Faculty members are welcome to use social media through NIST-branded (non-personal) accounts as a way to promote activities and information for a particular section or department. Platforms that can be used include Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Please check with the Communications Department before creating NIST-branded accounts using other sites or apps. Before creating an account, several questions should also be asked:
- Is an account necessary? Social media isn’t always as easy as it seems! Making it engaging requires a lot of content and interaction with those who follow you. If you create an account with too narrow of a focus, you may not reach a wide audience or have enough content for updates.
- Does an account already exist? Some departments created Facebook pages, and Twitter accounts already exist for every year level. If you’re not sure if an account exists, check with the Communications Department.
- Who will manage it? Beyond the short-term management of the account, think about its use in the future. Is there someone else who will be able and willing to maintain the account if you leave the school?
Account Creation Policies
If you feel that a social media account will be valuable after reviewing the questions above and plan to launch it on one or more of the platforms above, the following policies should be followed.
- Contact the Director of Communications and provide the username and login information for the account(s). For Facebook pages, this will require adding him/her as a page administrator. This will enable us to pass on the account or close it if the individual who creates it leaves the school.
- Upload the NIST-branded profile icon that will be provided. These are standardized for social media accounts in order to make them consistent and recognizable for both the internal and external communities.
- Review the NIST Style Guide and NIST Identity Standards, as we ask that official NIST accounts adhere to these standards as much as possible.