UAB Digital Strategy and Marketing has central oversight of all digital marketing, including paid social media, digital display, search advertising, etc., in order to optimize media buys based on a strategy that takes into account the amount of messages aimed at our overlapping target audiences.
UAB faculty, staff, and students are not allowed to create paid digital ads or execute paid marketing campaigns from official UAB channels or on behalf of UAB. This includes research initiatives that are supported by UAB faculty, staff, and students and paid for by UAB funds (including research funds that have been awarded to UAB).
Current Parameters
- The UA System requires centralized reporting on marketing and media buys.
- Individual employees cannot accept terms and conditions on behalf of UAB which includes platforms such as Facebook, Google, and other social and search platforms, therefore UAB runs all advertising out of a centralized business unit.
- UAB has one central P Card for media buys on digital platforms. This helps with billing and also gives UAB a line of credit with these platforms.
Currently, there are three options for executing digital marketing at UAB:
- Current vendors can be viewed here.
Note: UAB Marketing will evaluate additional agencies on a case-by-case basis. Email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to initiate an agency review. Agencies must comply to operate out of our centralized Business Unit. Please note there is at least a 6-8 week process to establish a new marketing agency contract (this involves other units on campus including Legal, Purchasing, etc.). - Distributed communicators and individuals who meet at least one of these two options and both are preferred:
- Google certified and/or completion of a digital marketing certificate or related degree
- Proven track record in digital campaign management that meets or exceeds industry benchmarks
All individuals must be qualified and prepared to engage in digital community management including responding to public comments and inquiries on social platforms.
Note: Email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you meet the qualifications above and would like to be evaluated to execute digital marketing. - UAB Marketing and Creative Solutions
If you would like to start a project with UAB’s in-house creative agency, please complete this request form.
- Per the Master Service Agreement with approved agencies, all digital marketing must be executed from UAB’s Business Manager ad accounts in all social media platforms and search platforms. UAB should also retain all digital advertising metrics and tracking.
- Boosting posts on Facebook is a form of paid advertising which is also managed and purchased centrally. Units are not allowed to “boost” Facebook posts.
- Giveaways and contests may be organically promoted on official UAB Facebook media accounts as long as it is open to the public. Per Alabama Ethics Law, you can not provide a giveaway to UAB employees worth more than $25. Units are not allowed to “boost” Facebook posts.
- All digital advertising creative and paid media buys must be reviewed and approved via the Marketing Approval Process and follow marketing guidelines outlined on the UAB Brand Toolkit prior to launching in digital platforms.
- UAB Digital Strategy and Marketing reserves the right to provide feedback on content, images, and creative that could impact the overall health of the UAB brand, interfere with the good standing of UAB Business Manager account or be in violation of platform policies and guidelines.
Web
UAB’s web presence impacts the health of the brand. UAB Digital Strategy and Marketing’s web team has oversight of our website presence, working alongside UAB Information Technology, and serves as administrator of our content management systems. UAB websites are required to be hosted on either Joomla or WordPress and reside on UAB-approved servers.
Any website work performed on behalf of UAB, which includes research initiatives and when grant funds are awarded to the university, must follow the UAB brand standards and UAB web content guidelines. In addition, UAB provides free website hosting.
Current guidelines do not allow outside vendors to perform web work for the university outside of High Level Marketing and Shawn Wright. More information on these two vendors can be found on our WordPress page.
Did you know you can manage your UAB e-newsletter preferences?
Visit our Subscription Center to select the specific emails you want from the UAB units you're interested in. You can also access the Subscription Center by selecting the link at the bottom of the UAB emails you currently receive.
(Note: the eReporter and GreenMail newsletters are required communications.)
After you request access, you will receive an email with login instructions. Please be patient, the email may not arrive immediately.
The growing popularity of podcasts makes it easy for UAB entities to produce and share content for listeners around the world. With that in mind, UAB producers should ensure that their podcasts are high quality and on brand, and that they represent the university well. Before launching a UAB podcast, please review the best practices and guidelines below, and then complete the form to register your podcast for approval by Marketing & Communications.
General Best Practices
- Have guest speakers sign a media release form.
- UAB and the UAB Health System and its entities require authorization and release forms when students, faculty, staff, patients, and/or others are photographed or recorded in an individual or small-group setting for the purpose of media, marketing, development, and/or customer service. Institutionally approved forms are available here. Modification of the forms is not permitted except by authorized parties. Be sure to choose the correct form: health care or non-health care. Your department must keep the signed forms on file, normally for a period of 36 months.
- Ensure you have rights to any music featured in your podcast.
- The university offers several free music resources.
- Maintain a consistent intro and outro.
- Your intro should include basic information such as your podcast name, purpose/topic, host and guest names, and your affiliation with UAB. In your intro's first mention of UAB, always use the full name: the University of Alabama at Birmingham. UAB may be used in subsequent mentions.
- Keep your podcast intro and outro consistent throughout your series. Example: "This is UAB Memories, where we get nostalgic and share the memories people have made over the years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham."
- Use professional equipment to ensure quality sound.
- Ensure a good auditory experience for your listeners by using professional equipment that helps eliminate background noise.
