University of Toledo

Contact the University social media team before starting an official account. Be prepared to explain its purpose, audience, content sources and staffing. Identify who will publish, who will answer questions and who will cover absences. The team can help determine whether a new account is useful or whether an existing channel can meet the need.

Each account should have a primary employee manager and a second employee with administrative access. Student employees, interns and other contributors may create and publish content, with the employee responsible for the account reviewing content prior to posting. Access should remain with the University when an individual changes roles or leaves.

Keep a current record of each account’s name, handle, URL, administrators and recovery arrangements. Identify the division, college, office or department responsible. Share account details and contact information with the social media team when requested and update them when responsibilities change. Keep passwords and recovery codes in a secure location separate from a general account inventory.

Official University accounts are managed on behalf of UToledo. Creating or administering an official account does not establish personal ownership.

Account managers must not present personal opinions as official positions of the University or the division, college, office, department or program represented. Managers must maintain designated University administrative access and cooperate with authorized transitions in account management.

These guidelines support consistent, responsible management of official University accounts. They should be used alongside applicable University policies and agreements.

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Access and Security

• Use a shared University-managed email address for account ownership and recovery where the platform supports it. In most cases, request a resource inbox from University IT. Avoid tying account recovery to an individual’s work email. Where individual profiles are required, grant access through the platform’s administrative roles. Do not share a personal profile or create a fictitious person to administer a page.
• Enable multifactor authentication wherever available, including on administrator profiles. Keep recovery methods available to authorized employees so access does not depend on one person’s phone.
• Use strong, unique passwords and an appropriate password manager. Never send passwords or recovery codes through social messages or store them in an open spreadsheet.
• Give each contributor only the access needed. Review permissions when assignments change and remove access promptly when someone leaves the role. Check connected scheduling tools and other applications as part of that review.
• Treat unexpected login links, copyright complaints and account verification messages cautiously. Verify them through the platform directly. Report suspected compromise promptly to University IT and the social media team.

If staffing or content needs change, discuss combining, pausing or retiring the account with the social media team. Plan how to direct followers to an active channel before changing or closing an account.

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Student and Guest Contributors

Student and guest contributions can give people a closer look at UToledo through those we support. Before a takeover or other assignment, agree on the purpose, topics, start and end times, review process and person responsible for questions.

Instruct contributors on the University’s voice, permissions, privacy and accessibility expectations. An employee account manager should review submitted content before publication and remain available during live coverage. Contributors can send photographs, video and draft captions to the manager without needing account access.

If temporary publishing access is needed, use the access and security practices above and remove it when the assignment ends. Keep account settings and moderation decisions with the employee manager.

Start with a clear reason for the account to exist. Identify the people you want to reach and what you want them to learn from your account. A department recruiting prospective students will need a different mix of content from a program serving current students or a clinical service helping people learn about care.

Keep a short plan that answers these questions:

• Who is the primary audience, and what do they need from this account?
• What goals will the account support, and what would progress look like?
• Where will stories, photographs, video and timely information come from?
• How often can the team publish useful content and respond to the audience?
• Who creates, reviews and publishes content, and who provides backup?
• Which measures will help the team decide what to continue or change?

Show students putting learning into practice, explain what a research finding could mean, or let a graduate describe how an experience shaped their work. Help people understand the opportunity or impact behind an announcement. Let the people involved speak in their own words when possible.

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Choosing what belongs on social 

Before accepting a posting request, consider who the information is for, why it matters to them and what they should take away. Shape announcements around what students, alumni or other members of the audience need to know.

Recommend the channel that best fits the need. An email may serve a specific group more directly; a webpage may be the right home for detailed or lasting information. Account managers should use their judgment about timing, format and whether social media is the right channel, with support from the social media team.

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Story mix

Give people several reasons to follow your account. Use these categories as planning prompts and adjust the balance for your audience, available stories and the academic calendar.

• Student success: Show learning in action, internships, co-ops, research, creative work. Let students describe what an opportunity meant to them.
• Alumni highlights: Connect a graduate’s path with their UToledo experience. Feature career milestones, service, continued involvement and advice for current students.
• Campus life and events: Capture everyday experiences and moments relevant to your area of campus. Pair event promotion with coverage that shows what people did, learned or enjoyed.
• Academic and community impact: Explain faculty expertise, discoveries, partnerships and service.
• Trending content and fun: Use relevant trends, humor and campus moments when they fit the audience and UToledo’s voice. Participate when there is a natural connection; trends are optional.
• Useful information: Share deadlines, resources and clear next steps. Balance requests to register, apply or attend with stories that help people get to know your area of the University.

