Visuals
Instagram is a visual platform, which means images and video tell the story. To distribute your content successfully, you need to keep this in mind.
What do we mean by this? Well, think about the kind of content you post. Are you posting well-crafted, well-designed, Insta-friendly images, or are you posting walls of text and placeholder images with text?
To provide the best visual experience for your audience, we recommend posting visuals with minimal text that comply with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) requirements:
- Avoid posting flyers and images with heavy text. Any text on the image must be included in the alternate text (AltText) for the content to be compliant.
- Include Alt Text, closed captions, and transcripts when posting content. Make sure all media can be understood without sound.
- When using long hashtags, capitalize each word in the phrase. Screen-reading software will have an easier time knowing when one word ends and the next starts, making it easier to interpret.
Strategy
Every social media account and post represents Monmouth University and the brand. It is imperative to have a clear strategy with both short-term and long-term goals. Identifying your audience, the purpose of the account, a brand voice and persona, and the mission of the content are the initial steps to creating a proper post.
Our strategy requires that all social media posts follow the University Editorial Guide for written content and the University Visual Identity Guidelines when creating profile pictures, cover photos, graphics, or any additional visuals. Always reference the following guidelines when curating content:
Tell Your Story
When it comes to your Instagram presence, nothing beats authenticity and your brand story.
As a brand, no matter how well you know the algorithm or how manyInstagram hacks you try, the most important piece of the puzzle is you and your story.
Post to Instagram Reels
Since their debut, hundreds of thousands of creators have jumped on the Reels train, using them to build stronger communities and reach new audiences.
Whether you are posting a before-and-after, a how-to, or a behind-the-scenes Reel, sharing this short-form video content is an incredible way to broaden your reach beyond your followers — and possibly go viral doing so!
Experience-based Reel examples:
Include Closed Captions
Did you know that 30% of Instagram users watch Stories without sound?
This means without closed captions, you could be missing out on a portion of your audience who are tapping through your Instagram Reels and Stories.
Luckily, there’s a way to create scroll-stopping Stories and Reels through video subtitles.
Not only are video subtitles a great way for people to watch without sound, but they’re also essential for those with hearing difficulties too.
And with Instagram’s Stories Caption sticker, it’s never been easier to add closed captions to your Story.
Share Carousel Posts
Carousel posts are a great way to show an experience, and if you want your content to have a longer shelf life, sharing carousel posts is a great tactic.
Why? Because if a follower doesn’t engage with your post the first time they see it, they may be shown the second slide of your carousel the next time they open the app — giving you additional opportunities to gain their attention and reach.
Refer to the Social Media Guidelines
The purpose of this guide is to outline the overall style and direction for the University’s main social media accounts. These guidelines may also be helpful for starting and managing University-affiliated accounts, including departmental, affinity group, student clubs and organizations, and other similar accounts.