General Guidance and Best Practices
If you read nothing else, please read this! ⬇️
1. Use social media to connect with Buckeyes! 🌰 Show the world why the Buckeye Family is THE best and create a community of Buckeyes wherever you are. Be the I-O to someone’s O-H!
2. Photos, photos, photos! 📸 Take photos at every event and be sure to share the best ones. Taking more photos during the event will give you more options to choose from later, helping you be more strategic/specific about which ones you post.
3. Share resources! 📚 Share local resources/events along with resources/events found on OSUAA's website! DO NOT use QR codes on social media, that should only be for printed materials.
4. Tag OSUAA in your posts! 📌 Tag us in your posts/photos and use #BuckeyeForLife so we can see all the great content you’re putting out and potentially amplify it!
5. Know your platforms! 📱You DO NOT need to be on every single platform. It’s better to be really good at one platform than spread yourself too thin across all the platforms. Figure out what is going to work best for your group.
Questions? Talk with your REO! If they don't know the answer, they'll connect with our communications team to get you an answer.
Fast Facts About Social Media Platforms
Instagram Fast Facts
Instagram typically serves a younger audience — AKA, it’s a great place to reach young alumni!
EVERY POST must include photo or video, text only posts are not allowed. Visuals are very important, so do your best to take photos and videos at your events!
INSTAGRAM STORIES: While posts are forever, Stories only last for 24 hours. They are a great way to do live coverage of events or promote something that may not have a strong enough visual for a grid post.
DO NOT PUT LINKS IN YOUR INSTAGRAM CAPTIONS!! They are not clickable and very difficult for viewers to copy and paste. You can have people go to "the link in your bio." Currently, Instagram allows up to six links to be added to an account's bio. If you absolutely need more than six links, you can use a tool like Linktree.
DO NOT use QR codes on social media, that should only be for printed materials.
Facebook Fast Facts
Facebook typically serves an older audience. Nearly 60% of the OSUAA Facebook followers are 44+ years old. Lean into the nostalgia and the community of it all, Facebook is a place for community!
OSUAA aims for 3-5 posts per week, ideally no more than one per day. You don't need to post that often, but try to be consistent.
You can post text, photos, videos and links. Links can go directly in the captions of posts.
Linkedin Fast Facts
Linkedin is career focused but also has a social media aspect to it. People use the site to network with others and find jobs, but they also use it to share accomplishments and insights.
You can use your page to share updates and resources from your group, and repost accomplishments/insights from members of your group.
GROUPS VERSUS PAGES
Facebook and Linkedin have both public pages and private group options.
A PAGE is a public space for posting, where only select members can post as your club/society and people can follow your page. Followers can easily share these posts to amplify the content to their broader networks.
A GROUP is more private since you can make people request entry. Anyone who is a member of the group can make a post to share with the entire group. These posts come from individuals rather than from the club/society page. Posts in groups cannot be shared easily to people outside of the group.
Essentially, pages are better for spreading messages as far as possible, and groups are better for sharing information to a select audience.
Photo Tips and Tricks
YOU DO NOT NEED A FANCY CAMERA to take great photos for your social media; most smartphone cameras will do what you need. Please remember to wipe off the lens of your phone camera before taking photos, so the photos are not blurry.
You can mix both posed photos of groups or individuals with candid/action shots; it depends on the event and your comfortability/skills. Take more photos than you think you might need so you have options!
Be sure to double check all your photos before posting! Make sure there aren't any unwanted photobombers (both people and things).
You can never go wrong with an O-H-I-O photo! Grab four people at your watch party or other events and snap a quick pic! The Ohio State Alumni Magazine published an article describing what makes a good O-H-I-O photo.
Content and Caption Ideas
We recommend switching up the captions to make it work for you, but these are suggestions to get you started!
Join our group!
Calling all New York City Buckeyes! 👋 Meet new friends, grow your network and stay connected by joining the Alumni Club of New York City. Learn more at [LINK]
From game day watch parties to community service, we've got it all! 🏈 Learn more about the Ohio State Alumni Club of Denver and how you can get involved at [LINK] .
When we say Buckeye for Life we mean it! You're never too old or too late for some Buckeye fun. 🤩 Learn how you can get involved with the Block O Alumni Society at [LINK].
Event Invitation
Do some good and rep your scarlet and gray this Saturday at the Central Florida Food Bank. Starting at 10 am we'll be packing meals for families in our community. 🫂 RSVP now at the link in our bio!
Buckeyes make a difference! 🫶 Join us Friday at 5 pm at the Northside kitchen to help make meals for unhoused folks in our community. Close toed shoes and Buckeye spirit are both required. Sign up now at [LINK].
Game Watch Invite
Missing the game day energy of the Shoe but can't make it back to Columbus? 🏟️ Join us instead at any of our four watch party locations this Saturday! We've got giveaways, great deals on food and drinks and plenty of Buckeye spirit to go around. Find the location closest to you at [LINK].
Attention ATL Buckeyes! We want YOU to join us for our next game watch on Saturday October 14 at Hudson Grille. 🏈 O-H!
Game Watch (or Other Event) Photos
Last night with our Buckeyes was an absolute dream! ☁️ If you couldn't make it, be sure to follow us to hear about future events!
1,870 meals are now ready to go to families in Central Ohio facing food insecurity. Great work, Buckeyes! ❤️
B1G win for the Buckeyes! And an even bigger win for us: we set a new record for our largest game watch ever. We'll see you next weekend when the Buckeyes take on the Hoosiers! 🏈
Member Spotlight
Meet Betty Buckeye ’85! 👋 Betty works as a quality control analyst for Scarlet Co. but also volunteers her time with the HRS Alumni Society. Her favorite memory as a student was late nights at the library with her friends and early morning tailgates before football games.
Jim ’17 and Jackie Smith ’17 met on the second floor of Baker Hall their freshman year and instantly hit it off. Now, they both work in finance and give back by volunteering with us. Jackie also serves as our treasurer, making sure we can support our scholarship and host events. Did you meet your #BuckeyeLove on campus? Let us know in the comments! ⬇️
Throwback Content
Throwback to the great campus blizzard of 1978! ❄️ Thank you Teddy ’80 for sending us this photo.
We heard 2026 is the new 2016 so we had our members share some photos with us! Anything look familiar? 👀
If these walls could talk! Raise your hand if you remember when Park-Stradley Hall was Park Hall and Stradley Hall. 🙋♀️
Other Content Ideas/Inspiration
Ohio State is home to 36 varsity sports, there's more than just football! Celebrate the big wins for some of our other teams too.
Celebrate your members! See someone posting good news on LinkedIn? Reshare it and congratulate them!
Around commencement, post resources for new grads or some "must see" places for grads moving from Columbus to your neck of the woods!
Questions?
Reach out to us here! osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_00aCsMMnPSS1ORw
Excellent Content Examples
Coming soon!