A resource on how to use X (formerly Twitter) for an affiliated account of Ramapo College of New Jersey.

FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY IN A POST

• Consider the demographics of your specific audience(s) – are your audiences even using X?
  • If your audience most likely is not using X, we recommend focusing your resources on social media platforms that they are using instead.
• Consider what language (phrases and lingo) your audience(s) understand(s), what is their daily schedules like, etc. Include date, time, and place if promoting an event.
  • Ex:
    • Don’t say, “tomorrow at 5 pm”
    • Say “tomorrow, September 1 at 5 pm EST in Friends Hall”.
    • You can also use “9/1” if you’re running out of characters. 
• If the topic/event has a website address, let people find out more by visiting the website. Keep the caption simple yet enticing so the users click on the website for more information.
  • If promoting an event that requires online registration, always include the link.
• The character cap for typical posts is 280, however, keep the content as short and concise as you can to keep your followers engaged. Longer posts (up to 25,000 characters and requires a subscription, X Premium) may make them uninterested.

PHOTOGRAPHY/VISUALS

• Using a photo or visual is crucial to having your posts stand out in the feed.
• Use the visual to grab a user’s attention and use the caption to provide more info.
• Visuals that include minimal text are great for X. Keep the text simple and be mindful that most users are viewing your posts on a mobile phone. Is your text too big, too small?
• Flyers need to be redesigned for social media and maintain College branding standards. 
• We recommend you work with the Office of Marketing to design the social media visuals you’ll need for your posts. Start the process by filling out our job request form: ramapo.edu/project-request/creative-brief-form/
• If you must design it on your own, please consult ramapo.edu/social-media/graphic-design-tips-for-social-media/ for graphic design tips and tricks.
• A “real” photo is also a great option if you don’t want to use or have access to graphic-designed visuals. It is best to brainstorm photos that can be evergreen for your posts and then build a photo bank to use year-round
• If needed, schedule student photographers through the Office of Marketing. Photoshoots can be scheduled or a student photographer can come to your event(s). There is also the option to request for the College’s official photographer to cover your event. Use this form: ramapo.edu/project-request/creative-brief-form/
• You can request quality photos from the College’s Flickr account – email us (socialmedia@ramapo.edu) with the Flickr links and we’ll download them for you. ramapo.edu/webservices/flickr/
• Attaching a .GIF from the .GIF library on Twitter makes for fun engagement with others, whether in a response post or an original post. Only use a .GIF if applicable/appropriate for your department/club. For some areas on campus, it is not recommended to use .GIFs.

HASHTAG

• Please refer to the list of preferred RCNJ-centric hashtags (#RamapoCollege, #RCNJ, #WeAreRCNJ). These are used to stay on-brand and introduce/drive people to conversation streams or focus the conversation around a topic. A full list of branded hashtags is available on our Guidelines page: ramapo.edu/social-media/social-media-guidelines/
• Hashtag with a purpose – It is best to use one branded hashtag per post, if that. At most, use two. If you decide to use a “general” hashtag, make sure there is a strategy behind it. Otherwise, skip using it.
• Let us know if you are considering launching a new hashtag or campaign – we’d love to help brainstorm, strategize and offer tips. Sometimes there is not a need to create a new one.

TAGGING/WHO’S IN THIS PHOTO

• Use the @ symbol to tag Ramapo College’s main Twitter account if referring to the College (@ramapocollegenj) in the caption of a post. You can also tag RCNJ-related accounts if they are involved in the topic of your post.
• You can tag within the caption of a post or use the “Who’s In This Photo” feature. It can be beneficial to use both features but each has their own value.
  • Tagging within the caption allows Twitter users to click directly to the tagged account(s).
  • Using the “Who’s in this photo” feature cleans up the characters you use in the post’s caption to focus on more important information, but it is less likely a user will click on the tagged account(s).
    • We prefer to tag account(s) in the photo than to list in the caption but that’s our preference and you might have a different vision!
• Tagging can be a great way to get clubs and organizations aware of an event they might be attending/involved with.
  • Ex: Tagging up to 10 clubs using the “Who’s in This Photo” who are coming to the Student Involvement Fair.

POLLS

• You can promote more user engagement with the poll option.
• It makes it fun for people who follow you to be able to vote on something.
• Polls cannot include photo uploads.

REPOSTING/REPLYING

• Unlike Instagram, you can instantly share another user’s post easily through the X platform (no outside third-party apps required), either by reposting or “quote” posting.
  • You can repost another account’s post as it is, or add your thoughts about the post as a caption by clicking the “quote” post option.
• Reposting is a great way to push information on your page that is relevant and has already been created. It also gives interested users easy access to more information.
• X also allows the option to reply to another account’s posts. This can be a good way to promote engagement and cross-departmental collaboration.
• For select accounts,* the reply feature is important. Users may need information, so having the ability to reply is an easy way to give them (and other users with the same questions) what they need.

*Select accounts include areas/departments that service students

ADVANCED

• You now need a subscription with X Premium to review your posts’ analytics.

NEW CAMPAIGNS/IDEAS

• New ideas are great, and it is important to keep up with appropriate trends to promote follower engagement.
• When you have a new idea, it is important to meet with the Social Media Strategist and the Social Media Team to ensure success, and to keep us in the loop.
• We highly recommend regularly attending the Social Media Group meetings. As a group, we discuss different topics related to social media, brand guidelines, the latest platform updates, and best practices.
  • For more info or to be added to the email list, visit ramapo.edu/social-media/social-media-group/

PROFILE TIPS

• Your profile is the centerpiece of your X strategy. Make sure your bio has the most relevant, up-to-date information that all of your followers need to know (office location, contact information, etc).
• Tag @ramapocollegenj in your bio to connect your followers with the College account.
• You can link a web page or Archway account in your profile. If you decide to utilize a link in your bio, make sure that the link is updated and maintained.
• Use a profile photo and header that is relevant and tells your followers who you are. We recommend working with the Office of Marketing for assistance with profile icon design and branding standards. ramapo.edu/project-request/creative-brief-form/

ACCESSIBILITY

• Being accessible means that anyone, regardless of ability, can access and engage with your content.
• Utilize the Alternative Text (alt text) feature when posting with a visual to allow those with visual impairments to utilize screen readers and access your content (it’s also known as an “image description” – and is not to be confused with a caption). 
• Be descriptive but concise when writing alt text so that your followers can be as engaged as possible.
• More accessibility guidelines are available: ramapo.edu/social-media/accessibility-guidelines-for-social-media/

BECOME RECOGNIZED BY THE COLLEGE

• All officially recognized Ramapo-affiliated accounts are linked in the Social Media Directory: ramapo.edu/social-media/directory/
• Don’t see your club/organization/department/office/program in the Directory? Fill out the Social Media Application Form to get your account recognized by the College. ramapo.edu/social-media/social-media-application-form/

QUESTIONS?

• Email socialmedia@ramapo.edu

Last updated: July, 24, 2024