This guide will serve as the main resource on social media best practices for EO staff, member leaders, chapter staff, regional council leaders, chapter directors, MCCs, external agencies, contractors and/or anyone who creates, manages and/or administers a social media account for an EO branded region, chapter, committee, product or programme.
The style guide will help set guidelines on how to best communicate the EO brand on social media to make sure our brand alignment is strong and consistent on all channels.
This guide will serve as a reference for:
- Brand alignment on all social channels
- Visual guidelines
- Voice and tone of messages
- Spelling and grammar
- Social media best practices
Language and personal conduct
When posting to an EO branded social media channel, whether it be a chapter, region or event page, you are representing EO. Freedom of speech must be exercised responsibly on the sites.
- Be respectful.
- Get your facts straight.
- Avoid copyright issues.
- Be mindful of your public image.
- Use your best judgment.
Comments on EO official pages need to be monitored to ensure compliance with the social networking guidelines. Inappropriate comments will be removed.
Content that should be deleted include:
- Any post that violates EO’s non-solicitation policy
- Libelous, slanderous, inflammatory or defamatory comments
- Vulgar, racist or sexist slurs
- Obscenities
- Comments pertaining to violence
- Posts with incorrect spelling or incorrect information
- Comments that are not respectful
- Comments that are not relevant to the topic
- Comments or posts that portray EO in an unfavourable or inappropriate light
- A commenter who is misrepresenting himself/herself
- A single person who is dominating the conversation
- Members or individuals who are violating EO’s non-solicitation policy
*If content is produced or distributed that violates EO’s non-solicitation policies or bylaws, it is imperative that you alert the Governance Committee as soon as possible.
Photo guidelines
Photos posted on social media pages should favourably portray EO and the persons depicted in the photos. The following guidelines should be used when posting photos:
- Be mindful of the types of photos you are posting and refrain from photos that may misrepresent the organization or any members visible in the photo.
- Photos of public events can be posted on social networking sites, but they must be appropriate. Examples of photos to avoid include, but are not limited to: photos involving alcohol, nudity and/or graphic scenes.
- If posting photos from EO events, make sure disclaimers are shared with event attendees that their image may be used publicly.
- Photos of children should not be posted without documented consent from their parents, except photos taken at public events.
- If a member or staff contacts EO with concern over a posting, please use discretion and remove the photo or post.
- You must always have permission and copyright ownership of images that you post on social media.
- Understand image copyright rules. You should always have permission and copyright ownership of images that you post on social media. Always purchase stock photography that reflects EO’s brand when in doubt or ask for permission when reposting photos.
- If purchasing stock photography, appropriately reflect EO’s brand. When purchasing stock photos, you often have the choice of license for the image. Make sure the license you choose permits how you plan to use the image
- Refrain from using low resolution or blurry images in your graphics, as well as images that are contorted in nature, or aggressively cropped.
For additional information, visit the photography guidelines.
Branding guidelines
- Use a consistent color palette that adheres to EO’s official brand colours.
- Pick imagery that is representative of EO’s brand; when in doubt, email [email protected]
- Use EO’s official brand fonts in your graphics.
- Always check spelling and grammar for overlaid text on posted photos/graphics.
Editorial guidelines
- Titles of social media pages should always follow EO naming conventions and be brand compliant
- Correct grammar, punctuation and spelling should always be used when posting social media graphics, photos or video that include text AND when developing written captions for social media posts. Be mindful of the spelling of member names, locations, etc. Review all graphics and captions before posting them to make sure information is correct
- When writing captions for your social media post, always consider your target audience and include a call to action.
- Consider EO’s brand expression, tone and style detailed in EO’s brand guidelines when writing in EO’s voice.
Posting about EO on your personal social media accounts
Please remember that if EO is associated with your name anywhere, what you post to social media can be associated back to EO. Consider putting a disclaimer in your personal social media biography that says “opinions are my own.”
EO staff and members who are representing EO on social media should be aware that opinions they express can reflect back on the organization.
Resources
EO-branded templates are available for use via the design tool Canva. Access these templates on the communications resources page.
Canva is a useful graphic design platform for create branded social media graphics, presentations, posters, flyers and other visual content. The basic version is free to use, with additional paid plans available. Eligible non-profit organizations can also apply for a free version of Canva’s premium features. Eligibility varies from country to country—see if your chapter entity qualifies for the free version of Canva Pro. Choose the right plan for your chapter here!
These links are provided as a resource for chapters, members for creation of branding and marketing materials; EO is not affiliated to Canva.