Student Government Association
Communications Director work from 2016-2018
What is Student Government Association?
The Student Government Association of James Madison University is an organization dedicated to collaborating with all members of its community to advocate for student opinion, while fostering a proactive, inclusive environment. SGA has several committees which include Academic Affairs, Finance, Legislative Action, Diversity, Class Council, University Services, and Community Engagement. SGA is in constant communication with JMU Administrators, receives nearly $100,000 in student funds to allocate to other organizations, and attends yearly lobbying trips to DC and Richmond. The scope of SGA is large, and it was my job to share the accomplishments of the organization.
What does the Communications Director do?
I lead a team that focuses on all marketing, media, and technological needs of the Student Government Association Specific duties include:
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Management of Social Media accounts
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Designing advertisements
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Maintaining website
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Spread awareness of organization
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Creating digital content such as Instagram stories and Snapchat filters
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Contacting local media
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Addresses all technological needs of SGA
Social Media
Managing SGA's social media was a large yet exciting undertaking. The accounts had not been active for over two years but had over a thousand followers on Twitter and Facebook. The specific social media strategy evolved over time; however, the ultimate goal was to spread awareness about the efforts on the Student Government. Each medium has its own unique charm, and it was vital to play to the platform's strength. What is successful on Instagram is not always a success on Facebook, so it was important to tailor the posts to each platform's audience.
In the past 2 years, JMU SGA's social media presence has built a large following among JMU Students, organizations, and alumni.
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Facebook followers have increased by 15%
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Reach increased from 859 users in March 2016 to 15,365 users in March 2018
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Instagram followers increased by 1/3 from September 2017-March 2018
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Instagram average likes are now 5x higher
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Twitter followers increased by 212 users
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Tweet impressions average at 40,000 per month
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Twitter engagement went from 0.6% per month to 2.2% per month
Whether it's Facebook Event photos or Instagram content, graphic design is a huge part of the job. All graphics are optimized for both web and print media.