Updated January 2024
Written by Debbie Wakefield
Executive Summary
This social media strategy will unite and guide content creation for all of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s social media channels. This plan will guide future decisions and ensure our presence on social media is aligned with the college’s goal to Be The Model® comprehensive college of veterinary medicine in the world. This document will house all things social media related to keep information organized in a single source of truth.
Social Media Goals
In alignment with the college’s goal to maintain or increase U.S. News and World Report Rankings, our goals on social media are brand awareness and engagement.
Brand awareness means increasing the number of people who are familiar with The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and is measured in the number of followers or audience members. Increasing awareness and growing our audience looks different on each platform so we have platform-specific goals.
- CVM Facebook: Gain at least 70 new followers each month (840/year)
- VMC Facebook: Gain at least 135 new followers each month (1,620/year)
- Twitter: Gain at least 20 new followers each month (240/ year)
- Instagram: Gain at least 100 new followers each month (1,200/year)
- LinkedIn: Gain at least 41 new followers each month (492/ year)
Engagement is measured in the number of times users engage with our content, through likes, reactions, comments, shares, post link clicks and saves. Engagement looks different on each platform so we have platform-specific goals.
- CVM Facebook: At least a 14% engagement rate (per impression)
- VMC Facebook: At least a 10% engagement rate (per impression)
- Twitter: At least a 3% engagement rate (per impression)
- Instagram: At least a 10% engagement rate (per impression)
- LinkedIn: At least a 10% engagement rate (per impression)
Target Audience
Our target audience is different for each social media channel.
Platform Specifics
CVM Facebook
Audiences:
Primary: OSU CVM Alumni
Secondary: Peer institutions, donors
Objectives: Brand awareness (updates on strategic plan), increase engagement (drive alumni philanthropy), thought leadership (influence rankings)
Voice: Professional, Buckeye proud
Content mix: Showing the impact of donations, sharing the current student experience, nostalgic throwback historical content for alumni, upcoming events, research insights, articles highlighting faculty, student awards, veterinary industry news
Differentiation from other accounts: Focus on current veterinary education (new research, events, student learning)
Historically best-performing posts: real pet photos (humor), updates in curriculum, annual ceremonies (white coat, oath and hooding, commencement, orientation)
VMC Facebook
Audiences:
Primary: rDVMs and veterinary clinics and current clients
Secondary: Current clients, potential clients, potential hires
Objectives: Building brand awareness to drive choice when pet owners need to choose a veterinary hospital
Voice: Animal-loving, compassionate
Content Mix: Positioning as the best veterinary hospital in Columbus. Service highlights, Patient stories, Education for owners, Safety Tips
Differentiation: Less academic, education focused and more about pets and animals, sharing our expertise in veterinary medicine
Historically best-performing posts: Pet-related humor, relevant information to pet owners, now hiring posts,
Audiences:
Primary: Researchers
Secondary: Peer institutions (rankings), prospective new hire staff and faculty
Objectives: Brand awareness (updates on strategic plan), sharing research updates, retweeting University updates, demonstrate thought leadership and highlight the college’s staff and faculty
And support and encourage @OSUVetPrevMed
Voice: Scientific, educated, abbreviated, eager
Content mix: News stories, research stories, faculty and staff news and updates, veterinary industry updates
(TweetDeck is a handy tool for retweeting from university accounts, government accounts and peers)
Differentiation from other accounts: Focus on research
Historically best-performing tweets: college updates, student spotlights, research stories
Audiences:
Primary: Current students
Secondary: Alumni, Prospective students, prospective clients to VMC, current clients of VMC
Objectives: In an aesthetically pleasing manner, showcase how we are working to Be The Model veterinary college.
Increase engagement (likes, comments, saves, shares) on posts to keep Ohio State veterinary top of mind and viewed favorably among audience
Continue to share real student photos (in the classroom, by VMAB sign, with animals)
Continue to identify Instagram influencers, engage with them and reshare their posts
Try to use Instagram Stories, Reels, Carousels and other features (Recent research has shown IG rewards users who use all features)
Voice: Sometimes humorous and relatable (lowercase, short) and sometimes informative (longer copy, link in bio)
Content mix: resharing student photos (user generated content – send user a DM asking to share their photo and credit them in the caption), beautiful photos and videos around campus, photos and videos of real students, staff, faculty
Differentiation: Focused on visual appeal and a bit more playful in tone
Historically best-performing posts: real photos of students learning, sharing user generated content, pet stories,
CVM LinkedIn (launched June 2020)
Audiences:
Primary: Potential hires (staff and faculty who want to work for OSU CVM or VMC)
Secondary: prospective students, referring DVMs
Objectives: Establish OSU CVM as a thought leader college of veterinary medicine – Be The Model and recruit top veterinary talent (students, faculty, staff). Position ourselves as experts on veterinary medicine
Voice: Polished, educational
Content mix: Thought leadership, leadership announcements, professors receiving awards, employee spotlights
Differentiation: Focused on hiring, careers
Historically best-performing posts: college updates, now hiring, students learning
Competitive Analysis
Refer to “Competitor Audit” document that Debbie created in June 2020.
