For an overview of digital governance policies and general philosophy, please see Winona State University Digital Governance. 

For social/Facebook/digital advertising, see Digital Governance for Digital Advertising.

University Social Media Accounts 

Social media can be a powerful tool to inform, engage, build community and elevate the WSU brand. It also has particular risks and responsibilities, and a less-than-optimally managed channel can harm the brand and create negative experiences with the University.

Departments are the experts when it comes to their content, their audience, and knowledge about their programs. Departments will maintain responsibility for managing their social communities through interaction and content creation.

Marketing and Communications is the campus expert in: 

• strategy
• branding
• policy
• standards and best practices
• account setup

MarComm also serves as a liaison with IT and legal to support data security and legal issues and obligations related to social media accounts and content.

A partnership-based model for account management ensures we are together able to maximize the opportunities while minimizing the risks of social media as a marketing, communications and community engagement tool.

Though accounts are managed using a partnership model, all social media accounts created on behalf of Winona State University are the sole property of the University, and ultimately under the purview of University Marketing and Communications.

Marketing & Communications Roles & Responsibilities

• Creates all social media accounts, ensuring WSU brand standards and naming convention adherence, indexing, linked email protocol and other security and communications best practices.
  • Note: If your department has already created an account, reach out to MarComm to bring your account under the WSU umbrella. Either submit a OneStop “Connect with Social Media” ticket or email tesla.mitchell@winona.edu.
    
• Retains administration rights for all Winona State’s official online presences (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, etc.), including login and password information associated with the account. 
• SMO (Social Media Optimization) – naming accounts and digital properties, and creating best practices that support “being found” by search engines.
• Accessibility - makes sure users of all abilities are able to access University information and content, and that all digital University properties are ADA compliant
• User experience - ensures content is consistent and serves audience needs and expectations
• Brand standards - Web Communications staff will keep in touch with best practices updates, and new channel functionality. Reach out to brainstorm any time!

MarComm + Department Shared Responsibility

We follow a partnership-based model. Before developing or launching a social media channel, each department needs a social media strategy in order to have a successful social media outreach. (The tool is only as successful as its craftsperson.) 

We’ll work together to craft a strategy that is aligned with your audience and maps out your goals, then brainstorm how to put social to work in service of your goals, and your community.

• Relevance & Value-add
• Goals
• Outcomes
• Key messages
• Which social platform is the best fit for your department’s objectives.
• Engagement strategy
• Content strategy
• Evaluation metrics
• Account promotion and integration with other digital and print communications

Department Roles & Responsibilities

Departments are responsible for managing their social channel content and online community. 

Social media channels are a long-term communication tool that once started must be maintained into the foreseeable future. Be sure you have enough time and human resources allocated to maintain the longterm commitment. If you're unsure how much time and energy it will take, we'll go over that together while crafting a social strategy for your account. 

It's also helpful to be sure your online community is a priority for your department and has buy-in and support from others. That way you'll have the foundation you need to be successful and can avoid having neglected channels that can harm your department’s reputation and create negative experiences.

As an account/channel manager, departments are responsible for and expected to:

• Designate a social media manager who 1) has adequate time allotted to maintain an active, responsive presence and 2) understands the social media tools, etiquette, behaviors and the content and engagement strategy for the channels they are managing. 
  • Departments are responsible for notifying MarComm of changes to social media manager roles, including students who have graduated or staff members no longer working in the department.
  • Pro Tip: MarComm provides training workshops as well as individual consultations. Contact tesla.mitchell@winona.edu for details.        
• Monitor and respond to direct messages, tags, mentions, reviews, comments and questions about your department/group/initiative.
  • Pro Tip: Making sure you are responsive will not only create a positive reputation and user experience, but will also boost the platform's algorithm for you because it recognizes that you engage with your audience. 
    
    
• Sustain and engage: Departments are responsible for regularly posting content (at least once per week during active weeks of a semester) that is of value to its audience. Content should align with department goals and the University values and mission, per the Social Media Strategy co-created by MarComm + the department.
  • Pro Tip: Creating an editorial calendar (MarComm can show you how) will help ensure you are posting regular with varied posts that serve your community and your strategic goals.
  • Note: Marketing and Communications reserves the right to disable or temporarily unpublish official University social media accounts that are inactive or unresponsive (no posts, not responding to comments or direct messages) for more than six months to mitigate damages to the University brand and negative experiences with the public, our community members and prospective students.
• Report and consult with Marketing & Communications to address negative or threatening comments or content.
  •  Important note: Do not delete comments or content prior to consulting with MarComm. There are security and legal protocols that need to be followed to protect the institution as well as departmental social media managers.