Please Note: New social media accounts (including Instagram accounts) fall under Western's New Social Media process, in partnership with your Communications Officer and Western Communications.
Overview
- Instagram has 800M Monthly Active Users (500M Daily Active Users)
- 25,000 – 35,000 impressions / @westernuniversity feed post
- 10,000 impressions / @westernuniversity story post
- Highest engagement of all platforms at Western.
- Areas for Success: Stories.
Western has an official Instagram account (@westernuniversity) that is used school-wide, as well as specialized accounts including:
- @westernmustangs
- @westernuAlumni
- @westernustudentexperience
- @iveybusiness
- @westernuRezLife
- @westernuFood
- @westernuVisArts
- @westernuCS
- @westernulibsarc
Western also uses the following official hashtags: #westernu, #offtowesternu (future students), #purpleandproud (alumni), #westernuCreates (visual arts), #westernuRezLife, #bewellwesternu (wellness) and #gradlifewesternu (grad students & SGPS).
We are building a network of Instagram accounts (and hashtags) built on audiences, subjects and experiences - rather than reflecting our organizational structure by creating accounts for individual departments or units.
Questions about Instagram at Western University can be directed to social@uwo.ca. You can also contact this address to pitch content for the @westernuniversity account.
(top)Pitching @westernuniversity
@westernuniversity is a platform for your portfolio’s stories, campaigns & messages:- 34,300 followers
- 25,000+ impressions per post (feed)
- 10,000+ impressions per post (story)
- Sharing stories & moments from any portfolio or voice on campus
- 1-2 posts per day (feed); scheduled in Buffer
- 1 story per day; scheduled in Basecamp
We Post Big, Beautiful, Purple.
- Big: Full size, straight from the camera. (3MB max for social media)
- Beautiful: in focus, well lit, composed.
- Purple: Reflect Western places, people or culture.
Pitching an Instagram Post:
- Contact social@uwo.cawith the idea (optional, but helps save you time).
- Submit photo (or video) with supporting caption to social@uwo.ca
(if accepted, will take up to a week to publish).
Staff with access Buffer.com can directly schedule posts into @westernuniversity’s queue for approval.
Pitching an Instagram Story:
- Contact social@uwo.ca with the idea and date (important!)
- Accepted pitches go into the Editorial Calendar on Basecamp.
- Submit photos (or videos) to social@uwo.ca
- Order of photos & videos must be clearly indicated in file names.
- Include captions/text in the photo files (Photoshop).
- Include list of interactive elements to be added for each (hashtags, geo-locations, polls).
Once you’ve completed one or two stories successfully by submission, you can expect to receive direct access to build and publish your stories on the @westernuniversity account.
New Account Process
http://communications.uwo.ca/comms/web_design/social_media/new-social-media.html
- Review Western’s Strategy, Guidelines & Style Guide.
- Review Western’s Social Media Responsibilities.
- Publish posts on an already existing account, and evaluate.
- Update your unit’s Social Media Worksheet to include Instagram, and contact social@uwo.ca to discuss content strategy & launch.
Photography Tips
Frank Neufeld, Paul Mayne & Scott May
- DO use natural light; DON’T use your flash.
- DO move closer (or move your subject closer); DON’T use zoom.
- DO focus your shot.
- DO take more than one option (backup, wide, tall, close, far, video).
- DO use the rule of thirds.
- DO change your angle (go up, get low).
- DO develop your photos (Lightroom); DON’T over-filter/destroy your image data.
- DO take panoramas & live photos/videos.