Communications and Social Media Chair
Communications and Social Media Chair
As the Communications and Social Media Chair, you are the storyteller and signal booster for your group.
Role Description
The Communications Chair serves as the storyteller and signal booster for your alumni group, keeping Buckeyes connected, informed, and engaged. By crafting a consistent and compelling voice for the group, you bridge the gap between graduation and the present day. This role transforms standard updates into a shared experience, bringing Buckeyes together through a narrative that inspires pride, participation, and a lifelong connection to the Scarlet and Gray.
- Create a seasonal communications calendar for events, membership outreach, and university updates.
- Coordinate email requests and webpage updates with OSUAA staff while managing internal distribution lists.
- Lead the group’s social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
- Ensure all artwork, logos, and giveaway items follow OSU brand and trademark guidelines.
- Work with the President and Event Chairs to turn plans into compelling content and visuals.
- Steady outreach via email integrated with active social media engagement
- Clear connection between promotions and event registrations.
- Consistent branding across digital platforms and giveaway items.
- Encouraging alumni to keep their contact information up to date.
- Strong writing skills and ability to craft engaging messages.
- Forward-thinking planner who manages timelines effectively.
- Community builder who enjoys online interaction.
- Detail-oriented with an understanding of branding guidelines.
4–8 hours per month on average, with an additional 2–3 hours during peak seasons such as Game Watch planning or annual meetings. Most tasks can be completed on a flexible schedule.
You play a key role in keeping alumni connected to Ohio State. This position offers a creative outlet, professional skill-building opportunities, and the satisfaction of helping Buckeyes find community especially those new to an area.
Communications and Social Media Chair Toolkit
Core Responsibilities
The following points outline how you will collaborate with fellow board members to drive attendance, grow membership, and foster a vibrant Game Watch atmosphere.
- Develop a seasonal communications calendar for events, membership outreach, and university updates
- Manage the group's social media presence on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
- Coordinate email requests and webpage updates with OSUAA staff
- Manage internal email distribution lists
- Collaborate with different board members, like the events chair, membership chair, game watch chair, and others as needed to communicate to your audience
- Events Chair Coordination
- Content Transformation: turn logistical plans into engaging visuals and narratives that drive registrations
- Strategic Documentation: capture high quality event photos to demonstrate immediate community impact and build a library for future promotional use
- Membership Chair Coordination
- Benefit Storytelling: Partner with the Membership Chair to translate dues and data into compelling visuals and success stories that celebrate member value.
- Ex: Member Spotlights, Throwback Photos/Stories, Benefits in action (deals at game watch locations or discounted event tickets)
- Targeted Outreach: Sync communication calendars to reach specific demographics on their preferred platforms while maintaining accurate contact lists for effective engagement
- Benefit Storytelling: Partner with the Membership Chair to translate dues and data into compelling visuals and success stories that celebrate member value.
- Game Watch Chair Coordination
- Location Highlights: Create a highlight for your game watch location(s) via social to entice people to join your game day experience. Give them addresses and any “need to knows” about the location(s.)
- Scheduling Updates: Share weekly where the game will be shown in your area. Confirm the location availability with your game watch coordinator.
- Experience Documentation: Work together to capture high-quality photos and videos throughout the season. These should be used as "look at this great event we had" posts to show immediate impact and "come join us this week" content to drive future attendance.
- Events Chair Coordination
Ensure all visual content follows OSU brand and trademark guidelines
- Use your group’s University Brand toolkit for logos and communications templates
- Get all branded/giveaway/swag items approved by OSU via your Engagement Officer/Society Liaison
- Only use approved logos for any group communications
Social Media Strategy & Best Practices
You do not need to be on every platform; it is better to excel on a few than to be spread too thin. Focus on the social platform that best represents and is used by your group’s audience. Check out the information and guidance for the most popular platforms below.