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Format mix 

Match the format to the story. Use photographs or carousels to introduce people and show an experience; short videos for voices, demonstrations and moments in motion; Stories for timely coverage and audience questions; and simple graphics for concise information. Use text and link posts where supported to provide context and direct people to more detail.

Review a few weeks of posts to spot repetition or gaps. Adjust as you go, using impressions, engagements and audience feedback alongside your judgment.

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Reflecting the UToledo community 

Look for a range of people, programs and everyday experiences within the area your account represents. Depending on your audience, that might include commuters, graduate students, transfer students, adult learners and people studying online, as well as students living on campus. Ask colleagues for story ideas beyond the people already featured regularly.

Let participants describe their own experiences and confirm how they would like to be identified. Use actual UToledo people, settings and represent each person’s story accurately.

Image sizes and formatting

Prepare images for the platform and placement where they will appear. Feed posts, Stories, profile images and cover images may use different dimensions and crops. Recommended sizes change, so check current guidance before creating graphics or reusing older templates.

UToledo uses Sprout Social for social media management. Refer to Sprout Social’s social media image sizes guide for sizing recommendations for Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. This public resource is available without a Sprout Social account.

Preview images before publishing, especially on a phone. Check that text is readable and important details remain visible after cropping. Adapt the layout for each placement and avoid stretching images or enlarging small files until they appear blurry. Keep important text, faces and logos clear of areas covered by platform buttons or other display elements.

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Planning and review 

Maintain a simple content calendar with the planned topic, date, format, owner and any review needed. Plan around the academic year and your team’s priorities, while leaving room for unexpected opportunities. Review scheduled content as circumstances change and pause it when its timing no longer fits.

Revisit the plan each semester and when your team’s priorities change. Use audience questions and feedback to identify information that is missing or stories worth following up on.

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Success and Analytics 

Analytics can help you understand how widely your content is being shown and how people respond. Account managers are encouraged to review results regularly. Formal analytics reports are not required by these guidelines. A quick monthly review can help you decide what to continue, adjust, try next or abandon.

Start with two measures in the account’s analytics tools:

• Impressions measure the number of times content is displayed. One person may generate several impressions, so this number does not represent a count of unique people.
• Engagements measure how people interact with content, including reactions, comments, shares, saves and clicks. Check which actions each platform includes in its engagement total. Engagements can provide stronger evidence that someone saw and responded to your post.

Use the platform’s available business or professional account tools. Labels and definitions can differ or change; a views figure may be presented instead of impressions.

Compare similar time periods on the same platform and look at individual posts as well as account totals. Note how often you posted and whether an event, paid promotion or unusually popular post affected the results. A higher total can reflect more posts, so also consider which posts earned attention and interaction.

Look for patterns in the subjects and formats people respond to. Use those patterns to inform future content. Impressions and engagements are useful starting points; for a specific campaign, registration clicks or relevant inquiries may tell you more about whether it achieved its goal. Follower growth should not be the only measure of success.

Consistency and branding

Make it easy to recognize an account’s connection to UToledo and the division, college, office or department it represents. Use a clear account name and handle, an approved profile image and an accurate description. Where possible the account should begin with The University of Toledo or UToledo. Include a current University webpage and contact information. Review profile details at the start of each semester and whenever programs, personnel or services change.

Use approved logos, colors, typography and templates from the University brand resources. Keep logos intact and ask University Marketing and Communications for help with branding or new graphics for your area. Select natural photographs that show the people and experiences behind the story.

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Voice and writing

The UToledo Content Guide describes our voice as proud, optimistic and encouraging. Academic content also conveys boldness and determination; clinical content adds strength and compassion. Write with confidence and warmth, while keeping claims accurate and supportable. The tone should fit both the subject and the audience.

Use direct, conversational language. Explain unfamiliar terms, keep acronyms to a minimum and lead with the part of the story that matters to the reader. In a post about a student project, for example, explain what the students made or solved before describing the course requirements.

Follow the Content Guide’s writing conventions, including:

• Use The University of Toledo on first reference and UToledo on subsequent references. Do not use UT as shorthand in University copy.
• Use the correct names of colleges, programs and offices, and verify names and titles before publishing. Follow the guide’s exceptions to AP style.
• Write The Power To Do with all four words capitalized. The guide permits all caps in headlines. Do not replace Do with a different verb after The Power To.
• Use a direct headline or call to action when it communicates more clearly. Every post does not need to include the tagline.
• Use UToledo Health for the University’s clinical operations. Use University of Toledo Medical Center for the hospital, with UTMC acceptable on subsequent references.

