BUOS-L

SOCIAL

MEDIA

REPORT
SAMPLE

REPORT -

PRL 2180

BY CATIE VANSTRATUM

& SPENCER POMEROY

BELMONT UNIVERSITY

OFFICE OF SERVICE-

LEARNING
BU OFFICE OF SERVICE-LEARNING

INTRODUCTION

This sample report for the Belmont University Office of Service-Learning contains
recommendations on the best practices for the office’s social media, blog and website.
The report begins by detailing the value of social media, the importance of consistency,
the office’s use of social media and recommended modifications. The report continues
by outlining information about organizational blogs and best practices for the Office of
Service-Learning blog. To conclude, the report summarizes website purposes, effective
website strategies and recommended revisions.

BUOS-L SOCIAL MEDIA

Social Media Functions:

Social media is a great asset to organizations. Social media platforms see high volumes
of usage that allow organizations to expand their audiences without physical
restrictions. According to Search Engine Journal, Instagram has 1 billion active monthly
users. Search Engine Journal has also found that 71% of Americans have Facebook
accounts. With the ability to reach more than one-seventh of the world and the majority
of America, these communication tools are beneficial for any organization with
intentions of reaching a larger audience.

Social Media Recommendations:

Currently, Belmont’s Office of Service-Learning has accounts on Instagram and

Facebook. The same content appears on both profiles. The content includes
“Wednesday Wisdom” quotes and posts about upcoming volunteer opportunities. Both of
these accounts show high levels of consistency. According to an article written by
Auburn Advertising, consistency is a strength and allows viewers to associate specific
postings and styles to a certain organization. However, while consistency is an
important aspect of engaging with a social media audience, diversity in content is also
important. Sprout Social, a leading social media management platform, recommends
that Instagram posts focus on an image rather than text. Sprout Social also says that
Facebook posts should be more detail oriented and text heavy. Knowing an audience’s
needs and catering to them is an essential part of effectively conveying a message.

The Belmont Office of Service-Learning Instagram contains regular, timely posts.

Punctual posting offers audiences a sense of dependability that positively rewards the
organization. While there is regularity in the occurrence of posts, the design of each
post should show more consistency in branding. Each post has different color schemes
and fonts with little uniformity. Influencer Marketing Hub states that 60% of the most
successful Instagram brands use the same filter on each post. When an organization
establishes a style, it allows audiences to acquire a sense of brand recognition. Brand
consistency helps social media posts have stylistic appeal and allows users to get a
specific sense of the organization.

PAGE 2 | INTRODUCTION & SOCIAL MEDIA

 BU OFFICE OF SERVICE-LEARNING

Social Media Recommendations Continued:

Social media channels, while being excellent resources to reach an audience, should
not be the information center for an organization. Social media platforms should provide
content that intrigues viewers enough to guide them to seek more information from the
organization’s website. According to Forbes Magazine, social media’s purpose is to
connect users to the hub of the organization—the website—for current information.
Belmont’s Office of Service-Learning does not have a current and up-to-date website.
Without an updated website, social media outlets are the only dependable sources of
information. Allowing social media users the ability to connect with a website offers
them a more in-depth understanding of what the organization has to offer. Therefore, the
Office of Service-Learning should consider updating its website.

BUOS-L BLOG
Blog Functions:

A blog is a platform that provides organizations an accessible space to share and

interact with its users. According to a study by BlogHer, companies that own and
maintain a blog attract 55% more visitors than companies that do not use a blog.
BlogHer also reports that the average blog post should amount to 500-1000 words.
Various studies also show that individuals share 90% of consumed blog content with
friends and family.

Blog Recommendations:
Currently, Belmont’s Office of Service-Learning blog is not meeting its fullest potential.
As of now, the blog mainly contains short quotes pertaining to service. While these
quotes are consistent with the brand, the blog should incorporate content that is more
informative and personal. Blogs are a great way to receive feedback from an
organization’s audience. According to Open Vine, an internet consulting firm, blogs are
most successful when used to interact in a more personal way with audiences. For
instance, Open Vine recommends asking users questions at the end of each blog post to
increase engagement. Belmont’s Office of Service-Learning should consider using the
blog to share examples and testimonials of students positively impacted by service-
learning. This would offer users a more relatable and personal experience.