- Main Goal: Engagement & Nostalgia: Reminisce about the "good old days"
- Typical Interested Audience: 35 years and older
- Content Style: Family-oriented posts, event promotion, and group-specific reminiscing
- Frequency: Aim for 3–5 posts per week, max 1 per day
- Call to Action for Audience: "Share your memories" / "Join the group"
- Main Goal: Visual storytelling: Share strong photos and Reels to inspire pride
- Typical Interested Audience: Primarily 18–34 years old
- Content Style: High-quality visuals, grid posts, and 24-hour Stories
- Frequency:
- Grid: 4–5 times per week (Max 1 per day)
- Story posts: Should be utilized for specific purposes
- Resharing Content: Reshare content from Ohio State when stories may further engage your audience
- Live Event Coverage: Use Stories to provide "live" updates during events as they happen
- Engagement for Lower Quality Visuals: Use Stories to promote information or activities that are important but may not have a high enough visual quality for a permanent grid post
- Interactive Links: Use the "Link sticker" in Stories to direct followers to external websites, as links in regular post captions are not clickable
- Call to Action for Audience: "Link in bio" / "Check out our Story"
- Main Goal: Timely Information: Provide news, resources, and rapid updates
- Typical Interested Audience: Broad
- Content Style: Short, informative original posts and community resharing
- Frequency: 3–5 original posts per week, plus resharing
- Call to Action for Audience: "Retweet/Reshare" for easy amplification
- Main Goal: Professional Networking: Share career insights and member achievements
- Typical Interested Audience: Professional networkers, job seekers, and career-minded constituents
- Content Style: Group updates, resources, and shared professional successes.
- Frequency: Regular updates as relevant to the professional community and event promotion
- Call to Action for Audience: "Connect with us" / "Read member insights"
- Main Goal: Discovery: Reach new Buckeyes through authentic, unpolished video
- Typical Interested Audience: Young Alumni (Ages 18–34) and recent graduates
- Content Style: Short-form video, trending "POV" clips, and campus nostalgia
- Frequency: 1–3 times per week to maintain consistency
- Call to Action for Audience: "Follow for more" / "Check bio"
- Other Notes
- While not a standard channel, groups with the capacity for mobile video editing and high energy "behind the scenes" content should investigate TikTok to reach younger demographics
- Success requires prioritizing authentic, unpolished storytelling over formal graphics
- Main Goal: Coordination: Foster real-time community chat and logistical updates
- Typical Interested Audience: Board Members and your most active members
- Content Style: Text updates, live logistics, and exclusive early access links
- Frequency: 3–5 updates per week (or as needed for board/group activities)
- Call to Action for Audience: "React to this" / "Sign up now"
- Other Notes
- WhatsApp or GroupMe are two options to use as messaging for your board
- Typically, these tools are reserved for Board Members, but may be a good option for those in your group who are additional volunteers or very actively involved
Please also reference the Club Society Social Media Guide for guidance on social media creation and deployment.
Content Creation Toolkit
The Content Creation Toolkit provides the essential standards and creative strategies needed to produce high quality, on brand media that captures the Buckeye spirit and drives engagement. Mastering these tools is vital because consistent, visually appealing content is the most effective way to validate your group’s impact, attract new members, and maintain a professional presence that aligns with university guidelines.
You don’t need professional gear to create high-impact visuals; your smartphone is your most powerful tool.
- The Lens Check: Always wipe your camera lens before shooting to prevent hazy or blurry images
- Visual Variety: Mix posed group photos (great for documentation) with candid action shots to authentically capture event energy
- The Power of the O-H-I-O: This is the most reliable content for alumni engagement
- Pro-Tip:
- Gather four people at any event for a quick O-H-I-O photo.
- These photos are so effective they are featured in the Ohio State Alumni Magazine, on the osu.edu website, and OSU social channels
- Quality Control: Double check every photo before posting to ensure there are no unwanted "photobombers" or distracting objects in the background
Use these "buckets" to ensure your feed stays diverse and engaging throughout the year.
