Managing social media for a college is a bit like throwing a house party where everyone wants to be the DJ.
Cape Cod Community College (4Cs) in Massachusetts has figured out a way to keep things engaging, organized and (most importantly) on-brand. But here’s the twist: If you, a “non-marcom” employee or student group, want to run a social media account, you’ll need to convince the social media manager why it’s worth it.
Here’s the setup: If you’re a department, club or program at 4Cs and you’re thinking, “We need to be on social,” then it’s time for The Talk with marketing. Think of it as a heart-to-heart about your social media dreams. You’ll sit down and review your goals, what kind of content you envision, and (gulp) whether you’re truly ready to run an account. Some folks realize during this chat that managing social media takes more work than they thought, and they decide to graciously step back. No harm, no foul – it’s better to understand the workload now than struggle later.
This article is part of a monthly series provided by the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR), an affiliated council of the American Association of Community Colleges.
But for those who decide they’re all in, they’ll receive the green light for a trial period – because it’s all about consistency and relevance. Each group gets one semester to show it can keep up with regular posting, engage meaningfully and share content that genuinely resonates with students.
These other users can use Instagram only. This might look different at another school, but across social media, 4Cs sees the most activity from students on Instagram. Each Instagram account user has to follow a few important guidelines:
- Naming conventions: Every account needs to be @4Cs[Name of Program/Club] – no exceptions. The college wants students to know that if they see “4Cs” in the name, it’s a legit college page, not some random meme account.
- Photo: The college also provides a standardized profile image to keep things visually consistent. When you’re scrolling, it should be immediately clear that these accounts are part of the 4Cs family. It’s a small detail but one that really helps build a recognizable brand presence.
- Passwords: As much as marketing trusts employees to handle their accounts responsibly, it does insist on login access. Yes, there is a spreadsheet to keep track of every account’s login information. You might call it a “password vault.” This isn’t just about being cautious (although, let’s be real – no one wants to get locked out of any accounts). It’s more like a safety net. Regularly checking this list to make sure passwords haven’t changed isn’t exactly thrilling work, but it’s one of those behind-the-scenes tasks that keeps a social media ecosystem running smoothly.
4Cs also has official social media policies that cover everything from How to Be Social (yes, that’s an actual section), to what to do if a crisis hits. The college wants everyone on the team to feel empowered to share their stories but also know they have a solid framework to lean on.
The goal is to give departments the tools to shine without letting things go off the rails: Everyone can show their personality while staying on the same track. Social media matters in higher education, and it’s important to make sure no one is simply throwing content out there, that colleges are connecting with students in a way that feels relevant and authentic.
And honestly? There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing students engage with a post that truly speaks to them. When 4Cs sees a great post from a department or a club and notices students interacting, it’s a reminder why colleges go through all the effort to keep things structured. (Even if it means that, yes, someone sometimes spends a little too much time updating that giant password spreadsheet.)
At the end of the day, managing social media at 4Cs is about blending freedom with responsibility. Colleges want their program and club leaders to feel like they can share what’s happening in their world, but it’s also important to ensure students know they’re looking at an official page when they see “4Cs” in the handle. It’s a fine balance, but when it works, it’s really something special.
