JUNE 2024
DIGITAL
ENGAGEMENT
GUIDE
Digital Engagement Guide
Purdue University
2
Many of our audiences communicate
through digital media. Engagement with
our brand is driven by how users interact
with these dierent platforms.
Use this guide to find advice, strategies,
and information on image sizes and ratios —
tips to craft resonating content that unifies
our messaging and increases engagement.
Digital Engagement Guide
Purdue University
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Social Media
General
Guidelines
CAMPUSWIDE HASHTAGS
#MySmallStep = Student stories
#MyGiantLeap = Faculty/Alumni
stories
#PurdueUniversity, #Purdue,
#BoilerUp, #Boilermakers
#TheNextGiantLeap
#PicturePurdue
Use branded
profile templates.
Post and
moderate daily.
Include brand photos,
videos or GIFs.
Keep posts
short and direct.
Less is more.
Consider starting
your post by asking
a question to draw
in your audience.
See if there’s
an emoji you
can add.
Always tag as many
accounts as possible,
including related Purdue
departments, clubs and
organizations.
Use bit.ly to shorten
URLs. From there, you
can build campaign-
specific links that track
performance.
Add hashtags
to amplify your
content when
applicable.
Incorporate
user-generated
content (UGC).
Reuse and
repurpose
content.
Digital Engagement Guide
Purdue University
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Social Media
Graphic
Guidelines
Lead with a strong
in-brand photo.
Keep text
to a minimum.
Always use brand
fonts if copy is
included in graphics.
Design for accessibility.
Sprout Social oers
eight guidelines to
make social posts more
accessible, including
advice on alt text.
Avoid logos/co-brands
in graphics since posts
are always paired with
profile icons and the
name of the page.
Don’t forget to
incorporate videos
when possible.
Do not use QR codes
in graphics since a
significant portion of
your audience views
posts on mobile devices.
Digital Engagement Guide
Purdue University
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Facebook
Tips
Audiences
Parents
Alumni
General public
Post Frequency
Once per day
Content
Stories about research
initiatives, celebrations/
milestones, current student
profiles and alumni profiles
Share both photos
and videos.
Word Count
50 characters or fewer
When a caption this short
isn’t possible, focus on
getting the “hook” of the
post within the opening
part of the caption.
Visuals
Image size: 2:1 ratio | 1200 x 600 px
Facebook, LinkedIn and X all support a 2:1 size,
so to save time, we suggest designing one graphic
for these three channels.
To vary posts, additional options can include
utilizing one 2:1 image or graphic with two
1:1s or a post with multiple 1:1 photos.
Video size: 16:9 ratio | 1280 x 720 px
Lead with an authentic Purdue photo.
Keep text minimal. Always use brand fonts.
Avoid logo/co-brands in graphic.
Digital Engagement Guide
Purdue University
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Facebook
Stories Tips
Audiences
Parents
Alumni
General public
Post Frequency
One to two times per day
Note: Facebook stories
disappear after 24 hours.
Content
Use Facebook stories
to post in-the-moment
and behind-the-scenes
photos and videos to
supplement feed posts and
to promote upcoming or
current events to increase
engagement.
Use links to provide more
information and to drive
traic to the Purdue
website.
Word Count
0 characters
There is no place to include
post copy, so ensure that
your story graphic makes
sense on its own
Visuals
Image size: 9:16 ratio | 1080 x 1920 px
Video size: 9:16 ratio | 1080 x 1920 px (Include
captions if the video has dialogue/VO.)
Text is needed — graphics posted to your
story will need more context than regular
posts. Keep word count to 10 words or fewer,
including link sticker CTA if applicable. Try to
be concise and catchy.
Leave space in the design for tags, stickers
and auto-populating elements.
Stickers like polls, quizzes, etc., are great for
engagement and audience interaction.
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Purdue University
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Instagram
Tips
USE YOUR BEST
PHOTOS TO HELP
CURATE A CLEAN GRID.
