Social media at McGill should foster constructive, respectful, and meaningful dialogue. Engagement should reinforce trust, demonstrate transparency, and help audiences connect with the University’s people, research, and stories.
Good engagement practices include responding thoughtfully, offering clarity when needed, and highlighting available resources. Units should remain attentive to audience questions and comments while avoiding confrontational or speculative exchanges.
Creating strong, strategic content
Good content is accurate, accessible, visually engaging, and aligned with McGill’s brand voice. It also provides audiences with value, insight, or inspiration.
What to post (best practices)
Content that performs well and aligns with McGill’s mission includes:
- Student stories, achievements, and campus experiences
- Research explained clearly and accessibly
- Faculty highlights and program news
- Community projects, partnerships, and sustainability initiatives
- Events open to the McGill or Montreal community
- Behind-the-scenes moments that show process, people, and impact
- Seasonal or informational reminders (convocation, admissions, key deadlines)
Where to find reliable content ideas
- McGill Reporter
- McGill Newsroom
- Faculty newsletters
- Student Services announcements
- Event calendars across campus
These sources can help units stay connected to what’s happening University-wide and ensure consistency in messaging.
What to avoid
- Content that promotes individual opinions or political views
- Posts with unverified information, unclear claims, or speculation
- Low-quality images or videos (dark, shaky, pixelated)
- Excessive text on graphics that may not be readable on mobile
- Viral trends unrelated to McGill’s mission
- Overuse of emojis, hashtags, or informal language that conflicts with the University’s voice
Guidelines for planning
- Create a monthly content plan or calendar
- Ensure a balance between informative, engaging, and community-focused posts
- Aim for consistent posting based on capacity (e.g., 2–3 times per week)
- Reserve space for timely updates, research highlights, or news
- Avoid long gaps in posting; inactive accounts reflect poorly on the unit and the University
Accuracy
All content shared through official McGill accounts must be accurate, clear, and verifiable. Social media managers are responsible for ensuring that information is current and factually correct before posting. When errors occur, they should be corrected promptly and transparently.
- Visuals, captions, data points, quotes, and statements must reflect approved and reliable sources.
- Posts should avoid speculation or unconfirmed information, particularly regarding research, institutional decisions, or matters that may affect student or public safety.
Respect and confidentiality
Content shared on social media must respect the privacy, dignity, and safety of individuals and the broader McGill community. Confidential or sensitive information may never be published, and identifiable images or videos should only be shared with proper consent.
Expectations include:
- Protecting personal information and avoiding the disclosure of internal or sensitive matters
- Obtaining consent before publishing identifiable images or recordings. Use this Consent Form to document permissions.
- Using inclusive, respectful language that represents McGill’s diverse community
This approach helps maintain trust, safeguard privacy, and reflect McGill’s commitment to respectful and responsible engagement.
Emergency and crisis protocols
During emergencies, accurate and consistent communication is essential. Official updates originate from McGill’s central channels, and all faculties and units must follow established procedures to ensure clarity and prevent misinformation.
In a crisis situation:
- Pause all scheduled or pre-planned content
- Share only verified messages from central McGill accounts
- Avoid creating independent statements, interpretations, or commentary
- Correct any inaccurate posts promptly and visibly
- Notify central communications if concerning or unverified information appears online