Podcast-specific Best Practices
- Introduction
- Incorporate a welcome episode or intro.
- Create a simple cover graphic and name that stand out and are easy to remember.
- Consistency
- Create a schedule to publish your podcast (frequency, day, time, etc.).
- Keep the structure of each episode similar so that your audience can become familiar and comfortable with your format.
- Focus on sound quality for the host and any guests or outside media that you feature. Remember that audiences listen to your podcast while doing other activities. Reduce background noise so that they stick with your podcast.
- Plan your content in advance and consider trends, holidays, and anniversaries as a way to capture a nostalgic audience or large theme.
- Content
- Listeners need a reason to tune in to your podcast. In order to do that, you must establish the reason for the podcast: What is your why?
- Use your knowledge of your audience to cultivate content they can relate to, or offer information they need.
- Lean on your experts, but also bring in guests as a way to validate and add value for the audience. If your podcast focuses on storytelling, then develop a diverse content calendar.
- Promotion
- Use appropriate channels to promote your podcast. Social media, websites, newsletters, and more are perfect opportunities to let people know they have another resource for getting to know you or your area.
- Invest in paid social promotion. A little paid promotion can go a long way.
- Have your experts or stakeholders share/repost the podcast on their personal channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter). They have built-in audiences that are invested in the content you are producing.
- Collaborate with Marketing & Communications to schedule promotion via eReporter/GreenMail, social media, etc. Complete a Request Publicity form.
- Audience engagement
- Encourage your audience to rate, review, and comment when you promote your podcast on social media. The more engagement you have, then the more that people will see it on their feeds. Social algorithms value engagement above most everything else.
- Find ways to incorporate listeners into your podcast and ask for feedback. Answering questions or giving listener shout-outs will cultivate loyal listeners and a more engaged audience.
- Don’t be afraid to have a personality. In fact, that personality is a part of why people will listen to your show. Just keep in mind that anything you put on your show represents UAB. It may be the only interaction a community member will have with UAB, and it should be authentic and positive.
UAB-specific Guidelines
- Your podcast name and graphic must follow current UAB brand standards and be approved by Marketing & Communications.
- Use UAB's preferred publishing platform, Transistor. Once your podcast is registered and approved, Marketing & Communications will add your podcast to the UAB Transistor account. If your podcast is not on Transistor, then you must regularly report podcast metrics to Marketing & Communications via
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . - Your podcast must be registered with UAB’s Apple account (shown under UAB umbrella).
- You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information and for adhering to UAB/UAB Health System rules, regulations, policies, and procedures regarding security and confidentiality including Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Personal Health Information Act (PHIA).
Measuring Your Success
Launching and maintaining a successful podcast takes a lot of resources. One way to know if a podcast is worth your time and investment is to measure its success regularly. Though Apple doesn't offer reporting on your podcast, UAB is able to glean some metrics from the Transistor platform. You also could measure your podcasts's success in a couple of other ways:
- Social media: Are folks liking your posts, clicking the podcast link, or sharing comments?
- General feedback: Are you receiving any other feedback from listeners?
UAB Podcasts
It is a standard practice by media companies to recognize, feature, name, and award an individual with acknowledgement. In some cases, fees are associated with the recognition. This practice is a "pay to play" model — or franchise opportunities that fall underneath a marketing umbrella and are a revenue stream.
UAB is proud of the accomplishments and recognition of all UAB faculty and staff. We are supportive of participating in paid recognition programs and event sponsorships and at times find these opportunities of value. However, centrally we do not budget for these types of requests and funding for these opportunities are the responsibility of a unit to confirm with the dean or chair of your department. Central marketing looks at opportunities and weighs in if they meet the UAB institutional mission. If so, we'll reach out and present options to the responsible unit.
As a best practice, first confirm with the dean or chair of your department that funds are available for a paid recognition program or event sponsorship. The unit or department of an awardee is responsible for payment for paid recognition programs and event sponsorships — i.e. event table/sponsorship, print advertisement, panel expert or participant, content expert at event or in a publication. UAB central marketing will work with unit's Campus Communicator to amplify messaging about recognition or an awardee across UAB platforms, but is not responsible for any associated costs.
Examples of paid recognition programs and event sponsorships we encounter on a regular basis:
- Your program has been awarded the #1 “Best Grad School for Healthcare Management” by US News & World Report. As a winner, you have the option to purchase the badge graphic to use across all media for $14,625.
- The dean in your school has been highly recommended by the editorial team of The Knowledge Review to be featured as the cover story for the "The 10 Most Influential Women in American Education" issue. This "featuring" opportunity includes a $1,599 sponsorship fee with the following benefits: multi-page print profile, content collaboration featured in print and online, complimentary copies of the publication, reprint rights, advertisement.
- You have been nominated for the Birmingham Business Journal's “Forty Under 40” and have officially made the list. If your unit decides to honor you, here are examples of ways to participate:
- "Forty Under 40" Table/Ticket Packages: $2,985-$5,150
- "Forty Under 40" Event Sponsorships: $5,995-$15,000
If you have questions about these guidelines, please reach out to
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