Using Social Media at BYU-Idaho
Official BYU-Idaho social media accounts support the university’s mission and connect audiences with the people, experiences, and opportunities of BYU-Idaho. Employees who manage or contribute to university social media are responsible for following university standards, completing required training, and representing BYU-Idaho appropriately.
Getting Started
Before creating a new BYU-Idaho social media account, meet with your Communication Strategist to discuss your department’s needs. New accounts must be registered and receive final approval before use.
Review requirements for creating, managing, and publishing content on BYU-Idaho social media accounts.
Employees who manage or publish content to BYU-Idaho social media accounts must complete the required Social Media Training annually.
Usage Guidelines
Every post should reflect BYU-Idaho’s mission, values, brand standards, and Church standards.
Evaluate Social Trends
Use trends only when their meaning, music, language, and context support BYU-Idaho’s mission and standards. Consider the entire trend, not just the portion used in your post.
Review Language and Music
Review captions, messages, lyrics, spoken audio, and other language before publishing. Use only content that is appropriate in both meaning and context.
Follow BYU-Idaho Brand Standards
Use approved university colors, typefaces, photography, video, logos, and other brand elements to maintain a clear connection to BYU-Idaho.
Represent BYU-Idaho Standards
Content should appropriately represent university and Church standards for dress, language, conduct, and other subject matter.
Use Approved and Licensed Content
Make sure photography, video, music, graphics, and other creative assets are owned by BYU-Idaho or properly licensed for social media use.
Review Content Before Publishing
Follow your account’s established review process. Social media content must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate full-time account manager before publication.
Social Media Support
University Communications provides strategic support, best practices, and feedback for approved social media accounts.
Assigned social media account managers can connect with their Communication Strategist for guidance.
Social Media Kickoff
Join the semester social media kickoff for best practices, ideas, and guidance for creating a positive social media experience for your department.
Account Management Guidelines
Use Approved Business Accounts
University social media accounts must be registered as business accounts. Creator accounts are not approved.
Use Trained Account Managers
Only designated and trained account managers may publish content. Each account must have full-time employees responsible for oversight.
Keep Account Access Current
Remove access when account managers leave or change responsibilities, maintain secure login credentials, and keep account information current.
Complete Annual Requirements
Account managers must complete annual training and participate in account reviews with their University Relations communication strategist.
Consider the trend’s full meaning, associated music, language, imagery, and context. Use it only when every element supports BYU-Idaho’s mission and university and Church standards.
Yes. Contact your communication strategist when you have questions about a photo, color, caption, message, music selection, trend, brand asset, or other proposed content.
University social media accounts may use appropriate audio available through the platform’s business music library. Review the lyrics, meaning, and context before publishing, even when a post uses only a short portion of a song.
New accounts require approval. Meet with your University Relations communication strategist before creating an account to discuss the need, review existing university accounts, and begin the registration process.
Only designated account managers who have completed the required Social Media Training may publish content. Posts must also follow the account’s established review and approval process.
Yes. Employees who oversee or maintain BYU-Idaho social media accounts must complete the required Social Media Training annually.
Student employees may serve as trained account managers, but university social media accounts must be overseen by designated full-time account managers and follow the required content review process.
No. BYU-Idaho social media accounts must be registered as business accounts. Creator accounts are not eligible for approval.
Full-time account managers are responsible for maintaining active university social media accounts and deleting accounts that are no longer in use.
Contact your Communication Strategist for strategic guidance, account support, and questions about university social media requirements.