For the past two semesters, I’ve served as the Instagram Manager for Her Campus at UConn.
Managing the account has taught me so much—not just about the platform itself, but about the art of building a community through social media. I’ve gained a new appreciation for social media through this experience and am so excited to share everything I’ve learned along the way.
Posting for the sake of posting, is not it.
One of my biggest “no’s” as a social media manager is posting just for the sake of posting. Our Her Campus chapter has a minimum requirement of five posts per week, which can sometimes make this challenging. I’ve noticed that if I post just to meet that requirement, the content doesn’t perform as well or get as much engagement as the posts I put more effort into. While it’s sometimes unavoidable, I always try my best to ensure that I’m posting with a purpose.
One of my biggest content sources is our group PhotoCircle. PhotoCircle is an app where our members can upload photos of themselves, their activities, and things that they love to a shared album that I pull from for posts. This provides me with authentic content straight from our members that, when posted, actively engages them in our social media community. When our members repost photos of themselves, I usually see their friends follow us or comment on the post, creating a ripple effect of engagement and support. This helps to build an organic connection with members inside and outside of our community.
When our Photo Circle is running low on content, I get creative. If there’s an upcoming Her Campus event, I’ll design a post to promote it. If I’m into a trending meme template, I’ll find a way to incorporate it into content relevant to our chapter. I also love highlighting members who are doing something especially interesting or unique. Last year, I tried something new and started to curate outfit mood boards for UConn sporting events, holiday looks, and everyday campus outfits.
It’s all about balance. While meeting our post requirements is important, making sure that each post has a purpose in engaging our community is what really makes a difference. I’ve learned that a mix of creativity and authenticity are a winning combination in keeping our content meaningful.
It’s called social media for a reason.
If you’re not using social media to be social, you’re missing the point. Leveraging our platform for social interaction has been a game changer, not only for building a community but also for establishing a foundation for effective communication.
One of the ways I create social connections on our platform is by engaging with others. I regularly like or comment on our members’ posts, repost stories from other UConn organizations to help promote them, and support other Her Campus chapters. This approach connects us with people beyond our immediate members and involves us in the broader UConn and Her Campus communities.
I also make sure to keep up with the interactions that others have with our account. Checking and responding to direct messages is a great way to connect with potential new members—I often receive questions from prospective members about how to get involved and learn about the application process. Ensuring they receive timely responses promotes seamless communication from our organization and often leads to an increase in new members during our next application cycle!
Consistency is key for a good-looking feed.
Our feed serves as the first impression of our organization for many people, and I’ve found that the little details truly matter when curating it.
When originally planning our feed, one of my first steps was to utilize Canva’s ‘brand kit’ feature to create a consistent look for our page. I created a custom color palette—the shade of navy blue I use is the one UConn uses (it’s the little things!)—and selected a few different fonts that work interchangeably. I also chose a filter from my favorite filter app, Tezza (yes, I have a favorite filter app), which I apply to every photo I post.
These little things seem like they wouldn’t matter, but they do! All the tiny details—from the fonts and colors to the filters—come together to create a cohesive brand identity for our organization.
Don’t be afraid to try something new!
It sounds easier than it is, I know. When everything you do has an audience, it can be scary to take the risk of posting something that’s never been done before, especially when you’re representing an entire organization. But the only way to know what works is by trying it!
Last year, as I mentioned earlier, I experimented with posting “outfit mood boards,” with my first being “Game Day Outfit Inspo with Her Campus UConn.” I created three different outfits for UConn winter and spring sporting events: basketball, hockey, and baseball. Since nothing like this had ever been posted on our page, I was nervous about how it would perform, especially since I had only been in my role for a month at that point.
To my surprise, the post garnered tons of likes, saves, and shares, which made my fear of experimenting greatly decrease. Of course, some posts will flop—that’s the reality of being on social media. But it’s important to try again! You’ll never know what might resonate if you don’t take that chance. Being comfortable and confident in the content you put out while learning from your mistakes along the way, is key to running a successful social media account. It’s not just about what works; it’s about taking risks to keep things fresh and exciting for your audience.
It may sound like a lot of work, but running our Instagram page has been one of my most meaningful learning experiences yet. The tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way make the process enjoyable, and I’m constantly learning!
I wouldn’t label myself a social media expert, but when people approach us at the involvement fair, saying they “found us through Instagram” or “love our Instagram,” it feels super validating to all of the work I’ve done so far. I guess you could say “If the shoe fits…!”