In our strategic approach to social media management, we seek to feature content from across the university on our primary social media accounts. This is beneficial for many reasons. First, it provides the largest audience for quality content. A fragmented approach yields less engagement and a narrow reach. Samford has a presence on seven social media platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), TikTok, Spotify and YouTube) with over 440,000 followers. This streamlined approach to social media is not only more impactful, but it is also more efficient. Social media management is a 24/7 job and limiting this responsibility to a designated group of colleagues allows for a more concentrated use of resources in this important area of marketing and communication.

The Office of Marketing and Communication has developed these account requirements to assist the Samford community in the safe, legal and effective use of social media and to protect users’ personal and professional reputations and the reputation of the university. Any social media accounts featuring the name Samford University or any of our schools, teams or programs are subject to the requirements outlined here. Existing accounts will be periodically reviewed to ensure that they adhere to these requirements. Inactive accounts, or accounts that do not adhere to these guidelines, will be closed.

Samford faculty and staff are encouraged to engage in professional social media conversations that support Samford’s reputation and brand. However, when engaging in social media, employees should not speak on behalf of the university. Consider indicating that your post represents your own personal views and not the opinions of the university. Further, consider adding “views expressed are my own” in your social media profile.

Because social media evolves constantly, the guidelines are subject to ongoing review and updates.

In addition to our flagship presence, these primary social media accounts officially represent the university. Primary accounts are created for an external marketing purpose, examples being social media accounts representing our academic schools, athletic teams, admissions and other areas of campus.

All social media accounts featuring the name Samford University or any of our schools, teams or programs (eg. Samford Brock School of Business, Greek Life, The Office of Spiritual Life, Student Government Association) must receive specific approval from the Office of Marketing and Communication. Employees requesting new accounts must demonstrate a significant need to communicate outside of the primary accounts and a sizeable audience. Requests for new accounts may be sent to the social media manager.

• A strategy meeting with the social media manager is required prior to creating a new account or transitioning the management of an existing account to another account manager.
• The university’s social media manager must have administrative access to all accounts, and therefore is the only position to create a new Samford account. If login information changes, the social media manager must be provided with updated credentials.
• All accounts must be linked to a designated administrative email account, rather than a personal one, if possible. (i.e.: samfordsocialmedia@samford.edu versus employeename@samford.edu).

• • The only exception to this requirement is LinkedIn. To open a LinkedIn business page, the platform requires you to use a personal profile; therefore, the social media manager must be assigned as an administrator on your page.
  • Even though there is an option on Facebook to create a page using a personal profile, please use a designated administrative email account rather than a personal one.
    • All officially recognized university Facebook accounts must be integrated into Samford’s Facebook Business Manager. If you manage an existing page that has not been integrated yet, contact the social media manager to set up a time to complete this process with the Digital Marketing team.

• All Samford University owned social media accounts must follow the approved account naming structure. The social media manager must approve any new social property and name before it is created to ensure the channel name fits in the naming structure and best describes your channel. Below are platform-specific guidelines.

• • On Facebook and LinkedIn, "Samford University" must be at the beginning of the page name (i.e.: Samford University School of the Arts).
  • On YouTube, "Samford" must be at the beginning of a channel page name.
  • On Instagram, X (Twitter) and TikTok, the handles must match (i.e.: @samfordu on both X (Twitter) and Instagram) and the display name should begin with Samford University if the character limit allows. If the character limit restricts you, please begin with Samford (i.e.: Samford University College of Health Sciences or Samford College of Health Sciences).
  • The “about” or “bio” section of your account must include “The official {channel} for Samford University’s…” (i.e.: The official X (Twitter) account for Samford University’s School of the Arts)
• Accounts must be managed by a full-time Samford employee or current student whose job expectations or duties include social media management and who is advised/overseen or supervised by a Samford employee whose job duties and responsibilities include social media management. It is ultimately this full-time Samford employee who is accountable for the content shared from the channel they oversee or manage. For employees, administrative access will be terminated upon the employee’s termination, voluntary leave of employment, or assignment to another job. For students, administrative access will be terminated upon graduation or when the student has concluded their duties of the role which required them to have access to the account.
  • Student Access to Social Media Accounts: To ensure responsible management of Samford University's social media accounts, the following guidelines apply when granting student access:
    • Students must be thoroughly vetted by their supervisor and/or the account administrator within the unit.
    • Students must read and agree to the social media best practices outlined in these guidelines and any additional unit-specific guidance.
    • When the student no longer needs access, the account password must be changed.

• It is important for employees and students to understand their role and duties as it relates to social media. When an account holder (employee or student) leaves the account or university, the social media manager will update the account passwords and remove admin access of the departing employee or student. The account itself should not be deactivated or terminated.

