Translated by UiOGPT
Overall
The channels are crucial for researchers and students to perform their work, for us to convey knowledge and increase awareness about the important work happening at the faculty. Users move between channels and services, Google for information and expect quick responses. It is essential that our communication efforts consider the whole picture, creating good user journeys and seamless task flows across channels. Good "digital encounters" and purposeful information and task flows for users are important for the target groups' interaction with and perception of the faculty as a place of study, workplace, and collaborative partner.
The channel strategy should help us to use and develop professional channels with quality content tailored to our target groups and the characteristics of the channels. This should lead to more effective communication with our key target audiences. The digital landscape is constantly changing. Therefore, the channel strategy is revised every spring.
Target audiences for communication work at the Faculty of Social Sciences:
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Students
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Employees
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Potential applicants and their parents/ acquaintances
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Alumni
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Research environments nationally and internationally
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The external world
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Stakeholders (media, authorities, The Research Council, employment sector, business sector, other sectors, volunteers, etc.)
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Public (varying target groups who may be interested in different topics)
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International actors
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Goals for digital communication work
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Effective communication to the faculty's various target groups
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Showcase the faculty as the leading environment for social science research in the Nordic region
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Demonstrate the relevance of social science to people and society
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Show that education and research in social science are relevant to the world of work
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Contribute to the recruitment of students and employees
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Increase pride and a sense of belonging to the faculty
Websites
The Faculty of Social Sciences' (SV faculty's) websites serve as the content and information hub for SV's communications. When we produce our own content for other channels, we should point to sv.uio.no for more detailed information about research and studies. It is important that there is a clear connection between what is communicated on the websites and what is published in other digital channels, as the website is often used for validation of information or as a credible source. The content on the websites should be of high quality and user-friendly. To ensure good user experiences, the necessity of daily maintenance is emphasized, including organization, deletion, and optimization of content.
As of January 2024, SV's website comprises just over 45,000 web pages. Quality enhancement work will be carried out in 2024 and 2025, which will also reduce the number of web pages.
Canvas
Canvas is the faculty's main channel for study administrative information about courses and study programs. Study consultants, instructors, SV-Info, and career coordinators use Canvas. The faculty has established routines in Norwegian for study information at SV which includes the use of Canvas.
Info screens
The target audience for the info screens on campus is primarily students. Posts must be relevant to a larger group of students and can be either in image format or video without sound. The screens in the SV faculty premises are operated by SV-Info, which can be contacted at info@sv.uio.no. Posts must follow the UiO's design manual. Student associations are exempt from this requirement.
Social media
Dissemination is one of the university's social missions. Through social media, we have the opportunity to reach large audiences with content about research, education, innovation, and our role in society. Employees and students follow us on social media, along with many alumni, parents, researchers, partners, and representatives from the workforce.
Role clarification and limitation of social media
The communication section is responsible for operating channels at the faculty level. Channels for the departments, centers, study programs, and alumni etc., are operated by the department or center. The communication section offers training and education to these resources as needed or requested. This channel strategy primarily covers profiles that represent the entire faculty.
Channels for subject programs, departments, centers, etc., are operated by the units and should follow UiO's guidelines for social media channels:
The impression left by the faculty on social media:
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The environment at SV is educational and inspiring.
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People here are highly committed and passionate about their work
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There is a high level of academic quality
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One can feel a sense of belonging and identification
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There is a high degree of community where we cheer each other on
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This is a place where I can make many friends
We achieve this impression through honest and authentic content that is lively and organic.
On Instagram, we aim to inspire, create engagement and interaction between students and the faculty. We want to offer insights into student life and opportunities at the faculty. The goal is to create and support a clear identity as an "SV student," with academic and social belonging. It's important that the profile appears easy-going, and that we encourage commitment.
We will:
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Anchor our content with the three hashtags: "the people, the research, and the faculty."
