Social Media Account Names & Graphics

Give your social media account a proper name, handle and imagery following these guidelines.

Directions on this page are for wholly owned WashU Medicine entities. This information does not pertain to many clinic site accounts or any student-run accounts. We understand there is nuance in some cases. And labs have different guidance on nomenclature, but can lean into the WashU Medicine brand as much as they choose. Reach out to Wes Matthews at mmcsocialmedia@wustl.edu for a one-on-one conversation. We are here to work with you.

Account elements vary depending on the social media platform. Not all platforms include a cover image or a handle. Use these guidelines for any/all elements your account needs by platform.  

Graphic of an example WashU Medicine social media account highlighting each account element

Account names & handles

Department, office, division, center and institute accounts within the WashU Medicine ecosystem should adhere to the following conventions: 

Name
WashU Medicine “Department”
WashU Medicine Surgery

Handle
WashU + Med + Department or initiative
@WashUMedSurgery

Labs within the WashU Medicine ecosystem should adhere to the following conventions:

Name
Formal Title @ WashU Medicine
Dougherty Lab @ WashU Medicine

Handle
At discretion of Lab
@Dougherty Lab

Although this naming and handle guidance works in most situations, there are times when it simply cannot. There are times when a handle may need to use an acronym. Please see this reference Excel to find our suggested name and handle for your account.

Twitter’s character limits are the most restrictive: 50 characters for display names and 15 characters for profile handles. These limitations were taken into account when developing suggestions. If you have questions about our suggested name and handle or don’t see your account referenced, reach out to Wes Matthews at mmcsocialmedia@wustl.edu for a one-on-one conversation. We are here to work with you.

Changing the name of a social media account will typically change that account’s URL. Be sure to update social media links on your website, email templates, etc., if the account URLs change.

Profile & cover images

WashU Medicine profile image example

Profile images for all WashU Medicine department, office, division, center, institute and lab accounts should consist of a white WashU shield over choice of campus image. 

WashU Medicine cover image example

Profile cover images for all WashU Medicine department, office, division, center, institute and lab accounts should consist of imagery of campus/architecture, people, clinical spaces, learning or care so long as it is representative of your area of work and makes sense to your audience.

Account managers can choose from 30+ profile and cover image options available in this Box folder. 

We will also create a profile and/or cover image option for your account, as long as the imagery you want is reviewed and relevant to your mission. Reach out to Wes Matthews at mmcsocialmedia@wustl.edu for a one-on-one conversation. We are here to work with you.

About/bio section

In the first sentence of your page’s about/bio section, self-identify as being part of WashU Medicine or WashU Physicians.