Best Practices

MORE DETAILS | For Official Accounts | For Individual Accounts

Be Listening

Listening is the key to any successful social media strategy.

Official: Start by listening to what your audience is saying and how they’re feeling—you’ll better understand who they are and what they want. Continue listening to find out if you’re being effective.

Keep in mind that Florida State has a broad audience, from prospective students to the general public, and each audience represents a diverse set of values, opinions and backgrounds.

Individual: Start by listening to what your audience is saying and how they’re feeling—you’ll better understand who they are and what they want. Continue listening to find out if you’re being effective.

Be Prepared

BEFORE you launch, consider your messages, audiences, content and goals.

Official: Fill out the Social Media Strategy Worksheet, and remember that the Florida State Social Media Group is here to help!

Individual: Fill out the Social Media Strategy Worksheet, and remember that the Florida State Social Media Group is here to help!

Be Measured

Once you know your goals, determine how you will measure your success.

Official: Is it the number of comments or retweets? Is the the number of fans or followers? Is it the amount of traffic you drive back to your website? Check frequently and consistently to evaluate what’s working and what’s not.

Individual: Is it the number of comments or retweets? Is the the number of fans or followers? Is it the amount of traffic you drive back to your website? Check frequently and consistently to evaluate what’s working and what’s not. Here are some resources that may help!

Be Active

You won’t get a following just by opening an account.

Official: Be up to date with your accounts. Aim for regular postings and updates (at least once a week), monitor comments and respond quickly.

Knowing whether or not to respond to a comment can be tough to figure out. Knowing how to respond can be even harder. This Comment Response Decision Tree can help, and of course, Be a Leader.

Individual: Be up to date with your accounts. Aim for regular postings and updates (at least once a week), monitor comments and respond quickly.

Knowing whether or not to respond to a comment can be tough to figure out. Knowing how to respond can be even harder. This Comment Response Decision Tree can help, and of course, Be a Leader

Be Accurate

Think before you post.

Official: Write it out, check for errors, and make sure you have all of the facts! Cite and link your sources whenever possible; after all, that’s how you build community.

Individual: Write it out, check for errors, and make sure you have all of the facts! Cite and link your sources whenever possible; after all, that’s how you build community.

Be Social

Sharing is caring! Social media works when you’re sociable and generous.

Official: Share the love— don’t limit yourself to only posting about your unit. Social media is about sharing knowledge, interesting information and relevant content; even if it comes from another Florida State account or outside sources.

Individual: If you’ve got it, share it! In social media, sharing is the fuel of the conversation engine.

Be Valued

Make your content rich and interesting for others to read and share.

Official: It’s all about Quality over Quantity. Ask yourself: How is this providing value to the conversation? To the community?

Keep content relevant to your personality, topics, unit, or Florida State as a whole.

Be a Master of Your Domains

Be wary of who you give administrative access, usernames and passwords to.

Official: Make sure anyone with access to your accounts knows the ropes, the rules, and has some understanding of how you use social media. Students and interns, for example, can be great help when it comes to managing social media. They can also be a disaster. Protect these privileges, and make sure you trust a person before sharing them. Lastly, make sure at least one supervisor or manager has administrative access to all of your accounts.