Audiences
Current students
Prospective students
Alumni
General public
Post Frequency
Once per day and at least
three Instagram story
elements per day
Content
Events, student profiles,
faculty profiles, student life,
celebrations, milestones
Instagram should serve as a
high-quality photo gallery.
Links: Use linkinprofile.com
(or another link service) so
every photo can be linked
from the profile URL.
Word Count
While 2,200 characters is
the maximum word count,
the ideal length is 50
characters or fewer.
Visuals
Image sizes: 1:1 ratio | 1080 x 1080 px 4:5 ratio | 1080x1350 px
Lead with strong photography.
Avoid text/logos on images. If text is needed, consider a carousel post (which
has a maximum of 10 slides). Lead with a photo and follow with a graphic that
includes text.
In carousel posts, quote graphics are a great way to highlight the strongest parts
of interviews.
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Purdue University
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Instagram
Reels Tips
You cannot publish any videos
over 1.5 minutes using the Reel
option in-app. If you’d like to add
a video longer than 1.5 minutes,
select the “post” option in-app.
TRENDS
Sharing your take on certain
trends can be a great way to show
your audience that you can be
fun, current and responsive to
the ebb and flow of social media
culture. To avoid any copyright
infringement, avoid using memes
on your video (cut out visuals from
a show or movie).
TEMPLATES
Consider utilizing Instagram
templates in-app. This algorithm-
friendly method allows you to use
a premade video where you can
add and modify your own clips.
Visuals
VIDEO SIZE
9:16 ratio (preferred) or 1:1 ratio
16:9 ratio videos are no longer recommended
on Instagram due to the black bars that appear
above and below the video.
LENGTH
90 seconds
SAFE ZONE
Make sure to utilize the “safe zone” when creating 9x16
video. This will ensure that any text or captions are not
covered up with in-app elements.
COVER IMAGES
Cover images should be used for Instagram Reels.
Cover images can be selected from a video frame,
or you can upload your image in Creator Studio.
When publishing natively, you can add this from your
camera gallery on your phone.
You can preview the cover image in the grid view to
adjust as necessary and ensure nothing is cut o.
Audio
When possible, add trending audio that has
under 10K uses with an original video that
has 1M views. This is the sweet spot for virality
and will help with boosting your own content.
Captions
Captions need to be “burned into” the video. If this
is not done prior to uploading, Instagram has a feature
where you can add and edit captions in-app.
IN-VIDEO CAPTIONS
The addition of captions and on-screen text to your
Instagram Reel is important, not only for accessibility
reasons but also because it allows your content to be
enjoyed by those who would rather watch in silence.
SAFE ZONE
Digital Engagement Guide
Purdue University
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Instagram
Stories Tips
Audiences
Current students
Prospective students
Alumni
General public
Post Frequency
At least three
stories per day
Note: Instagram stories
disappear after 24 hours.
Content
Events, students profiles,
student life, celebrations,
milestones
Instagram stories are a
great way to promote
articles and drive traic
to a website.
Use links to provide more
information.
Word Count
0 characters
There is no place to include
post copy, so ensure that
your story graphic makes
sense on its own.
Visuals
Image size: 9:16 ratio | 1080 x 1920 px
Video size: 9:16 ratio | 1080 x 1920 px
Text is needed — graphics posted to your
story will need more context than regular
posts. Keep word count to 10 words
or fewer, including link sticker CTA if
applicable. Try to be concise and catchy.
Leave space in the design for tags, stickers
and auto-populating elements.
Stickers like polls, quizzes, etc., are great for
engagement and audience interaction.
Digital Engagement Guide
Purdue University
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X Tips
Audiences
Students
Alumni
General public
Post Frequency
Six to 10 times per day
Content
Post and repost about
campus events, research
initiatives and fun facts
about Purdue.
Word Count
With a standard account,
the max character count is
280 characters. Know that
a link on X will always be
23 characters, so ensure
you’re accounting for that.
