FACEBOOK: INFORMATION AND BEST PRACTICES
Facebook will likely be the most useful platform for your group. It’s easy to create a private group or a page and has a great set up for sharing events and news.
Group vs. Page: Which one is right for you?
Facebook Tips: What is the difference between a Facebook Page and Group?
If you are planning on using your Facebook presence primarily to publicly share events and news, a Page might be the best choice for you. A Facebook Group is more conducive to conversations between members (such as seeking help for housing, alumni sharing personal updates, etc.). You can also adjust the privacy settings of a Group so that posts shared between members are only visible to group members.
If you are unsure whether a Group or a Page is right for your regional alumni group, please reach out to aedsocial@duke.edu for discussion.
Scheduling:
Scheduling posts ahead of time is useful for time management, especially for busy volunteers.
Schedule a post in a Facebook Group (note: only administrators and moderators in a Group can schedule a post)
Schedule a post for a Facebook Page
Events:
Facebook Events are a great way for your alumni to stay aware of the events happening in your regional group. And, if you add Forever Duke as an Event co-host, Facebook will automatically include your Event on the main alumni channel’s Facebook Events page.
Both Pages and Groups can host Events on Facebook, although Groups set to private will not be able to add Forever Duke as an Event co-host.
Add an Event to a Facebook Group
Add an Event to a Facebook Page
Add a Co-Host to a Facebook Event
Tagging:
Tagging on Facebook is a great way to get others to share your content. Tag us at @dukealumni, or tag other regional groups (if they are a Page) if you’re collaborating with them.
INSTAGRAM: INFORMATION AND BEST PRACTICES
Instagram is great for reaching your younger alumni, but be mindful that this platform will take up the most time. Make sure that your regional group has a big enough audience that it will make sense to maintain an Instagram – and that there is a dedicated volunteer specifically for this channel.
Posts vs. Stories:
Instagram Posts are the images that appear in the Instagram Feed. If you have photos from events/gatherings, this is a great place to share them. You can also share a graphic to market an upcoming event – just be sure your image is sized appropriately for Instagram.
Instagram Stories are images available for 24 hours only (unless they are saved as a Highlight). Stories are a great way to advertise upcoming events, poll your members, and share other fun content.
To note, Instagram neither supports links beyond your profile, nor makes it easy to copy/paste. As a workaround, many Posts reference “link in bio” or turn to tools such as Linktree.
How do I add a bio or website to my Instagram profile?
Tagging:
Tagging in both Instagram Posts and Stories is a great way to get others to share your content. Tag us at @dukealumni, or tag other regional groups if you’re collaborating with them.
TWITTER: INFORMATION AND BEST PRACTICES
Twitter is the easiest platform to maintain but will likely have the lowest engagement and number of followers. If you are planning to share lots of news and updates, Twitter is a great place for that.
Scheduling:
Scheduling posts ahead of time is useful for time management, especially for busy volunteers.
Twitter allows you to schedule tweets on desktop. This feature is not currently available on mobile.
Tagging/Mentions:
Tagging/using Mentions on Twitter is a great way to get others to share your content. Tag us at @dukealumni, or tag other regional groups if you’re collaborating with them (and they have an active Twitter).
LINKEDIN: INFORMATION AND BEST PRACTICES
LinkedIn can be great for a group that is focused on career advice or professional networking.
Be sure to encourage alumni with job opportunities to post in the Duke University Alumni Network with the hashtag #DukeAlumniJobs.
MAINTAINING SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
It isn’t necessary to maintain all four platforms to have an active social media presence. Look to where your members are already engaged and focus your efforts on maintaining those channels. It is important to have a clear purpose for your group’s pages before establishing them.
TIP: Pin a post or add a description to your channel that describes appropriate use of the page. For instance, some channels are places for alumni to come learn about regional events and news, while others encourage open posting for alumni to share their own news or opportunities. Share the intentions of your channel with your followers!
How do I pin a post to the top of my Facebook Page’s timeline?
How do I pin items to the top of a Facebook group I admin?
Pinning a tweet on Twitter
Pin a post on LinkedIn
TIP: Make sure that your group creates clear guidelines around which volunteer will be maintaining which platform. Make sure your log-in details are shared in a secure place with volunteer leaders and at least one staff person at Duke Alumni Engagement and Development.
If your group is planning on adding a channel or enhancing your current channels, now is the time to reach out to the Marketing and Communications team at Duke Alumni Engagement and Development. Start by e-mailing aedsocial@duke.edu to set up a quick meeting!
STAY IN THE KNOW
A few tips that will help you keep up with Duke-related news and find content to post:
- Follow @DukeAlumni on all four platforms, and feel free to re-share any of our posts on your group’s account. Many of your followers may not see our content due to social algorithms or because they don’t follow us, so never hesitate to re-post.
- Check your group’s page on the Alumni Network to keep track of all upcoming events and announcements from other group leaders.
- Sign up for the Blue Crew, where you will receive exclusive share-worthy Duke news.
- Check Duke Today for the newest stories from all of Duke.
- Bonus: Make sure your group’s board members have your preferred contact information so they can send you exciting news and updates directly.
BEST PRACTICES
Tips for creating engaging social content:
- Don’t worry about creating content from scratch. Find Duke content that already exists and share it with your audience – they likely haven’t seen it before!
- Post at least once a week on each channel for optimal performance (if you cannot do this, it might be best to forego creating or managing this channel).
- Follow the alumni within your audience first to grow your following.
- Use a personal voice, but keep it professional. Remember, you are always representing Duke within this role.
- Always include a visual when possible.
- Take photos when you attend an event – these do great on social.
- Share posts by Duke alumni who tag or post in your group (with their approval). You can then tag @DukeAlumni for possible reposting to the entire alumni community.
- Use hashtags like #ForeverDuke or create/use the standard hashtag for your group (ex. #DukeMiami).
- Encourage your group’s fellow volunteer leaders to like, comment, and share your posts to increase their reach.
- Post during high-excitement times, e.g., basketball games, Reunion, Homecoming, Commencement.
- If you are unsure about a specific post or have received a comment that you don’t know how to respond to, reach out to your Duke Alumni Engagement and Development staff contact and aedsocial@duke.edu for support.
If you have further questions or have some ideas of tips and tricks to add to this guide, please reach out to the Duke Alumni Engagement and Development social media team at aedsocial@duke.edu. Thanks for reading and stay Forever Duke!
