative or inaccurateso you can maintain relationships. You can also hide or delete certain posts if they aredamaging and need to be dealt with privately or even ignored.Remember, we have two ears and one mouth — so listen twice as much as you speak.4
SECTION02WEEKLY GUIDEFor general posting on Lee University Channels:3 / week, 10 - 20 stories / weekUtilize the same stories on Facebook and Instagram!Content & EngagmentANOMALIES AND SOCIALMEDIA EXCEPTIONSQ:What about during events or other special campaigns?A:All bets are off leading up to and during potentially high brand awarenessopportunities. Post rates can (and should) increase dramatically.4 - 6 / week, 10 - 20 stories / week20 - 24 / weekTweets can be duplicated to reach this suggested quota!Q:What about posting for each department on their internal channels?A:Depending on your audience and messaging objectives, you should followthese guidelines as a baseline for posting. Though we don’t recommendposting more than the suggested guidelines on a regular basis, posting lesswhile you figure out your channels is perfectly fine!3 / week5
SECTION02Content & EngagmentCONTENT STRATEGYBY gs, articles, stories, videos,things about your brand,“come to our thing” oretc. that educate and inspireevents, and personalities“give us your money” or “give us your time”70%thumbs upthings thatcontent that, on thecontent thatwill raise somesurface, would get peoplepeople will love!20%eyebrows or catchtheir attention10%riled up, but its purposeis to open difficultconverstations6
SECTION03What channels would be mostvaluable to your audience?DO: Start with what can be done - and done well to engageyour audienceDON’T: Start with everything, if your team cannot keep upDO: “Claim your real estate” as a brand in the nationalChannels: The BasicsTwitter: @LeeUHow much capacity does your team have? Which channels(ex: @LeeUAlumni)are your audience already on? Which channels impactsearch engine optimization the most?YouTube: @LeeUniversity(ex: LeeUniversitySingers)If the required handle is not available, please connect with Lee UniversityMedia Services team to brainstorm the best handle to choose.marketDON’T: Let channels sit entirely dormant, even if you arenot currently building themWhat channels should you use?Primary: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTubeWorth Possibly Exploring: Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedInWhat channels should your specificdepartment use?Lee University account. Here are the required handles:Facebook: @LeeUniversity(ex: @LeeUniversityAdmissions)Instagram: @LeeUniversity(ex: @LeeUniversityFlames)which social media channels will best serve your audience.It is also normal to have different audiences you are tryingto reach (i.e. current students, prospective students, currentparents, prospective parents, etc.). Ask yourself theseEach organization is unique, making the setup of socialquestions: Who is your target? How old are they? Whatmedia channels unique. Based on team capacity and eachcharacteristics should be identified?situation, you need to carefully evaluate which channelsyou can leverage effectively and which channels yourWhat handle should you use?platforms to better help our audiences identify an officialFor each social media channel, audiences responddifferently. This is important to understand when choosingspecific audience is on.It is vital that we maintain brand consistency across allAudience dictates channelsHow many channels should yourschool use?Content is determined by audienceIdentifying your audience is the first step to identifyingyour content. What you communicate will be based on whoyou are talking to. Within your school, this is important tounderstand. Are you focusing on the broad audience? AreWith an organization of this size and breadth of messaging,you targeting a specific segment of your audience?it is vital that you are empowered within your specificdepartment to reach the audience(s) important to you,while also maintaining a powerful brand voice for theschool as a whole. Use questions to funnel your decision onhow to implement the recommended strategy; for example,7
SECTION03Channels: General Content GuidelinesEngage: Like, comment, and thank people for followingthan 2, Instagram up to 30 added to the first comment onSpam: You can (and should) delete spam posts and hideor sharing to show your audience that you are payingyour post)posts that are not helpful for your larger audience. Use yourjudgment to determine whether a particular unnecessaryattention to them. Comment and tag their name on eachpost, even if their post did not involve a question. ThisVisuals: High quality photo and video are necessary forpost is spam vs. unhelpful. Also be sure to consider theincreases conversation. Show your audience that you seeengagement. Share images of your school in action, events,source of third party content you’re sharing before youthem, hear them, and that they have a place with you.classes, community involvement, etc. Be consistent with theshare it. Block inappropriate followers.level of quality you start with. Go back to the Tone and VoiceCustomer Service: Do not ignore messages. Social mediasection to visually represent these things consistently.PR: No news will be assumed to be bad news if anyquestions could be lingering. Don’t be afraid of it. Stayis a platform to leverage a welcoming experience, just likeyou offer in your department. Respond within 12-24 hoursTest: In the initial phases of implementation, do not bepositive! Kindly and confidently state your positive positionto leave the best impression possible. Someone who had ascared to test your posts. Try to think about creative ideasanytime your reputation could be in question.negative experience may end up being one of your biggeston how you can talk to your audience. This includes voice,advocates when you quickly and compassionately remedyvisuals, links, videos, etc.Unique Links: Do not overuse or use links often. Links onFacebook in particular will diminish your organic reach,the