Social media plays a crucial part in furthering Illinois Tech’s goal of increasing brand awareness and admissions. Illinois Tech’s official accounts have a following of more than 200,000, but we’re always looking to reach those who don’t know us. We also want to engage with those who make us who we are—current students, faculty, alumni, and the Chicago community.

We have a big story to tell about our hands-on education, top-notch faculty, and career-ready students. We’re here to make sure that you’re on track with the university’s social media strategy.

Need to contact the Office of Marketing and Communications’ social media team? Email marketing@iit.edu

Looking to start a new social media channel? Read our guidelines below.

Social Channels That M&C Manages

The Office of Marketing and Communications social media team manages the following official Illinois Tech social media channels: 

Illinois Tech (Main)

Armour College of Engineering

Chicago-Kent College of Law

College of Computing

IIT College of Architecture

Lewis College of Science and Letters

Stuart School of Business

Starting a New Social Media Channel

If you are interested in developing a social media presence or starting a new social media channel, the Office of Marketing and Communications has developed the following recommendations that you should review prior to getting started.

Considerations

Target Audience: Who is your primary audience, and is social media the appropriate medium to reach them? Is your audience size substantial enough to justify a dedicated channel? Take into account the valuable information that you possess and the interests of your audience.

Objectives: How can social media specifically contribute to accomplishing your overall objectives?

Resources: Managing a social media account demands time and effort. Do you have the necessary resources (e.g., personnel, bandwidth, tools) to develop compelling written and visual content, as well as to consistently publish and monitor reactions to your posts? You’ll need to assign specific roles and responsibilities for your social media channels, such as overseeing strategy, content creation, community management, social listening, monitoring and reporting, and identifying suitable backups.

Partnerships: Are there existing social media platforms at Illinois Tech that can promote your content instead of creating a separate presence? Could your goals be achieved by collaborating with another department or unit?

Content Volume: Can you consistently produce the required amount of high-quality content? Regular posting is crucial for most channels, and some may even require multiple posts per day. Assess your capacity by creating a content calendar and filling it for at least the first four weeks. Keep in mind that visual elements are generally essential for optimal performance, not just text or links.

Platform Selection: Which social media platform(s) are best suited to accomplish your objectives and to engage the desired audience? Each channel has its unique characteristics, and different demographic groups utilize social media platforms in distinct ways.

Data Analysis: How do you define success for your social media presence in the first month, the first six months, and the first year? Regularly evaluate whether your social media efforts align with your established goals and meet your specific success metrics (e.g., clicks, reach engagement, sentiment, etc.). To assess your progress, consider utilizing content management, social listening, planning, publishing, and analytics tools. There are tools available, from free options to paid ones, depending on your needs and budget.

Creating a New Profile

  • The account’s full name should include Illinois Tech, and the handle should incorporate Illinois Tech when possible. While “IIT” is not the preferred shorthand of the university in external communications, it could be acceptable in a handle or username‘s shorter naming conventions.
  • Carefully consider the name, handle, and vanity URL of your account, and be sure that it reflects a professional title and consistent branding with the name of your school, unit, or department.
  • Thoroughly complete your user profile to accurately represent your school, department, or area of focus. This includes incorporating clear visuals, a comprehensive bio, and tagging @IllinoisTech for increased visibility.
  • Please set up your channel with an iit.edu email address, preferably a departmental or office email and not that of an individual, when possible. We also recommend making sure that multiple people have admin-level access so there is no issue with access in the future.
  • If you require a logo for your channel, you may reach out to the Office of Marketing and Communications to assist. We no longer utilize the “triangle” IIT logo.