Social Media


In 2018 I created paid and organic posts on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter for the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

Using Rotman’s brand guidelines, I wrote copy, sourced and adjusted images, and created posts. I also tracked clickthroughs and A/B tested different versions of creative.

Since so many of the posts on the School’s pages looked similar and conveyed similar information (such as upcoming events and application deadlines), it was crucial to use strong, engaging images to catch attention in our followers’ feeds and drive traffic. When an opportunity presented itself, I would use a image that suggested humour and then complete the concept in the copy.


Don’t Be Afraid to Try Something Different

This post promoted a talk on Canada’s aging population. I wanted the image to portray the reality of the people being talked about, not just show another smiling speaker in a suit.

I also hoped to raise some questions. Do you see these hard-working hands as a negative statement about old people? If so, why? The post got a few dislikes, but achieved a CTR of 1.45% (organic) and 2.27% (sponsored).

LinkedIn Sponsored Content worked well for us—and the more targeted the audience, the better. LinkedIn advises to limit your targeting criteria so the algorithms have room to work, but on one occasion I tried an experiment and selected far more targeting data than recommended. It generated one of my highest ever clickthrough rates, likely because the audience for that particular ad was a very niche one.


Live-Tweeting

Occasionally I live-tweeted events.

If you’re doing this, make sure you have consent to be recorded and broadcast from not only the speakers but also every attendee.

However, it’s often not appropriate to ask audience members to sign a release form before entering the room! Instead, I’d suggest the following:

  • In your event information, invitations and confirmations, mention that you might be recording, and if anyone does not wish to be recorded, they should let the event staff know.

  • Place notices in document holders at the sign-in desk.

  • To give attendees every chance to be aware of the recording, you could also put a stand-up sign by the entry door.

  • There’s also the option of having the person introducing the speaker mention the recording. However, unless it’s a very informal event, I wouldn’t recommend this because it will break the flow when the audience has already settled in.


We All Know How Many Words an Image Is Worth!

For several years while I was at the ROM, the social media team managed the organic social posts and the marketing department (which I was part of) managed the paid posts. Sometimes we bought the ad space ourselves and other times our agency did.

Everyone had to collaborate to ensure brand and message consistency. In this example, I worked with a designer to create the signature image. And I liaised with the events team to create the content for the webpage that this post linked to. (Whether I actually set up the targets in Facebook for this particular post, I honestly can’t remember—but I’ve done similar ones.)

In 2015, the Museum’s theme for March Break was The Future. I like this ad because it’s fun and it implies that you’re going to experience something new. It also appeals to both parents and kids.

Variations on this image appeared in print ads and collateral, out-of-home media, and online display ads. It was one of our most successful March Break campaigns.


Teamwork Wins

When the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) had its Pompeii exhibition a few years ago, my colleagues on the social media team came up with a fun personality quiz, “Who Were You in Ancient Pompeii?” Based on your answer choices, you might not survive the 79 CE volcanic eruption. I didn’t.

I’m including this image because I thought it was a great idea, and I’m always happy to support engagement tactics from my colleagues. At the end of the day, we’re all on the same team!