Visuals
Image size: 2:1 ratio | 1200 x 600 px
X, LinkedIn and Facebook all support a 2:1 size, so
to save time, we suggest designing one graphic for
these three channels.
Video size: 16:9 ratio | 1280 x 720 px
Link previews now include only the article
title — keep in mind when writing copy that
the user doesn’t have that additional context.
TIP
Graphics on X have rounded corners,
so borders around graphics do not work well.
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Purdue University
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LinkedIn
Tips
Audiences
Students
Recent graduates
(job seekers)
Alumni (recruiters looking
for recent graduates)
Business professionals
Post Frequency
One to two times per day
Content
Innovation — partnerships,
research, student profiles,
alumni profiles and
professor profiles
Word Count
25 words or fewer will not
get cut o.
If a longer post is needed,
consider encouraging
users to expand the post
to read more.
Visuals
Image size: 2:1 ratio | 1200 x 600 px
X, LinkedIn and Facebook all support a 2:1 size,
so to save time, we suggest designing one
graphic for these three channels.
Video size: 16:9 ratio | 1280 x 720 px
While links do generate a link preview image,
LinkedIn has moved toward making these
previews smaller. To stand out in feeds, include
another visual instead, like a 2:1 image.
A great option for a LinkedIn post is the
document PDF (carousel) feature. This is
great for engagement and allows users to
easily click through multiple images.
Digital Engagement Guide
Purdue University
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TIP
Set the video as “not for kids”
so content doesn’t appear
next to kids’ content.
Add chapters, end screens
and info cards when possible.
YouTube
Tips
Audiences
Current students
Prospective students
Parents
Alumni
Post Frequency
Two to three times per week
YouTube shorts can be published every
day. Look in the Audience Analytics
section to see the best publish time.
Visuals
Video: 16:9 (1280x720px) for normal videos
YouTube Shorts are 59 seconds or fewer and have a ratio
of 9:16 (1080x1920px).
By default, videos can be up to 15 minutes long. However,
verified accounts like the Purdue University oicial
channel can upload videos longer than 15 minutes.
YouTube allows you to provide your own closed
captioning for accessibility in your videos. Add a
transcription for each video.
Keep titles concise so copy is clear in the YouTube shorts
feed.
YouTube shorts do not have thumbnails. A frame from the
video will automatically be selected.
Content
Share stories about Boilermakers.
Videos should align with one or
more of the content pillars: athletics,
education, research and experience.
PLAYLISTS: If the video is tied to
one of our core themes (such as
Boilermaker Experience) or topic
categories (such as Purdue
University in Indianapolis), add it
to the corresponding playlist(s).
Word Count
TITLE: 100 characters or
fewer; try to keep the title
between 20-70 characters
and include Purdue in the
title if relevant.
DESCRIPTION: 5,000
characters; at the end of
the description, create a
separate line with three
hashtags that will appear
below the title once posted.
Digital Engagement Guide
Purdue University
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TIP
Consider the elements of
a YouTube video outside
of the video itself, including the
title, description and thumbnail.
YouTube
Thumbnail
Tips
Visuals
Design your thumbnail to be legible in small formats.
Use large, readable fonts. Don’t forget about proper
color contrast for accessibility compliance.
Your thumbnail should provide insight for
viewers into what your video is about.
Leave room in the thumbnail design for populated
elements like the time stamp, play button, etc.
Ensure the thumbnail is both high resolution
and eye-catching.
If your video is a part of a series of videos or a
campaign, consider using a thumbnail template.
For example, the “Step Inside” series on the Purdue
YouTube channel uses a similar thumbnail layout for
each of the episodes in the series.
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Purdue University
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CONTACT
Purdue Marketing and Communications
has a verified Giphy account. Julie Sadler
(jsadler@ purdue.edu) can assist in
creating and uploading GIFs.
Giphy
Giphy can be used to add GIFs and
looping animations to Instagram
and Facebook stories.