BUOS-L WEBSITE

Website Functions:
Websites perform various, crucial functions for organizations. First and foremost,
websites provide opportunities for entities to engage with publics. Additionally,
audiences look to websites for updates on organizational happenings, current
events, and more. An organization’s website acts as a central hub; social media
and other publications should lead audiences to an organization’s website. The
crucial nature of websites makes frequent updates crucial. According to Forbes,
timely updates help publics stay in the know about an organization’s recent
activity and aid in converting new audiences into permanent users of an
organization’s services. Aside from maintaining and building an audience, SEO
Site Checkup claims that timely updates boost website visits by appearing more
frequently and higher up on search engines.

PAGE 3 | BLOG & WEBSITE

BU OFFICE OF SERVICE-LEARNING

Website Recommendations:

Continuous updates to the Office of Service-Learning website would allow the office to
boost engagement, build audiences and maintain current publics. To begin, the Belmont
University Office of Service-Learning should amend its list of service-learning courses
on its section of Belmont University’s website; the current service-learning course list
remains unchanged since 2015. A revised list of service-learning courses on the
office’s website will allow audiences to gain a better knowledge of service-learning
courses available to enroll in. Additionally, by viewing an updated list, new audiences
can acquire awareness of service-learning courses offered by Belmont’s Office of
Service-Learning.

Aside from updating the list of service-learning courses, the Belmont Office of Service-
Learning should consider linking its socials on its website. According to Milestone
Social Media Analytics, brand awareness and reach increase when social media is
linked on an organization's website. Additionally, WP Forte claims that reliability and
authenticity increase and users feel a stronger sense of community when organizations
link social media on websites. The Office of Service-Learning has an active presence on
multiple social media outlets and should, therefore publicize its social media accounts
on both Get Connected and its section of Belmont’s website.

CONCLUSIONS

According to Kanbanize, the need for constant improvement is more prominent than ever
because of the global marketplace, increasing competition and quick accessibility to
information. The Belmont Office of Service-Learning has many strengths, such as frequent
social media and blog posts and an easy-to-use website. However, it is also important for the
Office of Service-Learning to constantly evaluate areas in which it can improve. Areas where
the office can improve, which are highlighted in this report, include: building a consistent
social media brand, diversifying social media content, strengthening blog content and
updating the office’s websites.

PAGE 4 | WEBSITE & CONCLUSIONS

BU OFFICE OF SERVICE-LEARNING

REFERENCES
3 key reasons to add social media links to your website. (2021, February 03). Retrieved
March 05, 2021, from https://blog.milestoneinternet.com/getting-social/3-key-reasons-
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website/#:~:text=Adding%20social%20media%20links%20to,your%20brand%20reach
% 20and%20awareness.

9 tips to improve your INSTAGRAM engagement rate. (2019, April 30). Retrieved March
05, 2021, from https://influencermarketinghub.com/9-tips-to-improve-instagram-
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How to: Connect social media to your website for better engagement. (2019, April 08).
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Jackson, D. (2020, December 10). Instagram vs Facebook: Which is best for your
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Mango, K. (n.d.). Small business internet blog. Retrieved March 05, 2021, from
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small-business/

Naydenov, P. (2020, October 05). Benefits of continuous improvement as a business

strategy. Retrieved March 05, 2021, from https://kanbanize.com/blog/how-continuous-
improvement-can-benefit-your-business/

Payne, W. (2020, December 30). The importance of consistency in social media

marketing. Retrieved March 05, 2021, from
https://www.auburnadvertising.com/articles/86-the- importance-of-consistency-in-social-
media-marketing

Roy, J. (2021, January 01). 5 reasons why fresh content is critical for your website and
SEO. Retrieved March 05, 2021, from https://seositecheckup.com/articles/5-reasons-
why-fresh- content-is-critical-for-your-website-and-seo

Smith, R. D. (2020). Becoming a public relations writer: Strategic writing for emerging
and established media. New York, NY: Routledge.

PAGE 5 | REFERENCES