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Representing UToledo

Official UToledo accounts should represent the University and its people with professionalism and respect. Do not post, share or endorse content that demeans or disparages the University, its divisions, colleges, offices, departments or programs, or members of the University community. Humor and trends should not come at the expense of another area of the University or the people it serves.

Publishing best practices

Aim for five or more useful posts each week per platform. Five posts per week is a flexible planning target; a lower frequency may be appropriate based on your audience’s needs, available content and staff capacity. Plan enough content to sustain a schedule that works for you and review the audience’s response. Avoid publishing filler to meet a quota.

Adapt a story to the platform and audience. A research announcement might become a plain-language explanation with a link on Facebook, a discussion of its professional impact on LinkedIn, or a short demonstration on Instagram.

Use clear images, video and audible sound. Open with the subject or action that makes the story worth watching. Keep important text away from areas covered by platform controls. Read the caption and watch the entire video before posting, including the beginning and end. Verify links, tags, event details, names and claims.

Coordinate major announcements with University Marketing and Communications before posting. Confirm the release time for news such as research findings, leadership changes or new partnerships, and make sure linked information is ready. Material shared internally or in advance for planning may not be ready for public release.

Use trends and humor when they make sense for the audience and the University. Understand a trend’s meaning, origin and audio before participating. Consider whether the post would still make sense to someone who has not seen the trend. If its meaning or likely impact is unclear, ask for another opinion.

Confirm rights and permissions for photographs, video, graphics and music. Credit creators when required; credit alone does not provide permission. Before reposting someone else’s work, confirm that the intended use is permitted and that people featured in it can appropriately be included. Coordinate paid promotion, giveaways and sponsored content with University Marketing and Communications and/or the Office of Legal Affairs before committing funds or publishing terms.

If AI tools assist with ideas or drafting, review the result for factual accuracy, bias and fit with the University’s voice. Do not invent quotations or present generated people or scenes as actual UToledo experiences.

Correct errors promptly. For a change that affects meaning, add a clear correction so readers understand what changed. Use judgment if a platform allows use of the edit tool. If a post exposes private information or creates an immediate concern, involve the appropriate University office and preserve the necessary record while addressing the problem. In the age of screenshots, all posts should be treated as viewed once published.

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Reposting and interacting with other accounts

Likes, reactions, reposts and comments from an official account are part an engaging public presence. Use the same care as you would when publishing your own content. Consider whether the interaction fits your account’s purpose and could be understood as University support or endorsement.

Use your judgment to celebrate achievements, support campus events and share useful information with your audience. Share relevant content from other University accounts, contribute helpful information and join conversations where your account has something meaningful to offer. A brief, thoughtful comment can help build connections beyond your own followers.

Before sharing or reacting, review the full post and its context. Confirm that information is accurate, current and appropriate for your audience. A mention or tag does not create an obligation to share or respond. When reposting, add context when helpful, preserve the original attribution and follow the privacy and permissions guidance in this document, including requirements for patient-related content.

Check back on conversations your account joins, especially when you have answered a question or promised to follow up.

Privacy and Permissions

Protect confidential University information and follow applicable student and patient privacy requirements, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Confirm required permissions before sharing identifiable stories or information. Take particular care with minors and sensitive personal experiences.

Coordinate patient stories and filming in clinical spaces with University Marketing and Communications and the appropriate privacy staff before recording. Obtain required written authorizations and prevent patient information from appearing in backgrounds, screens or audio. Blurring information later does not resolve an unauthorized disclosure during filming.

Do not provide individualized medical advice or discuss a person’s records in comments or direct messages. A person’s public disclosure of their own experience is not authorization for the University to disclose additional information. Direct private matters to an appropriate University contact or secure internal channel.

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Photo and film releases for content without protected health information

Follow UToledo’s photo and film release guidance when creating social content without protected health information.

Releases are generally needed for recognizable participants recruited as the primary subjects in non-public settings. For identifiable students photographed while engaged in another activity, such as studying, obtain a release or verbal consent.

For minors, obtain a parent’s or legal guardian’s signature. Exceptions may apply at public events; seek verbal permission from the parent or guardian if a signed release is unavailable.

Releases are typically unnecessary for:

• Public events or campus scenes where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy.
• Unrecognizable subjects in non-public settings.
• UToledo faculty and staff.
• Invited group activities in which people participate voluntarily.
• Classroom or lab photography requested by an appropriate University representative.