Accounts that are not run or overseen by a Samford employee and that are created by students must distinguish themselves by clearly stating the account is run by students, and the account must have its own visual identity

1. All social media accounts are required to have new, updated content posted at least three times per week, preferably one new post per day. Note the industry standard for post frequency per channel:
   • Facebook: 3-6 posts per week
   • X (Twitter): 1 Tweet per day; more activity is always encouraged.
   • Instagram: 4 posts per week; frequent updates to Stories are encouraged and expected.
   • LinkedIn: 3-5 posts per week
     • If there is no activity on your account for more than one month, we will ask that you shut down your account. Regarding YouTube, the platform defines inactivity as 6 months without posting. Inactive accounts with Samford’s name reflect negatively on the university. A check-in with the social media manager is required if an account becomes inactive before it’s shut down.
2. Prioritize engaging formats such as reels, carousels and videos for better reach and interaction. Feature students, faculty and campus life prominently; these resonate better with audiences than static graphics. In the event where a graphic is necessary, please utilize Samford-branded templates to maintain visual consistency across all posts.
3. When creating content for Samford University's social media accounts, it's essential to avoid certain types of posts to maintain a neutral and respectful online presence. This includes refraining from politically charged content, sensitive topics that may be misaligned with the university's mission and unverified information that may be inaccurate or misleading. By avoiding these types of content, we can ensure that our social media channels remain a positive and trustworthy source of information for our community.
4. All account managers must attend an annual social media workshop at a minimum with the Office of Marketing and Communication to stay up to date on social media best practices and university social strategy.
5. Accounts should be regularly monitored, and engagement should be addressed in a timely manner, which includes oversight throughout the weekend and after business hours. You must respond to engagement (comments, questions, direct messages, etc.) in a timely manner, preferably, within 24 hours, or within 48 hours if the inquiry requires outside counsel.
6. Content on all owned social media accounts must adhere to the following:
   • Samford Brand Standards
   • Samford Messaging Guide
   • Samford Style Reference Guide
   • Social media best practices discussed with the social media manager.
7. Any new hashtags created for events or campaigns should be well thought through. Consult with the social media manager prior to creating any new hashtags.
   • University-recognized hashtags include:
     • #SamfordUniversity
     • #MySAMford
     • #AllForSAMford
     • #SamfordAlumni
     • #SamfordGrad
     • #ChooseSamford
     • #SamfordTraditions
8. It is not recommended primary or sub-brand accounts tag individual profiles (individual people or other organizations). When in doubt, ask the social media manager for insight.
9. All account managers are responsible for the content they share, this includes third party collaborations with sponsorships and partnerships. The content shared from our channels should always align with Samford University’s mission and brand, regardless of supporting another product, company or service. It is not recommended Samford University accounts collaborate on Instagram with third parties where content said third parties share might not align with the university's brand. When in doubt, consult with the social media manager.

When there is a change in the person responsible for managing a social media account (due to staff changes, reassignments or student graduation), it's crucial to ensure a smooth and secure transition. These are the required steps during the account transitioning process:

1. Notification of Transition: The current account manager is to notify the Office of Marketing and Communication and the social media manager prior to the transition. This ensures adequate time for the transition process to be planned and executed.
2. Documentation of Current Strategies: The outgoing account manager is to provide detailed documentation outlining the current social media strategy, account performance metrics, ongoing campaigns and any important upcoming initiatives. This document should be shared with the incoming account manager and the social media manager to ensure continuity and alignment with Samford's goals.
3. Credentials Update: The outgoing account manager securely transfers all account login credentials to the incoming account manager or supervisor. The social media manager must also be provided with the updated credentials to maintain administrative oversight.
4. Training and Orientation: The incoming account manager completes a brief training session with the social media manager to ensure they are familiar with Samford’s social media guidelines, brand standards and best practices.
5. Review of Account Access: After the transition, the social media manager is responsible for revoking the outgoing account manager's access to the social media account. This ensures that only current and relevant personnel have administrative access.
6. Documentation: A record of the transition, including the date, participants and any notes from the strategy meeting, will be kept by the social media manager for future reference.

By following these steps, we ensure the management of Samford University’s social media accounts remains consistent, secure, and aligned with our brand’s mission and values.

You should assign no more than 3 administrators to your account —yourself, the university’s social media manager and potentially one other employee from your unit whose job expectations include social media management. A student or other contributor should only be assigned if the need arises.

In the event of a crisis or campus emergency, account managers must adhere to university communication for protocol and messaging. Messaging during a crisis will be communicated from the assistant vice president of university marketing and public relations or the social media manager.

If you are unsure how to handle an issue in social media, contact the social media manager for advice. Defer to the flagship social media channels as appropriate.

Samford University does not allow social media accounts that use the university’s name or branding to be associated with our university in any capacity without first going through the above steps to set up an account with the Office of Marketing and Communication.

Are you unsure if these guidelines apply to you? Have questions about how to implement them in your unit? Please contact the social media manager.