situation.Times: Make sure you are posting at strategic times basedand therefore engagement. Links do not work on Instagram,Consistency: Use consistent branding across channelson the day of the week, not just randomly. Utilize analyticsyou will need to say “link in bio” and set up a linktree(colors, logos, taglines, bios, links) that are provided by Leeto learn your demographics!account for your Instagram to hold multiple links. Whenyou do use links, try to use unique, trackable links forUniversity.Location Tagging: Include the location check-in andLength: Less is often more. You are fighting many othereffective tracking and more readily definable ROI.tagging of anyone you can on all posts.voices for attention and don’t have a second to waste. Clearlanguage is essential! Let your “fluff” and your “extra” comeLead Your Audience: If you are leading people to action,through with personality pieces - - stories, inspiration,make sure you are providing a link or steps on how youtestimony, and family component.want them to take action.Unique Hashtags: Strategically use unique hashtags in aStories: Call for stories or posts from students, parents,consistent manner to track your reach and engagement,alumni, and community members in your different maineven when someone doesn’t tag you. This is particularlytarget audiences previously identified. Gamification mayuseful for events or campaigns. Don’t use too many, andhelp with this!don’t use them all the time. (Facebook / Twitter no more8
SECTION03Channels: FacebookFacebookTips Engagement: This has always been crucial, butyou hope to reach. Avoid collage photos, multiple photosusing these words in your caption: share, comment,with the new algorithms, it is vital that your postsin one post (exception: event photo album), or oddlylike. Limit the use of links and text only captions to afoster engagement if you want them to be seen bysized photos.strategic posts a couple of times per month, if possible.Video: Facebook loves video content, especially,Links and text only posts (people love visuals) do notengagement by asking a question in your caption,Facebook Live (you can actually go over the suggestedperform well organically. It is okay, however, to putoffering a thought provoking statement, and goingweekly posting quota if you utilize Facebook Live!). For athe link in the caption after you’ve loaded a photo orbeyond just liking a comment or review to foster aproduced video, try to keep it less than two minutes, butvideo. Lastly, never share a post to your page, load it upconversation.for Facebook Live, the longer the video, the higher theorganically for best performance.Profile Cover Photo: The profile picture should alwaysengagement rates. Also, you do not need to announcebe your logo, if you don’t have a specific logo, choose athat you will be doing a Facebook Live on the same dayfollowers involved. Events can even be boosted directlyphoto that is easily recognizable since it will be smallas the video, it will take up one of your posts for thefrom this page.(make sure it’s high quality!). The cover photo needsweek unnecessarily. First impressions matter, so maketo be something that represents your department (orsure to pick an appealing cover photo.people without boosting every post. You can increase current campaign), minimal text, no logo, and high keep your “feature video” current and relevant, andthe profile and cover photo that links to your website socontinue creating “playlists.” People are more likely topeople have a clear CTA when they click on it.linger on your page if there is a playlist to keep themAbout: Keep your “About” tab filled in and full ofengaged. Make sure photo albums are organized wellinformation! On the home page, make sure that youand represent you professionally. Events: Add all of your events to the “Event” tab to keepFeature Video Playlists Albums: As you add videos,quality. Also, make sure to add a description to the bothhave a CTA set up so people know where to go (website, Caption: Facebook is a “browsing” platform, so createphone number, etc.)posts that are concise and can attract your audience’sPhotos: Incorporate real photos of people and faceseye in browsing mode. Tag people and brands wheneverinto your posts, and make sure they are high qualityyou can to increase reach. As a rule, do not create postsand formatted for Facebook (1:1 or 4:5). Base your photolong enough that people have to click “See More” tosubjects on your current audience and on the audienceread all of it unless it is exceptionally interesting. Avoid9
SECTION03Channels: TwitterTwitterTips Content: Curating your own content, utilize Characters: Less is often more. Be diligent to stick toencouraging quotes, stories, polls, and phrases toonly the characters that are needed to get your pointemphasize your brand goals. Twitter has a lot of noise,across. If you can say it well with fewer words, than youwhich can be hard to break though, but it is possibleknow you have a good grasp of your messaging.with more engaging posts and engagement from thebrand. You can also post the same tweet a couple oftimes in the same week / month. Avoid automaticsharing of content from Instagram/Facebook to Twitter.Even if you plan to use the same content, postingnatively to Twitter is best. Photos Video Graphics: Twitter is not an imagedriven platform, but if you want to use them make surethey are sized correctly and purposeful. Video or GIF(1:1) / Photo (2:1) / Graphic (2:1) Conversations: Quote and retweet more often toinclude endorsement and encourage conversation. Agreat place to start is by keeping an eye out for postsfrom Lee University and other department twitterfeeds, and then branch out to worldwide leaders andorganizations that you respect. Follow your Influencerswho hold a strategic voice on Twitter, and you havethe opportunity to utilize the reach of influencersall around the US and Internationally (this goes forstudents in your department that hold a lot of klout onsocial).10
