Social media engages with our community and shares the impact of an Arts and Sciences education. Social Media Policy.
Creating Your Account
Registering Accounts
Registration is required before launching a social media account with university content. Authorization for an Arts and Sciences department account must come from Arts and Sciences Communications and Technical Solutions (CaTS).
A department manager (DM) should be provided log-in access to serve as a backup when needed. Log in information should be stored for use. Please note that your department may have additional standards and requirements.
Social Handles
Your department’s profile name should be search-friendly and follow the naming convention of “uky” or “uk” followed directly by your department name. Underscores and dashes can be used in between but only if “uky” or “uk” followed directly by your department name isn’t available.
Profile Images
Your profile image should be simple, clear, and recognizable. The Adobe Express templates below should be used for profile images (unless a unique logo has been created).
Templates (Link and Button)
Managing Your Account
Scheduling Posts
Scheduling your content and understanding your audience through analytics can be done through the Meta Business Suite. The Business Suite is Facebook and Instagram’s management tool and is free to use. Meta keeps updated guides on the Business Suite and we recommend starting there.
Accessibility
Developing accessible content is the biggest method we have for ensuring access. Below are techniques for creating content for all users:
- #CamelCase your hashtags so that assistive technology can interpret each word.
- Add alternative (alt) text and captions.
- Add captions to videos but remember to edit, especially auto-generated captions from Instagram.
- Shorten URLs and remove “www.” and “https://”
- Avoid replacing words with emojis.
- When designing graphics, check color contrast, keep text minimal, and consider legibility and readability.
Best Practices
Audience: Your audience on Facebook is the most diverse of all social media platforms. Followers will be of any age and any gender, race, or ethnicity. Data shows that the most active age group of Facebook users is 25–34 years old.
Posting frequency: One to two posts per week is suggested. Posting regularly ensures that you are appearing in followers’ timelines. Lack of posting drives your pages’ presence within the algorithm down. Avoid posting multiple times a day to avoid competition among posts.
Community management: Respond to all relevant/non-spam direct messages, comments, or tags within a 24-hour period during the work week.
Best Practices:
- Avoid text-heavy graphics.
- Keep your text as short as possible. Posts between 40 and 80 characters perform best.
- Utilize your website, and link to it if needed; however, posts without a link will generally reach more people.
- When sharing university-wide updates or information, share the post made by the original source instead of creating a competing post.
Audience: Instagram's user base tends to be younger, with the most active users aged 18–34. The platform leans toward visual storytelling, and followers appreciate aesthetically pleasing, cohesive content.
Posting frequency: Aim for 2 posts per week. Consistency is key, but quality over quantity should be your focus. Maintain a regular posting schedule to keep your audience engaged.
Community management: Engage with followers by responding to relevant comments, direct messages, and tags within 24 hours during the work week. This interaction helps build a stronger connection with your audience and increases engagement rates.
Best Practices:
- Use high-quality, visually appealing images and videos.
- Write concise captions that capture attention quickly. Posts with captions under 125 characters tend to perform better.
- Utilize hashtags (up to 5) strategically to improve discoverability.
- Incorporate interactive elements like polls, quizzes, or questions to boost engagement.
Stories (Instagram / Facebook)
Audience: Both platforms cater to a wide range of demographics, but Stories generally attract a younger audience, aged 18–34. These followers appreciate quick, engaging, and ephemeral content.
Posting frequency: Post multiple times per day, but aim for no more than 5 Stories to avoid overwhelming your audience. Stories allow for more frequent posting without the concern of cluttering timelines.
Community management: Respond promptly to any direct messages, replies, or questions from Stories. Interactivity is crucial, so make use of features like polls, questions, and stickers to encourage engagement.
Best Practices:
- Use bold visuals, short text, and stickers and GIFS (use #ukartsci to find Arts and Sciences GIFs!)
- Ensure content is vertical and formatted correctly (9:16 ratio).
- Include clear calls to action (e.g., with a button sticker, "Tap here").
- Share behind-the-scenes content or quick updates that feel authentic.
Audience: LinkedIn's user base consists mainly of professionals, with the most active age group being 25–34 years old. Your audience here will likely be more interested in industry insights, educational content, and professional achievements.
Posting frequency: Aim for 1–2 posts per week. Consistency is important, but the focus should be on delivering valuable, high-quality content. Avoid posting multiple times a day, as LinkedIn’s algorithm favors less frequent, more impactful posts.
Community management: Respond to comments, messages, and any tags within 24–48 hours during the work week. Engaging with your audience promptly fosters a sense of professionalism and helps build valuable connections.
Best Practices:
- Use professional, high-quality images or graphics.
- Keep text concise, but feel free to expand on topics that showcase expertise—200-250 words is a good length for LinkedIn.
- Include links to your website, articles, or other resources, but make sure they provide value to your audience.
- When sharing organizational updates, tag relevant departments or Colleges to increase reach and engagement.
X (formerly Twitter)
Audience: X's audience skews slightly younger, with the most active users between 18–29 years old. The platform is ideal for real-time updates, trending topics, and quick engagement.
Posting frequency: Aim for 1–2 tweets per week.
Community management: Monitor mentions, direct messages, and relevant hashtags throughout the day. Respond within 24 hours during the work week to maintain engagement and visibility.
Best Practices:
- Keep tweets concise, aiming for 100 characters or less.
- Use visuals like images, GIFs, or videos to increase tweet visibility and interaction.
- Incorporate relevant hashtags (1–3 per tweet) to expand reach.
- Engage with trending topics and university-wide conversations by retweeting or quoting.