Social Media

The term social media refers to the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into an interactive dialogue by sharing information, ideas using text, pictures, music and videos.

You can find all the College's channels on the Social Media Directory page.

Imperial College London Facebook

• Over 87,000 fans.
• Very active “wall”.
• Monitored by Communications team.

Other Imperial Facebook accounts include:

• Imperial College Union.
• Imperial College Business School.
• Careers Advisory Service.
• Sport Imperial.
• Imperial student accommodation.
• Imperial College London Alumni.

Imperial College Twitter

• Over 32,000 followers – staff, students, prospective students, alumni, community.
• Monitored by Communications team.

Other Imperial accounts include:

• @imperialspark
• @icunion
• @feliximperial
• @imperiallibrary
• @theservicedesk
• @impbiz

LinkedIn

• Imperial College London 100,000+ followers.
• Imperial Alumni – Private group , 11,000+ followers.
• Imperial College Business School , 4,000+ followers.

Imperial College Instagram

• Launched 2014.
• 1,285+ followers.
• Uses # to enable searching.
• Monitored by j.narcross@imperial.ac.uk.

Imperial College Flickr

• Imperial College London “group”.
• College publishes photographs.
• Finds “favourites” from user generated photographs - pushes through to College screen saver.
• Uses College tag impcol and imp150.
• Monitored by e.swift:@imperial.ac.uk.

Blogging

• Student blog
• Imperial blogs

(Find out more about blogging)

Social media integration - online

• New Be Inspired page
• Regular main homepage features
• Follow buttons on the site wide footer
• Online adverts
• Student blogs - Campus Life
• RSS feeds on web pages
• Directory of College networks
• Screen saver

Social media integration - in print

• use hashtags
• use icons
• on brochures/leaflets/posters
• giveaways - bookmarks/bags
  

Any department can set up a social media account without “College” permission, but think carefully before you do. Check out the College social media policies.

Please make sure that you have read and understood relevant College policies. Below you'll find the policies that relate to the representation of the College on social media networks:

• Collaboration policy
• Accessibility for social media
• Web based collaboration guidelines
• Blogging - terms and conditions of use
• Web and social media comments policy

Notify your Faculty Web Officer so we can:

1. Understand the tools
2. Consider your objectives – be SMART
3. Who is your target audience
4. Be sure you have enough content
5. Be sure you have the right content, make sure there’s something unique for fans/followers
6. Consider whether a College channel may be more appropriate
7. Do you have the time to really engage with your audiences?  Remember it’s a conversation, not just for broadcast
8. Consider your tone and personality
9. Be on your best behaviour
10. Make it work hard for you - Integrate with other comms activities

Think carefully about what you call your social media account:

• Don’t use IC, use Imperial College London.
• Try to make it clear and simple – not too clever.  Users won’t find you otherwise!

Think about your avatar:

• don’t steal one, remember copyright laws.
• find something iconic and representative of your department.
• Bright and eye-catching as it needs to stand out in a list.

for more help with branding contact Brand and style team.

• Contact your Faculty Web Officer
• Contact the Digital and Creative Media team
• For further help see our Web tools and services Social Media guidance
• Join us at the next Web Forum