Always start with a plan. Think through the objectives and goals of your social media presence.

Best Practices

  • Only share information that is public.
  • Emergencies: If you encounter any safety concerns in social media, contact Public Safety, Human Resources or Student Life.
  • All posted content should relate to furthering Carleton’s mission and/or campus life.
  • Strive for accuracy.
  • Be respectful.
  • Remember: Social media is a conversation! Be human and use plain language.
  • Use the voice of your office, department, or organization, in order to maintain a consistent voice and to safeguard privacy.
  • Set up metrics for measuring your success, and use the analytics that are available in the social media platforms to monitor your progress.

Monitoring and Updating

Account administrators must be prepared to make a commitment to their social media.

  • Post regularly (several times per week) to build an audience by creating an informative and engaging environment.
  • Monitor your social media accounts regularly.
  • Respond to any problems or issues that may arise.

If you have any questions regarding troubleshooting issues with your social media accounts, please contact Erica Helgerud at ehelgerud@carleton.edu.

Moderating Content and Comments

  • Don’t delete negative comments just because you don’t agree.
  • Use your judgment; it may be appropriate to address genuine concerns or criticisms.
  • In some cases it may be wise to contact the person who has posted a critical comment to see how you can help resolve an issue. Remember that social media are inherently interactive. Engagement is important, and a regard for your audience’s opinions — either positive or negative — will be seen as evidence that you are open to discussion and proactive about responding.

When to Delete Comments

All official Carleton social media accounts reserve the right to delete comments deemed inappropriate.

As a general rule of thumb, it is appropriate to delete all comments that involve:

  • Defaming or attacking a person or a group of people
  • Political endorsements
  • Links unrelated to your site
  • Unrelated advertising or promotions from outside sources (spam)

Platform-Specific Guidelines

See best practices for using Facebook and Twitter.