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External Marketing

Social Media Guidelines

Social media channels are used to communicate and engage with students, faculty, staff, alumni, stakeholders, and the public. All social media content includes both a written caption and a visual element (high-quality photo or branded graphic).

Adhering to the information below and the UGA social media guidelines helps ensure that we are communicating in a way that is consistent, professional, clear, and relevant.

Social media content is categorized by free content and paid content. In special cases, units within the College are permitted to create and maintain their own social media accounts.

When using social media, consider the following:

  • Does this content directly involve College students, faculty, staff, alumni, or donors?
  • Is this content timely and relevant to the majority of our external audience?
  • Will social media be the best channel to share this content?
  • Do I have a high-quality photo to provide? If not, will this content work well as a graphic?
  • For paid content: Has this been approved by my department or unit head, and do I have the chartstring and speedtype?

Free content

  • Facebook
    Primary audience: Graduate students, faculty, and staff; people age 25+ High-quality photo or video Engaging content from events and outreach
  • Instagram
    Primary audience: Undergraduate students, graduate students, young alumni High-quality photo or short-form vertical video (under 3 minutes) People-centric photos or campus scenery for the grid, behind-the-scenes perspectives, graphics promoting events or reminders
  • Linkedin
    Primary audience: Faculty, staff, graduate students, alumni, business professionals age 25+ Business-oriented news and stories, spotlights, research

LinkedIn job postings

The University of Georgia uses UGAJobSearch.com for all job applications at the University, including faculty, staff, student workers, and temporary positions. Since this site is mostly known only within the UGA community, we utilize LinkedIn to recruit for positions that are drawn from a wider audience.

According to LinkedIn data from March 2023, 86% of small businesses get a qualified candidate within the first 24 hours of sharing a paid job posting. LinkedIn allows us to create a custom advertisement that links directly to the UGA application. All the main points from the application will be copied into LinkedIn allowing candidates to read the overview before applying. We can also use specific tags relevant to the job to target specific candidates.

Budgets are set at a daily rate, usually between $10-$25, and then we can choose how long to run the post. After each sponsored job posting, the Marketing and Communications Office will provide you with a written report measuring the efficacy of the recruitment methods.

The College has moved away from print advertisements and has transitioned digitally. Our largest advertising platform is Meta Business Suite, which we use to run promotions and campaigns on Facebook and Instagram. We are able to reach the target audience by adjusting demographics, behaviors, and interests.

Social media ads are great for:

  • Increasing enrollment in degree programs (both undergraduate and graduate)
  • Recruiting for study participants
  • Advertising camps and community programs
  • And more!

We use three ad formats:

  • Photo: Offers a clean, simple format to feature engaging imagery and copy. Convey who you are and what you do through high-quality images or illustrations.
  • Video: Tells a story with sight, sound, and motion. The best videos are under one minute.
  • Carousel: Lets you showcase up to ten images or videos in a single ad, each with its own link.

External social accounts

The College actively works toward increasing our audience by streamlining our efforts into one strong online presence. In addition, one unified voice will help with visibility, searchability, and maintaining a consistent brand. Understand that units/accounts/pages affiliated with the College directly or indirectly promote our brand. It reflects poorly on the College when pages are not maintained.

Any external College-related accounts must meet all of the following criteria:

  • The unit provides a specific service to the public or has outreach needs that are not supported by the official College social media accounts.
  • The unit has dedicated personnel for social media management (student worker, graduate assistant, or staff member).
  • The unit posts unique content to each account at least once a week.
  • The College’s Marketing and Communications Office has access to the account at all times, either as a page admin (on Facebook) or from the provided login credentials.
  • A strategy is in place for long-term maintenance and goals for the social media account.
  • If an account’s login credentials or personnel need to change for any reason, the unit must notify the digital marketing strategist immediately and provide the updated credentials.
  • Accounts that do not meet the above guidelines are subject to removal.

Before any new College-related social accounts are created, the unit must:

  • Receive permission from the department or unit head to establish the account(s).
  • Fill out the social media external account request form.
  • Please do not create your account or page. The Marketing and Communications Office will create everything to ensure it falls within brand guidelines, then provide you with login credentials. All accounts created outside this process are subject to removal.
  • Acquire an approved logo for the account from the Marketing and Communications Office to use for profile icons.

Amazing Students

Amazing Student profiles provide special recognition to high-achieving Mary Frances Early College of Education students.

Nominate an Amazing Student

Email Campaigns

Email marketing

Email marketing campaigns created by the marketing and communications team target and engage prospective students, current students, alumni, or other stakeholders via an email blast or a series of emails. These campaigns often aim to increase applications, promote academic programs, share campus news, or encourage event attendance.

Email campaigns include clear calls-to-action and segmented mailing lists to ensure relevance and effectiveness for each audience group. If you are using email marketing to promote your event, please compile an excel spreadsheet of email addresses and submit them in your communications project request.