GIFs and stickers can accompany
any campaign, especially when
you are looking for audience
engagement and excitement. We
have added a database of Purdue-
themed GIFs that can be used to
bring motion to posts.
Visit giphy.com/PurdueUniversity
to see the options, or use the GIF
search tool on your platform to
search “Purdue.”
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Purdue University
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Sharing Links from
The Persistent Pursuit and
The Purdue Newsroom on
Social Media
When sharing content from The Persistent Pursuit,
the following will automatically populate from
the webpage: hero image, title of page and short
description of page.
This feature reduces the need to build graphics
and adds copy on your post. Be aware of this when
planning post copy and graphics.
The open graph (OG) image is the thumbnail
automatically created from the story’s hero image.
An OG image can be manually changed to a
dierent file from the hero image. Files are cropped
roughly to the size of a 2:1.
Utilize this feature as often as possible. These preview elements
give viewers a sample of what they can expect on your site.
Clicking the preview leads to the linked page.
Remember that LinkedIn has moved toward making these
previews smaller. To stand out in feeds, include another visual
instead, like a 2:1 image.
Facebook preview
LinkedIn preview
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Purdue University
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Purdue Today
Purdue Today is the university’s
oicial communication to faculty
and sta. The e-newsletter provides
coverage of important and relevant
items from around Purdue’s
campuses.
Visit Purdue Today to learn more
about submission guidelines.
Photo/graphic size: 800 x 533 px
Use Purdue-authentic photography.
Avoid logos or co-brands in graphic.
Since a headline will always
accompany your graphic, avoid text
unless:
• Content is inherently text-based,
as with rankings or Reasons to
Believe.
• More than one person is featured,
as in an awards story.
• Content is part of established
campaigns, such as the Presidential
Lecture Series, “This Is Purdue,” etc.
Banner (ad) size: 599 x 125 px
For the banner ad graphic, a call to
action should be included on the
graphic, as no text will accompany it
and the graphic doubles as a button.
Visuals
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Purdue University
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The Purdue
Newsroom
(purdue.edu/newsroom)
The Purdue Newsroom features
all important recent university
happenings, including daily
campus events, Purdue in the
News and more.
Hero graphic
Image size: 800 x 533 px
Use Purdue-authentic photography.
Avoid logos or co-brands in the graphic.
Since a headline will always accompany your graphic,
avoid words unless:
• Content is inherently text-based, as with rankings
or Reasons to Believe.
• More than one person is featured, as in an
awards story.
• Content is part of established campaigns, such as
the Presidential Lecture Series, “This Is Purdue,” etc.
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Purdue University
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The Purdue
Newsroom
(purdue.edu/newsroom)
CHARTS AND GRAPHS
Visuals
Two files are needed:
JPG 800 px Width @ 72 DPI
This image will be used on the website
within the story. Include only the chart
data. All text will be entered in as live
text for chart heading, caption, etc.
PDF — 11" x 8.5" preferred
This PDF will be downloadable using
the “Download Image” link in the
caption. Include all information so the
chart has all the context.
Final Check: Color Contrast
Make sure all colors meet AA-level
compliance for color contrast. You
can find a digital color chart on the
MarCom brand website.
How do Americans feel about their diets?
Consumer Food Insights
January 2024
Source: Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability
9%
37%
38%
13%
3%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor
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Purdue University
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Exposure
Galleries
When sharing an exposure gallery
on Facebook, X and LinkedIn, the
first image in the gallery is what will
populate on the platform.
Visit Purdue Exposure Galleries
to see more and subscribe to
notifications when new galleries
are added.
Digital Engagement Guide
Purdue University
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TIP
Body Copy Link
Headline
HEADLINE
Sidebar Body Copy
Purdue Marketing and Communications
Convergence, Suite 3500
101 Foundry Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47906
765-494-2034 | [email protected]
Copyright © Purdue University. All Rights Reserved.