Social Media is a valuable digital tool for connecting with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community in an interactive way! Old Dominion University supports the creation and use of University social media accounts, provided their use is professional, protects the reputation and brand of the University, aligns with strategic priorities, and complies with other ODU policies as well as applicable state and federal laws and regulations.
All ODU social media accounts are a voice for the University. Before posting anything on ODU affiliated accounts, please familiarize yourself with our guidelines.
Follow Us
Follow along with what's happening around ODU, by following the official University accounts.
Creating and Managing an Account
Success in social media requires a combination of content, community building, time, and strategy. Please notify our office before you create a new account. Please also notify us if there is a change to account managers or passwords, changes to your account name or handle, or if you want to close your account.
Before diving into creating a social media presence, it's crucial to strategize and define your goals, audiences, team members, current conversations, and naming/design elements.
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Primary Goals & Audiences: Define your objectives for social media (e.g., campaign communication, department promotion) and list your primary target audiences.
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Team Identification: Identify your account administrators (at least one primary and one secondary). Please note: Administrators must be full-time ODU employees. Student workers and interns may provide creative support. However, they cannot have administrator rights to the account.
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Content Strategy: Determine the type of content you'll share (e.g., news updates, research, networking), including future content goals such as photographs or videos. ODU accounts must post at least once a week.
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Measuring Success & Evaluation: Define how you'll measure success, considering tools and metrics, and set timelines for regular evaluations to assess content effectiveness and potential adjustments.
- Submit the Social Media Request form. One account request per department or organization. A content plan that includes 10 sample posts is required.
- The Assistant Director of Social Media will contact you to consult on your department's social media strategy and plan.
Account Setup:
- Once the request is approved, the Assistant Director of Social Media will schedule a meeting with the account administrator(s).
- During this meeting, set up the new social media account and discuss strategies for content creation and engagement.
Access Information:
- Share the necessary account login information (username and password) for future access and management of the account.
All University-affiliated social media accounts, including department or college accounts, are required to use an official ODU social media icon. This will be provided upon approval of the account. While administrators have the discretion to include additional imagery such as cover or banner photos, they must ensure compliance with image copyright laws and terms of use. Please note, administrators are prohibited from creating a separate logo.
Before using or creating additional hashtags, conduct thorough research. Check for the intended hashtag, observe associated posts, review banned hashtags, and exercise discretion before incorporating it into your posts.
| APPROVED HASHTAGS | WHEN TO USE |
|---|---|
| #ODU | |
| #MonarchNation | |
| #ODU28 |
For freshman class; change the numbers for each new incoming class based on the 4-year graduation year |
| #Give2ODU |
Annual Day of Giving |
| #ODUHomecoming |
Show your Monarch pride and return to campus to cheer on your Monarchs! |
Facebook and Instagram Feed
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1080 x 1350 (4:5)
- 1080 x 1080 (1:1)
- 5:4 ratio
Facebook and Instagram Stories
- 1080 x 1920 (9:16)
Instagram Reels:
- 1080 x 1920 (9:16)
Facebook Cover and Event Header
- 1920x1080 (16:9)
LinkedIn Cover
- 1128 x 191
Use Landscape, a free social media image resizer tool, to optimize your photos for each platform.
In addition to requirements of the ODU social media policy, all content and posts are bound by the Terms and Community Guidelines for that service. Each social media platform has specific community guidelines outlining what is acceptable and appropriate for posting on each account. The University cannot report inappropriate usage and/or abuse of social media on behalf of students. However, students may report violations directly to the platform in question.
Please read below for ways to report violations and abuse.
If a student feels they have been treated inappropriately on Facebook, they can "block" the user by going to their "Settings," selecting "Blocking" and entering the users name under "Block Users." Students may also report a user by going to the user's Facebook profile and selecting "Report."
An offensive post may also be reported by going to the left-hand corner of the post in question and selecting "Report post."
To report an inappropriate post that does not follow Instagram's community guidelines, students should tap the [...] on the post and select "Report Inappropriate" they will then be prompted to follow the on-screen instructions.
To report a profile that is posting unsuitable posts, select the [...] then select "Report Inappropriate" or "Report for Spam," then follow on-screen instructions.
There are several options for reporting violations on X. Students may report individual tweets, media or profiles that they find inappropriate. To report a tweet or media, click the "More icon" then select "Block" or "Report." To report a profile for a violation, click the "gear icon" and select "Block" or "Report."
Posting and retweeting comments that include sensitive data, confidential information, profanity, attacks, threats, spamming of repeated comments or other inappropriate material are not appropriate and may be blocked from the page.
University Guidelines
- Use good judgment about content and respect privacy laws. Do not to include confidential information about the ODU, its staff, or its students.
- You may not post any content that is threatening, obscene, a violation of intellectual property rights or privacy laws, or otherwise injurious or illegal.
- Representation of your personal opinions as being endorsed by the University or any of its organizations is strictly prohibited. You may not use the ODU name to promote any opinion, product, cause, or political candidate.
- By posting content to any social media site, you agree that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to that content or that your use of the content is protected under fair use guidelines. In addition, you may not knowingly provide misleading or false information, and you indemnify and hold the University harmless for any claims resulting from the content.
- While ODU does not regularly review content posted to all officially recognized social media sites, it shall have the right to remove any content for any reason, including but not limited to, content that it deems threatening, obscene, a violation of intellectual property rights or privacy laws, or otherwise injurious or illegal.
- When using or posting online material that includes direct or paraphrased quotes, thoughts, ideas, photos, or videos, include citations whenever possible. Provide a link to the original material if possible and/or applicable.
- Do not use information and/or engage in activities that may violate local, state, or federal laws, and regulations.