Competitors to watch out for, ranked by level of threat:
1. Texas A&M (Ranked #10 by US News & World Report Best Veterinary Schools)
They have a strong social media presence across all channels and well-designed website
2. Colorado State (Ranked #2 by US News & World Report Best Veterinary Schools)
They try new things, stay on top of trends and take smart risks on social media
3. UC Davis (Ranked #1 by US News & World Report Best Veterinary Schools)
They share relevant updates on social media, stay true to their brand and have a sleek website
4. Cornell (Ranked #3 by US News & World Report Best Veterinary Schools)
They share a lot of articles and news on social media and have a history of excellence
5. North Carolina State (Ranked #5 by US News & World Report Best Veterinary Schools)
Our social media is stronger than theirs but they have a larger following
6. University of Florida (ranked #7 by US News & World Report Best Veterinary Schools)
They aren’t that active on social, neither is their audience and their website is outdated
Social Media Ideas to Try:
- Start using #BeTheModel more or create a branded slogan hashtag to unite our community. TAMU has #IAmCVM. Maybe we could do #WeAreCVM
- Use generic searchable hashtags like #VetSchool on Instagram
- Tell educational, emotional stories of patients and the work we do
- Use Twitter Threads to create multiple related tweets
- Try using memes and gifs on Twitter. Does our audience like this?
- Try using carousels, on Instagram sharing multiple photos
- Instagram takeovers from the animal’s perspective
- Animal Trivia in Instagram Stories
- Facebook group for current students, staff, faculty and other community members
- Live tweet during commencement, White Coat, Oath and Hooding or another event next year
- Highlight patients and patient stories on VMC Facebook
- Share positive client testimonials on VMC Facebook
SWOT Analysis
Strengths: Strong college reputation, loyal alumni fan base, faculty thought leadership
Weaknesses: Low engagement especially on Twitter, lack of current photo and video assets
Opportunities: Sharing more videos like Instagram Reels
Threats: Other colleges have larger more robust social media teams
Content Strategy
Content Pillars
| Culture and the Sustainability of Our People | Advancing Education & Student Success | Innovative & Impactful Research | Veterinary Health System of Choice | Outreach & Community Engagement | Operational Excellence | |||||
| Recognize staff and faculty accomplishments | Share consistent student accomplishments | Share regular research updates | Highlight resources available for community veterinarian care | Advocacy for animals | Showcase facilities | |||||
| Emphasize program rankings | Showcase student experiences | Connect research to consumer-facing outcomes | Showcase testimonials | Localize national trends, share news | Highlight affordability aspects of care, education, etc. | |||||
| Promote Job Opportunities | Highlight clinical and professional skills lab | Showcase research partnerships | Answer client FAQs | Highlight that OSU helps pet owners in underserved populations | Development Fundraising ask | |||||
| Highlight Faculty and Staff Activities | Discuss Spectrum of Care | Leverage close relationship with other OSU Health Science colleges | Educate pet owners | Promote positive human-animal interactions in our local community (Columbus), state of Ohio and globally | ||||||
| Highlight that we use evidence-based innovative pedagogy | Show state-of-the-art research space | Partner with the Wexner and other Health Science Colleges | ||||||||
| Academic Achievements | ||||||||||
Monthly Content Topic Ideas
| Month | Reason/What/Holiday | VMC Service/Tie-In/ Content |
| JANUARY | National Blood Donor Month | Animal Blood Bank |
| Cold Weather | Pet Safety Tips | |
| One Health Awareness Month | ||
| FEBRUARY | American Heart Month | Cardiology and Interventional Medicine |
| National Pet Dental Health Month | Dental Care | |
| Buckeye Love | Kindness, Love, Caring | |
| National Cat Health Month | Indoor Cat Initiative | |
| National Cat Health Month | Feline Salon | |
| MVC | ||
| Valentine’s Day Safety | ||
| MARCH | Save Your Vision Month | Ophthalmology |
| National Nutrition Month | Nutrition Support Service | |
| Poison Prevention Awareness Month | Urgent Care | |
| APRIL | National Pet First Aid Awareness Month | Emergency and Critical Care |
| National Heartworm Awareness Month | Welless Care | |
| White Coat Ceremony | Virtual Event Info | |
| MAY | National Pet Month | Clinical Diagnostic Laboratories |
| National Pet Month | Behavior Vino | |
| National Service Animal Eye Exam Month | Ophthalmology | |
| Pet Cancer Awareness Month | Radiation Oncology | |
| Oath and Hooding | Event Info | |
| Final Exams | Stress Relief Tips, Inspiration | |
| JUNE | Soft Tissue Surgery | |
| Orthopedic Surgery | ||
| National Pet Preparedness Month | Emergency Kit Tips | |
| Hot Weather/ Summer Travel | Pet Safety Tips | |
| JULY | Theriogenology and Reproductive Medicine Services | |
| Fourth of July | Pet Safety Tips | |
| AUGUST | Neurosurgery Awareness Month | Neurology and Neurosurgery |
| Itchy Pet Awareness Month | Dermatology and Otology | |
| SEPTEMBER | National Pet Memorial Day – Sept 12 | Honoring the Bond Program |
| National Rehabilitation Awareness Week | Canine Physical Rehabilitation | |
| Animal Pain Awareness Month | Anesthesiology and Pain Management | |
| OCTOBER | National Pet Wellness Month | Community Practice (Wellness Care) |
| National Vet Tech Week Oct 17-23 | Vet Techs | |
| Pharmacy Week | Pharmacy | |
| National Internal Medicine Day Oct 28 | Internal Medicine | |
| Halloween | Pet Safety Tips | |
| Homecoming | Share photos | |
| NOVEMBER | National Pet Cancer Awareness Month | Integrated Oncology |
| National Radiologic Technology Week | Radiology | |
| Thanksgiving | Pet Safety Tips | |
| DECEMBER | National Cat Lovers’ Month | Behavioral Medicine |
| Cold Weather and Holidays | Pet Safety Tips | |
Debbie Wakefield 