Illinois Tech Social Media Channel Registration and Management Protocol
1. Purpose
To maintain a cohesive brand identity and ensure best practices across all Illinois Tech-affiliated social media accounts, this protocol outlines the steps for departments, student organizations, and other groups to register and manage their social media channels.
2. Requirements for New Social Media Accounts
Before creating a new Illinois Tech-affiliated social media account, the requesting group must:
- Have a clear purpose and audience for the channel
- Ensure they have a dedicated team to manage and update the account regularly
- Commit to following Illinois Tech’s brand guidelines
3. Registration and Approval Process
Step 1: Submission of Social Media Registration Form
All groups must complete a Social Media Channel Registration Form, providing:
- Primary administrator contact information
- Group/department name
- Platform(s) they wish to use
- Purpose of the account
- Posting frequency plan
- Commitment to maintaining the account
Step 2: Review by Illinois Tech Social Media Team
The Illinois Tech social media manager will review the request and ensure:
- The proposed channel aligns with the university’s overall social media strategy
- There is a legitimate need for a separate account (rather than using an existing Illinois Tech-affiliated channel)
- The team managing the account understands brand guidelines
Step 3: Approval and Onboarding
If approved, the social media team will:
- Provide best practices and branding guidelines
- Add the account to an internal directory of Illinois Tech-affiliated social media channels
- If approved, the social media manager of Illinois Tech’s Marketing & Communications team must be granted administrator access to the account.
- This access is for security and contingency purposes only—M&C will not post, manage, or oversee the account’s daily operations.
- To minimize unnecessary notifications, the admin access should be tied to a shared team email rather than an individual’s account.
4. Expectations for Active Accounts
- Consistent Activity: Accounts should post regularly (at least weekly).
- Brand Alignment: Content must align with Illinois Tech’s brand and messaging.
- Admin Updates: Any changes in account administrators should be reported to the social media team.
- Crisis & Compliance: Admins should follow university crisis communication protocols and ensure all content adheres to social media policies.
5. Annual Review and Compliance
- Each year, the Illinois Tech social media team will conduct an audit of all affiliated accounts.
- Inactive accounts may be recommended for consolidation or deletion.
- Accounts that do not follow best practices may be asked to adjust their strategy.
- Inactive accounts with no response from their admins may be deactivated or shut down using M&C’s admin access.
Interested in starting a new social media account? Fill out the Social Media Channel Registration Form
Target Audience: Who is your primary audience, and is social media the appropriate medium to reach them? Is your audience size substantial enough to justify a dedicated channel? Take into account the valuable information that you possess and the interests of your audience.
Objectives: How can social media specifically contribute to accomplishing your overall objectives?
Resources: Managing a social media account demands time and effort. Do you have the necessary resources (e.g., personnel, bandwidth, tools) to develop compelling written and visual content, as well as to consistently publish and monitor reactions to your posts? You’ll need to assign specific roles and responsibilities for your social media channels, such as overseeing strategy, content creation, community management, social listening, monitoring and reporting, and identifying suitable backups.
Partnerships: Are there existing social media platforms at Illinois Tech that can promote your content instead of creating a separate presence? Could your goals be achieved by collaborating with another department or unit?
Content Volume: Can you consistently produce the required amount of high-quality content? Regular posting is crucial for most channels, and some may even require multiple posts per day. Assess your capacity by creating a content calendar and filling it for at least the first four weeks. Keep in mind that visual elements are generally essential for optimal performance, not just text or links.
Platform Selection: Which social media platform(s) are best suited to accomplish your objectives and to engage the desired audience? Each channel has its unique characteristics, and different demographic groups utilize social media platforms in distinct ways.
Data Analysis: How do you define success for your social media presence in the first month, the first six months, and the first year? Regularly evaluate whether your social media efforts align with your established goals and meet your specific success metrics (e.g., clicks, reach engagement, sentiment, etc.). To assess your progress, consider utilizing content management, social listening, planning, publishing, and analytics tools. There are tools available, from free options to paid ones, depending on your needs and budget.
- Fill out the Social Media Channel Registration Form
- The account’s full name should include Illinois Tech, and the handle should incorporate Illinois Tech when possible. While “IIT” is not the preferred shorthand of the university in external communications, it could be acceptable in a handle or username‘s shorter naming conventions.
- Carefully consider the name, handle, and vanity URL of your account, and be sure that it reflects a professional title and consistent branding with the name of your school, unit, or department.
- Thoroughly complete your user profile to accurately represent your school, department, or area of focus. This includes incorporating clear visuals, a comprehensive bio, and tagging @IllinoisTech for increased visibility.
- Please set up your channel with an iit.edu email address, preferably a departmental or office email and not that of an individual, when possible.
- If you require a logo for your channel, you may reach out to the Office of Marketing and Communications to assist. We no longer utilize the “triangle” IIT logo.