Printable and electronic forms are linked on the guidance page. The electronic form is for participants with UTAD credentials who are over 18 and able to contract for themselves.

Keep completed releases in a secure University location and associate them with the related content. Contact University Marketing and Communications when the need for a release is unclear.

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Patient testimonials and protected health information 

In most instances, University Marketing and Communications should handle patient testimonials and social media content involving protected health information (PHI). Contact the team early to coordinate permissions and content development.

PHI includes information that identifies an individual and connects them to their healthcare. Photographs, videos, captions and comments can disclose PHI, including by confirming that someone is a patient at UToledo Health.

Before photographing, filming or interviewing patients, or sharing content involving PHI, obtain a completed UToledo Health Authorization to Use and Disclose Protected Health Information. The authorization must cover the information being shared and its intended use, including social media. A general photo release or verbal permission does not replace this authorization. Confirm that the authorization remains valid for the planned use. Follow the form’s requirements for expiration, revocation and filing, including documenting disclosures.

Following guidance from the Office of Legal Affairs, these requirements also apply when sharing existing content. If a news story, unaffiliated social media post or other content identifies an individual and their care at UToledo Health, we must obtain our own HIPAA authorization before externally sharing, reposting or reusing it. A patient sharing their story publicly, or giving permission to a news outlet, does not authorize UToledo to disclose or confirm their health information.

Build accessibility into planning and review so more people can understand and enjoy your content.

Add concise, factual alt text to each informative image wherever the platform provides that field. Describe the subject and action that matter to the post and check automatically generated descriptions. For example: “Three engineering students test a small robotic vehicle on a lab table.” If there is no alt text field, include an image description in the post text. Include essential graphic details, such as an event’s date, time and location, in the post text as well.

Caption spoken content and meaningful sounds in videos, including short clips and Stories. Review automatic captions for accuracy, especially names and technical terms, and confirm they appear in the published video. Keep captions readable and clear of important visuals.

Use strong contrast between text and backgrounds, with readable type sizes and avoid placing text over busy images. Check colors with a contrast checker and test graphics on a phone.

These practices are a starting point. Follow the University’s accessibility requirements and use the UToledo Digital Accessibility Hub for additional guidance or help with other formats.

Community Guidelines

Welcome questions, conversation and differing points of view. Treat one another respectfully and model that behavior in the account’s own responses. Listen for the concern behind a comment before deciding whether or how to answer.

Add supportive messages or reactions to comments to build engagement and foster community.

Answer routine questions with useful information and a clear next step. If a question belongs with another office, help the person find the right contact. If an answer needs checking, a simple response such as “Thanks for asking. We’re checking on that and will follow up here” lets the person know they have been heard. Return with the answer when it is available.

Direct people to the webpages, forms and contacts listed on the University website for the most reliable answers.

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Moderating Comments

Check comments, messages, mentions and scheduled posts each business day. Arrange coverage for events and other periods when timely responses are likely to be needed. Acknowledge routine questions by the next business day when possible, even if a complete answer will take longer.

Do not delete comments from University posts. UToledo welcomes constructive criticism and takes the right to comment seriously. As a public university, we respect freedom of expression. Criticism, disagreement or language an account manager finds offensive is not a reason to restrict someone’s participation.

Preserve threatening language or doxxing with a screenshot and report it promptly to University Police and the Office of Legal Affairs for consultation. Alert the social media team as well. For an immediate threat or emergency, contact 911 or University Police directly; do not wait for a social media response.

For suspected spam, phishing links, possible unlawful harassment, disclosure of protected information or apparent intellectual property violations, contact the social media team for guidance and involve Legal Affairs, the Office of Title IX or the appropriate staff as needed. Several people raising the same concern is not, by itself, spam.

Do not hide comments, block users, apply keyword filters or change comment settings to suppress criticism or political viewpoints. Consult the social media team before restricting participation or changing moderation settings.

Notify the social media team and University Marketing and Communications promptly about a developing issue that could affect the University or require a coordinated response. Provide the post or message link, relevant screenshots and a short explanation. Route media inquiries to University Marketing and Communications.

During an emergency, share verified University instructions and follow the direction of the communications team. Review or pause scheduled promotional content as appropriate. Do not speculate, identify people involved or publish an independent University-wide statement.

Social posts, comments, messages and moderation records may be University records. Follow applicable retention schedules and any preservation instructions. Forward public records requests to University Marketing and Communications.