Note: A listserv is not an email list. The emails contained within a listserv can be downloaded into an excel file. To do this, you will need to request the excel file from the list manager. If you need assistance, please contact OIT with the name of the list you need.

Insider/​DEANise Digest

The Mary Frances Early College of Education’s Insider is a digital newsletter sent out in the Fall to all constituents of the College including faculty, staff, alumni, donors, friends, and more. Insider highlights faculty research, community projects, experiential learning, as well as stories featuring alumni, donors, and students.

DEANise Digest is a digital newsletter sent out twice a year during the Winter and Spring to faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and friends. The Digest features news and updates, as well as the College community’s accomplishments in research, teaching, service, and more.

Read the Insider

Newsletters

The Marketing and Communications Office creates templates for unit newsletters, both external-facing (i.e. Horizons UGA) and internal-facing (i.e. Office of Academic Programs). After the initial template design is created by our office, all future newsletter content must be edited and approved by the marketing and communications team before being sent.

Stories

The Marketing and Communications Office writes and publishes stories to the College’s main website to promote the College and its mission throughout Georgia and beyond.

Topics covered by the College include:

  • Research
  • Outreach
  • News
  • Kudos/honors and recognitions
  • Media mentions
  • Amazing Students
  • Alumni spotlights
  • Donor spotlights

Have an interesting story to tell? Please email coecomm@uga.edu, and we will reach out to you for more information.

Calendar Event

Use the event submission form to post an upcoming event related to the College.

Submit a calendar event

If you would like to add your event to the College’s website, please submit the event to the UGA Master Calendar. If you choose a COE department or group when submitting the event, it will automatically be pulled onto the calendar on the College website. The event also will be added to the UGA Master Calendar.

Add events to a webpage

Simply choosing a College department or group when creating an event on the Master Calendar will cause it to be automatically added to the main College calendar listing, as well as the College home page and events page. (Only the next 8-9 events will show on these two.)

Adding an event to a department/unit page or concentration page just requires selecting the proper department or group when you create the event on the Master Calendar.

To add an event or set of events to a non-department/unit page, please refer to the information below on tagging events.

Tagging events

Adding an event to any College webpage(s) requires the Master Calendar event to have a special tag. An example tag might be something like: M.Ed. School Counseling Info Session or Kinesiology Open House. This tag will be used to pull the event onto a College webpage. If you have several events that need to be added to the same page, it makes sense to use the same tag for all of the events.

Refer to this Master Calendar event’s “Event Details” section for an example of what tags should be like:
→ MEd in LLOD Information Session

When you submit your event to the Master Calendar, add a note to the calendar editor in the event description asking them to add your required tag. If you have any questions or issues, you can email them at calendar@uga.edu.

Note:

A Master Calendar event tag is not the same as an event hashtag.

Once the Master Calendar folks have added the tag and published the event, submit a webpage fix/​update request to our team and let us know:

  1. The tag that was assigned
  2. The URL of the College page the event should appear on, and
  3. A brief, “evergreen” summary paragraph and section title (optional) to introduce the event(s)
Existing “Upcoming Events”-type section

If the page already has an “Upcoming Events”-type section, submit a webpage fix/​update request and include the known/assigned tag associated with the page section. If you don’t know what the existing/already assigned tag for that page is, then please indicate that in your initial request and we’ll look it up for you. Then you will provide that to the Master Calendar people by sending them an email to calendar@uga.edu.

No existing “Upcoming Events”-type section

If the page does not yet have an “Upcoming Events”-type section, and the event needs to be listed on a particular page, you will need:

  1. A new, special tag to be created and added to the event(s)
  2. A brief, “evergreen” summary paragraph and section title to introduce the event(s)

To add a tag to an event, you must send an email to calendar@uga.edu and request that they add a specific and descriptive tag of your choosing to the event(s). Refer to this Master Calendar event’s “Event Details” section for an example of what tags should be like:
→ MEd in LLOD Information Session

Refer to this page for an example of what an “evergreen” summary paragraph should be like:
→ EdD in LLOD

If you have questions about getting an event or group of events to display on a particular College webpage, email the web team and someone will get back to you asap.

Recurring events and conferences

The College’s recurring events, such as annual conferences, have permanent pages on the College recurring events page. These pages should contain general information about the event and can also include information that will not format well in the UGA Master Calendar event entry, such as speaker photos and bios. If you require changes to a recurring events page, please submit a website update request. Please be sure to submit another request once the event is over to remove/update any stale information.

Upcoming event details, especially the event registration, still need to be entered on the UGA Master Calendar, where the event will reach a wider audience and can be updated as needed by the person who submitted the calendar entry.

If you have any questions about setting up a new recurring events page or a new conference website, please submit a web request.