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Ensure high quality of visual tools: images, graphic elements, and videos
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Display personality, playfulness, and tell great stories
Target audiences:
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Students at the Faculty of social sciences
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Potential students
Recommendation on Instagram for the units
Before creating an Instagram account, a clear plan must be established for content production and moderation. Instagram is a resource-intensive channel where content should be specially produced for the channel. Our recommendation is to involve the communications section early in the process of reaching students on social media so that we can prepare the message and share it in the relevant channel.
On LinkedIn, we can attract well-qualified scientific and technical/administrative staff. Effective use of LinkedIn requires cooperation between HR and the communication section. Alumni are an important target group for communication work at the Faculty of Social Sciences, and the use of LinkedIn will, over time, provide good access to alumni. This enhances the possibility of highlighting the work relevance of our educational programs.
LinkedIn can also serve as a good indirect recruitment channel, allowing us to reach advisors, teachers in primary and secondary schools, and the parents of potential students. An increasing number of researchers are using LinkedIn as a dissemination channel for their research activities.
LinkedIn is a channel where content is less time-constrained than in others and may thus have a longer lifespan.
We will:
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Regularly post high-quality content and updates that create engagement and are meaningful to the target groups
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Showcase a broad spectrum of the faculty's activities
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Highlight collaborations with working life and society
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Present researchers and educators in an engaging way
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In collaboration with HR, make vacancies at the faculty visible
Target audiences:
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Alumni
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Potential employees (for the faculty)
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Actors in working life and society
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The school system and parents of potential students
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Research environments nationally and internationally
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Students
On Facebook, we aim to communicate what happens at the faculty. We have nearly 9,000 followers, primarily in the age group 25-44. With an inclusive and factual tone, we want to show the contributions of researchers in public debate and the positive atmosphere at the faculty.
We will:
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Publish regularly and be available
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Actively use the events function
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Share new knowledge
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Support each other, showcase diversity, and get to know each other better
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Demonstrate researchers' contributions to public debate
Target audiences:
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Alumni and the working life
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The socially involved public
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Current students and staff
X
On X, we aim to contribute to a knowledge-based public debate. Here, we reach media, researchers, and political decision-makers. X has provided an opportunity to showcase knowledge and activity from the faculty, and from researchers, directly and engagingly.
X has recently suffered a significant loss of reputation, and there has been less activity among researchers on the channel. Consequently, X is no longer a high-priority channel for the faculty, and we are continually monitoring developments.
On X, we will
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Be factual and visible
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Share relevant articles and events
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Share instances when the faculty and researchers communicates research results in the media and contributes to the public debate
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Retweet departments and centers, as well as contribute to researchers' visibility
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Offer congratulations and show pride
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Share PhD defenses as they are announced
Target groups
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Research environments nationally and internationally
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Politicians and other decision-makers
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Media
There is currently no apparent successor with a similar format as X, but LinkedIn is an attractive alternative channel.
YouTube
On YouTube, we can utilize the platform's potential as a search engine. However, UiO recommends limited use of YouTube unless the content is used for advertising.
Some of the faculty's study programs use YouTube to publish videos that are used as teaching material. In these cases, it is essential to be aware that UiO centrally recommends that video material be published in Vortex.
UiO does not have a data processing agreement with YouTube, which means we cannot be sure of the ownership of the content or the protection of privacy. By using Vortex instead, we own the content, the context it is presented in, and ensure privacy protection. With Google Analytics 4, it is now possible to extract video statistics. Panopto is used for storing lecture recordings.
Other Channels
UiO follows recommendations in Norwegian from the Norwegian National Security Authority and does not recommend the use of TikTok and Telegram channels. UiO uses TikTok for recruitment, but within the framework of security recommendations. The same applies to channels like Twitch and Snapchat.
It is not recommended that UiO's faculties and units establish their own account on Snapchat. Attracting followers to Snapchat and achieving visibility is challenging. Snapchat requires a lot of content production and is therefore very resource-intensive. The platform is cumbersome to administer, and all content is transitory, disappearing within 24 hours.