The Youngstown State University Office of Marketing and Communications is broadening its social media presence with #ysugram.
Anyone who tags an Instagram photo of campus could see it posted on YSU’s account. The office began reposting these photos in December and has already reposted 24 campus photos taken by members of the YSU community.
Andrea Armeni, an assistant editor for the department, said the goal is to bring people together.
“Our target audience is the YSU community — anyone from students to faculty,” Armeni said. “Content is one-sided, so we wanted to create something different and let the students speak,” Armeni said.
Bruce Keillor, an associate professor of marketing, said the campaign will give the university a face with which outsiders can identify, but said he can’t be sure how successful it will be. “It all depends on how many people get involved,” he said.
Armeni said that students’ usage of social media like Instagram and Pinterest brought on the creation of the program.
“We see a lot of students hashtagging YSU alongside them posting pictures of campus, classes, events and speakers,” Armeni said.
Armeni said the program is a great way to pull everyone together. “It’s sort of an Occupy Instagram that’s opening up,” Armeni said.
However, students who use the site will be rewarded in a different ways, as the program is considering a future contest.
“There really is no prize, but students will get a repost alongside followers,” Armeni said.
YSU sophomore Symone McKinney said she doesn’t really use Instagram for any purpose, but likes that someone else does.
“I think it’s a good way to put the school out there,” she said. “Show people what YSU is about.”
