The Web @ Queen's University

Social Media Guidelines

• When participating in or maintaining a social media site on behalf of Queen’s, clearly state your role and goals. This will help you determine the most effective use of social media to deliver your message. Please consult our Social Media Brief to facilitate the development of a strategy.

• Download the Queen's Social Media Brief (PDF 64 KB)

• If you have been authorized to create an official Queen’s social media site, please consult www.queensu.ca/identity for visual identity guidelines and an appropriate Queen’s logo file. Please also contact the Department of Marketing and Communications for related images and to ensure coordination with other Queen’s sites and content.
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• Have all the facts before you post. It’s better to verify information with a source first than to have to post a correction or retraction later. Cite and link to your sources whenever possible. Ensure your links work and are kept up to date.
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• As a Queen’s employee, you understand the university’s commitment to respect for the dignity of others and to the civil and thoughtful discussion of ideas. Some online communities can be volatile, tempting users to behave in ways they otherwise wouldn’t. Your reputation and Queen’s are best served when you express yourself professionally.
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• If you join a social network, such as a Facebook fan page, or comment on someone’s blog, make sure you are contributing positively and productively to the conversation. Don’t post information about topics on Queen’s events or a book you’ve authored unless you are sure it will be of interest to readers. Self-promoting behavior is viewed negatively and can lead to being banned from sites or groups.
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• There’s no such thing as a “private” social media site. Search engines can turn up posts years after the publication date. Comments can be forwarded or copied. Archival systems save information even if you delete a post. If you feel angry or passionate about a subject, it’s wise to delay posting until you are calm and clear-headed.
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• Do not post confidential or proprietary information about Queen’s, its students, its alumni or colleagues. Use good ethical judgment and follow university policies, and provincial and federal requirements, such as FIPPA. Consult Queen’s FIPPA web site at www.queensu.ca/accessandprivacy
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• If you discuss a situation involving individuals on a social media site, be sure that those individuals cannot be identified. As a guideline, don’t post anything that you would not present publicly.
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• Assign an administrator who can regularly monitor postings and content on a regular basis.
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• Aim for regular postings and updates. In general, the recommended frequency is at least once a week. However it depends on the platform you are using, with Twitter for instance, it is best to post 2-3 times per day
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• If you make contact information available so that questions can be submitted, be sure to have the ability to respond in a timely fashion

Contact

If you are unsure about the information you are posting, or unsure about what medium would be best to get your message out, please contact the Department of Marketing and Communications for guidance.

Kathleen Vollebregt
Director of University Marketing
Marketing and Communications
613-533-3227

Annalisa Boccia
Integrated Social Media Manager
Marketing and Communications