- Throwbacks & Nostalgia:
- Share interesting historical facts or photos from the past
- Engagement Tip: Invite followers to share their own student era photos to spark a conversation in the comments
- Game Watch Multi Use:
- Don't just post an invite; take photos during the game watch to use later as "look at this great event we had" or as "come join us this week" content for the next game
- Impact Storytelling:
- When promoting service events, share the invitation and follow up photos that demonstrate the tangible impact your group made in the local community
- Events:
- Post photos after your events to show the audience what they experienced or what your group can offer
- Resource Highlighting:
- Share resources from the OSUAA website or highlight locald resources that specifically resonate with your group
- Athletics & Sportsmanship:
- Celebrate all 36 varsity teams
- Guideline:
- Always maintain a positive tone
- Avoid sharing critical comments about student athletes, as they deserve Buckeye Nation's support even when they make mistakes
Maintaining a professional and in collaboration with OSU look is a core responsibility of this role.
- Consistent Voice: Your goal is to craft a compelling voice that bridges the gap between a member's graduation day and the present
- Branding Resources and Guidelines:
- Group Branded Toolkit:
- In your University provided toolkit, you will find:
- Logos
- These logos are specific to your group
- In different design and visual formats
- Must be present on any giveaway/swag item your group creates
- Other University approved artwork for use in your communications or giveaway/swag items
- Templates
- Newsletters, name tags, letterhead, etc. with your group’s unique logo
- Ensure all artwork, digital logos, and physical giveaway items (like T-shirts or stickers) strictly follow OSU brand and trademark guidelines
- Connect with your Engagement Officer and Society Liaison to help you with securing the Brand and Trademark & Licensing offices’ approval for your artwork and giveaway items
- Amplification Strategy: Always tag @OSUAA and use #BuckeyeForLife in your posts so the university can track your success and potentially amplify your content to a global audience
Strategic Coordination
Strategic coordination is the "behind the scenes" engine that ensures your group’s message reaches the right audience at the right time. As the Communications and Social Media Chair, you do not work in a vacuum; you serve as the vital link between your board's activities and the broader resources of The Ohio State University Alumni Association (OSUAA).
You are part of a global network, and you have professional staff dedicated to helping your group succeed.
- Your Primary Contact: The Regional Engagement Officer (REO) is your first point of contact for any high level questions. If they don’t have an immediate answer regarding digital strategy or branding, they will connect with OSU’s Advancement Marketing and Communications to find an answer
Staff Coordination:
- Work with OSUAA staff to coordinate email requests and website updates. This ensures that your local outreach is integrated with the university’s master communication schedule.
- Please use the Request form for marketing deliverables to amplify your content to a global audience of millions.
Successful communication requires early and frequent collaboration with other leaders to ensure no event or initiative goes unpromoted.
- Strategic Planning: Participate in the creation of a 1–5 year priority plan with the President, focusing on goals like "young alumni engagement"
- The Communications Calendar: Create and manage a seasonal calendar that maps out upcoming events, membership drives, and university milestones (like Beat *ichigan Week or Day of Giving)
- Project Kick-offs: Meet with the President and Event Chairs during the early planning stages of a project. By understanding the "why" behind an event early, you can craft a narrative that drives registration rather than just posting a last minute flyer.
Maintaining a professional image validates your group's authority and protects the university's reputation.
- Brand Stewardship: Ensure all digital artwork, logos, and physical giveaway items (like T-shirts or stickers) strictly follow OSU brand and trademark guidelines
- Defining Success: Success in this role is measured by more than just "likes." Look for:
- Registration Correlation: A clear link between your promotional posts and an increase in event registrations.
- Data Health: Success in encouraging alumni to keep their contact information updated via OSUAA, ensuring your email distribution lists remain effective.
- Consistent Engagement: Steady, meaningful interaction on social media that builds a true community of Buckeyes wherever you are