Social Media Guide

Content

• Prioritize Camosun-created content over external parties (for example, if a news release is posted on the Media Centre and then picked up by local media, post the original news release rather than media’s story).
• There are no shortage of events happening around campus, and social media can boost awareness and attendance at events.
• Everybody loves photos of people and the Camosun campuses regardless of platform. Try to pair your messaging with photos of real students, staff and campus landmarks. Only use stock images as an absolute last resort and be prepared to defend them when challenged.

Voice

• Social media is a conversation. Be friendly, casual and enthusiastic. Formal English is not necessary.
• Check for errors and typos. If you get caught out, apologize and fix the error.
• But also remember that Camosun is an educational institution – improper grammar and mistakes run the risk of embarrassing us.
• Tailor the voice for each platform. Posts on Instagram, where the audience is a younger demographic, may be more fun and laidback than posts on LinkedIn, where the audience is more professional.
• Engagement is encouraged. Respond to positive comments on all platforms, and at the very least like a comment to acknowledge that the commenter has been heard. Negative and critical comments are common on social media. The Communications Office responds to negative comments if the situation calls for it. Refrain from deleting negative comments, unless they are derogatory or harmful.

Threats of Violence

• Threats of violence are taken seriously. Your safety and that of the college community is paramount. Threats can be made privately through direct messages or publicly in the comment section.
• In the event of a real or perceived threat immediately email osiasd@camosun.ca, corwint@camosun.ca and macdonalds1@camosun.ca with Protection Services. Please also notify the Communications and Marketing department by email porterr@camosun.ca.
• Please do not respond but preserve as much information, such screenshots, as possible in the event of an investigation. Don’t delete anything that may need to be used as evidence and treat the incident as confidential.

Images & Video

• Social media posts with images or video have more engagement and reach than posts without images (even on LinkedIn). Ensure that all posts have an accompanying image or video.
• The first choice is to use images of real students and staff in all marketing materials.
• Where possible, use images that belong to Camosun from Flickr with "Photo credit: Camosun College" (especially on Instagram).
• Smartphone photos and videos are cool, too. No need to credit anyone if you or a colleague took the photo. Follow basic rules of photography (don’t cut off people’s heads, make sure they aren’t blurry, etc) and remember to let people know what you’re doing.
  • People love to see real people on social media. On most occasions, it is acceptable to take photos of students and staff for social media usage. Be sure to get their verbal consent before taking photos and be clear that their image will be used on Camosun’s social media. If they hesitate or refuse, respect their wishes.
• Purchasing stock photos is an option. Graphics Services uses Getty Images as its stock photo supplier. Each stock photo ordered through Graphics is $20, to be charged back to your cost centre. More information is available through Graphic Services.
  • Stock photos don’t engage our audience as well as authentic Camosun photos. A mediocre campus shot from your phone will perform better than a slick stock photo.
• Never “grab” photos off the internet and post them on any Camosun-affiliated social media account. Most photos found online, especially if they come up in Google Image searches, are copyrighted material.

Promotional Graphics

• Use only properly sized JPG or PNG images for events. Never post PDFs of posters or flyers, and especially don’t ever try to post a Word document.
• Incorporate social media into your event promotion strategy and include social media graphics on the initial request to Camosun Graphics. Ask for JPG and PNG files properly sized for social media:
  • Facebook: 1200px x 630px
  • Facebook event: 1920px x 1080px
  • Twitter: 1024px x 512px
  • Instagram: 1080px x 1080px (standard); portrait: 1080px x 1350px; landscape: 1080px by 566px (aspect ratio 1.91:1)
  • LinkedIn: 1104px x 736px (note: images sized for Facebook work just fine on LinkedIn)
  • When time or resources are tight, the general standard of 1200px x 630px(aspect ratio 1.91:1) will work just fine across all platforms, with little chance of pixelating or stretching.
  • Social media sizes are constantly evolving! We use this Sprout Social guide to stay up to date.
  • For social media ad specs, please contact the Communications Office.

Crowdsourcing Content

• Students often organize and promote their own events on campus, and they create graphics for the events. We have some responsibility to support students and their projects on Camosun social media accounts, albeit with the following caveats:
  • The college has the right to refuse to share student-created graphics at our discretion.
  • Students are asked to use the Camosun Student-Produced icon on their materials. Student-created graphics should never use the Camosun logo, to differentiate them from official college promo materials.
• It’s appropriate to share photos that students or staff post on social media, and this kind of crowdsourced content is engaging and interesting for our audiences. Always ask permission (sending a direct message is better than posting a comment) before sharing.
• Reposting content from other Camosun-affiliated accounts is a great boost. Use a repost app and be sure to link to and credit the source.

Please email social@camosun.ca if you have questions.