Social Media Guide for The Talon

📲 Platforms: TikTok & Instagram

Managing The Talon’s social media requires effective marketing, engagement strategies, and online safety. This guide outlines best practices to maximize our reach while ensuring efficiency and security.

1. Goals of Social Media for The Talon

🔹 Promote Articles & Content – Drive traffic to The Talon’s website.
🔹 Engage the School Community – Keep students, staff, and parents informed.
🔹 Showcase Behind-the-Scenes – Highlight the journalistic process and team.
🔹 Boost School Spirit – Feature events, sports, clubs, and student life.

2. Content Strategy

📌 Instagram Content (Posts, Stories, Reels)
✅ News Updates – Quick summaries of new articles, school events, or announcements.
✅ Visual Highlights – Eye-catching graphics, infographics, and photo carousels.
✅ Behind-the-Scenes – Show the newsroom, interviews, and editing process.
✅ Interactive Stories – Use polls, Q&A, and quizzes to engage followers.
✅ Reels – Short videos promoting articles, student life, or quick news updates.

📌 TikTok Content (Short-Form Video)
✅ Trending Sounds & Challenges – Use popular audio clips to boost visibility.
✅ Mini News Reports – 30-60 second recaps of school events.
✅ Interview Snippets – Fun or insightful clips from article interviews.
✅ Day in the Life – Show a reporter’s process or a student spotlight.
✅ Behind-the-Scenes – How an article gets written, edited, and published.

🔹 Post Frequency:

• Instagram: 3-5 posts per week (mix of Stories, Reels, and carousels).

• TikTok: 2-4 videos per week (focus on engagement & trends).

3. Social Media Marketing & Growth

🚀 How to Reach More People
✅ Use Hashtags – #TheTalon, #StudentJournalism, #SchoolNews, #YourSchoolName
✅ Tag & Mention – Mention students, clubs, and faculty to encourage shares.
✅ Post at Peak Times – Lunchtime (11 AM - 1 PM) & evening (6 PM - 9 PM).
✅ Engage with Comments – Respond to questions and encourage discussions.
✅ Cross-Promote – Share TikToks on Instagram Reels & vice versa.
✅ Collaborate – Work with clubs, teams, and influencers for joint posts.

📊 Tracking Engagement

• Monitor likes, shares, saves, and comments to see what content works best.

• Use Instagram Insights & TikTok Analytics to adjust the strategy.

4. Online Safety & Responsibility

🔒 Protecting Privacy & Avoiding Issues
✅ Never share personal student information (addresses, phone numbers, private accounts).
✅ Obtain consent before posting someone’s photo, video, or quote.
✅ Avoid controversial topics that don’t align with The Talon’s journalistic integrity.
✅ Report and remove inappropriate or offensive comments.
✅ Stick to facts – Avoid spreading rumors or unverified information.

🚫 What NOT to Post
❌ Anything offensive, discriminatory, or harmful.
❌ Copyrighted music, images, or videos without proper credit.
❌ Opinions or biased content in news-related posts.

5. Efficient Workflow for Managing Social Media

🔹 Content Planning:

• Use a content calendar to plan posts weekly.

• Assign specific team members to handle posts for Instagram & TikTok.

• Pre-schedule posts using tools like Meta Business Suite for Instagram.

🔹 Team Roles:
📍 Content Creators – Capture photos/videos, write captions.
📍 Editors – Ensure posts align with The Talon’s standards.
📍 Social Media Managers – Schedule posts, track engagement, and respond to comments.

🔹 Approval Process:
1️⃣ Draft the post.
2️⃣ Get it reviewed by an editor or team lead.
3️⃣ Post at the scheduled time.

6. Final Tips for Success

✅ Stay consistent – Regular posts keep the audience engaged.
✅ Keep branding professional & school-friendly.
✅ Stay updated with TikTok & Instagram trends to increase visibility.
✅ Have fun – Show The Talon’s personality while maintaining credibility!

By following this guide, The Talon’s social media will remain engaging, professional, and safe, helping to grow our audience while maintaining journalistic integrity. 🚀