Conference Programs

For print conference programs, please submit all of your materials at least eight weeks before the date of the event. The time frame for printed projects vary, but most vendors require two weeks of lead time. For digital conference programs, please submit content in a Word document at least a month in advance.

Promotional Graphics

In some cases, we may create a graphic that includes the logo of an already established program or entity. In most cases, this involves an event or conference that has the need for items such as printed materials or promotional items.

Promotional graphics may be used for:

  • Limited-time events or longer-term programs or initiatives
  • Promotional and collateral materials, but they do NOT take the place of an official brand logo

Promotional graphics cannot:

  • Include the name of your unit, lab, or division, with the exception of Summer camps
  • Be altered or used for promo marks—an official logo must be included somewhere on the item
  • Be considered co-branding

These “promotional graphics” (note: not a true logo) must be created by the Communications Office on an as-needed basis and with the approval of the UGA Office of Marketing and Communications. They must be used along with an approved UGA logo.

If you have any questions, please reach out to our designer Natalie Stephens.

Digital Signage

Digital signage in Aderhold Hall, Ramsey Student Center, and River’s Crossing offers the College the opportunity to foster a sense of community by timely communicating messages of interest and importance to our students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

By adhering to the guidelines below, you will help ensure digital signage communication is professional, clear, and relevant.

Messages containing deadlines, timelines, RSVP dates, and other relevant details should be submitted at least 14 business days prior to the event date.

Appropriate types of messages

  • Messages directly involving College students, faculty, staff, and visitors
  • Messages that are of broad interest to the College community and highlight activities occurring in the College or University, such as upcoming speakers, events, and research studies
  • Critical deadlines during the academic year
  • Congratulations to departments, organizations, and individuals for significant awards and honors

Note: To promote course offerings for undergraduate students, please submit a ticket to MFECOE Connection. For course offerings targeting graduate students in the College, please submit a ticket to COEfyi Course Spotlight.

Inappropriate types of messages

Announcements that are personal, niche, religious, political, contain advertising, or are otherwise inappropriate will not be posted.

Guidelines for creating messages

Announcements should be short. There is limited space on the digital sign for information; only the most important details should be included. Slides are on the screen for only 12 seconds.

  • Event name
  • Event description (brief, if necessary)
  • Event location
  • Event date(s) and time(s)

Use of photos is encouraged. If using photos, attach a high-resolution jpeg (300 dpi). If you don’t have a photo, we can provide one. Materials subject to copyright should not be used. If you are submitting a slide that wasn’t created by the communications team, your submission will be reviewed for clarity and aesthetics. Slides must meet UGA brand guidelines and have these dimensions: 1920 x 1080. If your submission is not accepted, you are responsible for making revisions to bring the submission up to compliance.

How to submit messages

  • Content must be submitted electronically by using the project request form
  • Those submitting messages containing deadlines, timelines, RSVP-by dates, etc., should submit their ticket at least 14 business days prior to the event date.
  • Indicate date of event or time frame with beginning and end dates (if applicable). Generally, announcements will not run longer than two weeks, unless there is sufficient room in the queue.
  • Please submit JPEGs or PNGs; do not send PDFs.

Fine print

  • Submissions are reviewed by the marketing and communications team for style and appropriateness. Submissions may be copyedited for spelling, grammar, and length.
  • The department/unit making the submission is wholly responsible for its accuracy and completeness. If you are submitting a slide that wasn’t created by the communications team, and we discover errors in content or branding, you are responsible for correcting the edits and resubmitting the slide. These slides must meet UGA brand guidelines and have these dimensions: 1920 x 1080.
  • In general, it is best practice for the slide to be in rotation for two weeks to ensure that the advertisement is seen.

Photography and Videography

Professional photography is a great way to showcase the college. UGA stock photos are available for download though the University Digital Asset Library. Faculty and staff also have access to unlimited downloads of photos and other assets through Adobe Stock using their UGA MyID.

At this time, we do not provide photography and videography services. If you need these services, please refer to the link provided below to download a list of local photographers. If you would like to use a photo that is currently on the website, please include that request when you submit a new communications project ticket. These photos are proprietary to the Marketing and Communications Office, and approval is needed to include them in College marketing pieces.

Download a list of local photographers

Guidelines for taking your own photos

  • Choose a well-lit space for the photo; outdoors is best, but avoid direct sunlight (an overcast day or in the shade is optimal).
  • If using a smart phone, check that the focus is on the subject you are shooting (usually tapping the screen on the subject’s face will do the trick) so the subject is sharp and clear.
  • Do not crop the photo too tightly; leave space around and above the head and shoot at least from the waist up. (More space is better. Avoid close-up face shots, or only shoulders and up shots).
  • For best results, take a few different photos, vertical and horizontal, from different distances.
  • Send high resolution photos (at least 300 dpi is preferred for print; file size should be at least 1MB), and be sure to send them as an attachment or link as opposed to dropping it directly into the body of an email or Word document.