SECTION03Channels: InstagramInstagramTips Profile: Connect your Instagram with your Facebookand purposeful. Instagram is not a words platform, itunder your caption to expose yourself to a broaderpage, and make it an Instagram Business profile. Useis driven by photo and beautiful visuals. It’s hard foraudience (make sure to post them immediately afteryour logo or an easily recognizable high quality imagepeople to focus on a lot of words, so keep it simple andposting your photo). Hashtags can change per post,for your profile picture. Keep your bio up to date,focused. Use the caption to say what you need to say.but there should be five to 30 you use consistently andPhoto Video: Size all photo / video to 4:5 or 1:1. Tryengage with others who use them. (Pro tip: create a notemultiple links you will use, utilize Linktr.ee to addto use only square or vertical posts. Don’t forget aboutto copy and paste when posting. Have five lines, eachthem all.your gallery when posting, make sure that your imagesbeginning with a period, followed by relevant hashtags.)Content: Engaging photos of people and facesaren’t cropped unintentionally and that you choose aperform the best on Instagram. So do whenever youcover for your video that is consistent with your chosencan incorporate people at an event, in the classroom,pattern or style. You cannot post a video longer thancommunity service, etc! This could also be a greatone minute in length.concise, and purposeful. Add a link, and if you have area for testimonies of people who have been changed Link: Best rule to follow, if it’s not clickable, it’s notby your department. Make sure that your posts arenecessary. Avoid websites on graphics, in captions,visually appealing, high quality, and uncluttered. Viewand on stories (less is more!). If you reference a websiteyour Instagram feed as a gallery to project a unifiedor link, make sure you put the link in your profile andand high quality visual. Adopt consistent filters andpoint your audience there in your post. Once you reachediting practices that fit your tone. You could even10k followers, you are allowed to do a swipe up inconsider using a pattern for your posts to help drive thestories, which is incredibly effective.type of content you need to create (plus, it looks great Hashtags: You should only use one hashtag in youraesthetically!). Use an app like Unum to plan aheadcaption, and only if it’s necessary like at an event orfor posting aesthetically pleasing photos. Lastly, avoidduring a campaign (i.e. #LeeDay). Using hashtags likereposting, either request the original photo or download#livebyfaith, #motivation, #happymonday, etc. areit and post organically so your grid stays on track.generic hashtags that should never be used in yourGraphics: Let your captions tell the story of yourcaption or they muddy the effectiveness of the caption.photo. Graphics with quotes / copy need to be limitedInstead, utilize all relevant hashtags in a comment11
SECTION03Channels: Instagram Stories & YouTubeInstagramStories Tips Content: Instagram Stories are great to test out with Instagram Live IGTV: When you go live on Facebook, Content: YouTube is a discovery channel, where usersshort videos and quick snapshots of behind the scenes,have another phone set up to experiment going live onwill search and continue watching relative videos.unscripted, everyday moments. Have fun with emojis,Instagram at the same time. When you have somethingBe consistent with how you caption your videos andgifs, polls, filters, etc. to show your unique personality.to post that is longer than one minute, experiment withplaylists so that you can easily be found in searches (beShare: Share stories that other people tag your brandposting to IGTV.as detailed as possible). Seek out testimonies to share,in, and take it a step further by sharing posts of peoplehow to’s, weekly devotionals, etc. People love real storiesyou respect and want to connect with. Make sure tothat make what you do tangible.tag them and minimize the tag so it’s not visible to the YouTubeTips Facebook Live: The easiest way to create consistentviewer.content with minimal production effort is to utilizePhoto Graphic Video: Create a version of whateveryour Facebook Live videos. Save every Facebook Liveyou want to post that fits the story size (16:9). Thebefore posting it, then load it up to YouTube in it’s ownmajority of the time these can be raw and unscripted,playlist.but try to use consistent editing (VSCO, Lightroom App,or filters within the Instagram app). You can also utilizethe Unfold App to help with consistency and styling. Highlights: Utilize highlights to save your favoritemoments to your page past 24 hours. You should loadup aesthetically pleasing cover photos for highlights aswell. Keep in mind that highlight cover photos are smalland hard to see, so they need to be easy to recognize. Engage: Engage with all the comments that peoplemake on your stories by hearting, then comment whenpossible. Connect with your current and potentialstudents, parents, faculty / staff, and community byfollowing their pages and engaging with their stories.12
SECTION04InfluencersGuidelines for Lee UniversityDepartments Groups:Lee University views multimedia, social networking1.Use common sense and do not create or post contentsites, blogs, and other online public forums as positivethat could potentially stir up dissensions or provokeopportunities to interact with the community, includingcontroversy in a manner that could call into question orcurrent & potential students, parents, and alumni. Socialhinder the reputation of Lee University with our currentmedia can describe any information that is posted to a& potential students, parents, alumni, local community,personal or
Lee University provides a lifelong family centered on Christ. Brand Positioning Statement Lee University wants to ignite your passion, give you the steps to reach your goals, and walk alongside you on the journey. Lee University is a welcoming, energized, passionate family that strives for excellence and to see beauty in all. Cause / Objective
