Email Marketing
The Luskin School has purchased an Emma Email Marketing Account with seats available for purchase for UCLA Luskin departments and affiliated centers. Please inquire with Kate Shirley kshirley@luskin.ucla.edu for more information.
Emma Platform Policies and Procedures
Overview
Emma is a web-based email marketing platform designed for businesses to create, send, and track email campaigns.
Luskin Central Communications is offering the Emma platform to UCLA Luskin departments and dean’s office teams free of charge to streamline email efforts and create a unified and strategic approach to email processes across the school.
The overall goal is to improve/maintain the reputation of the school and our departments, and also to improve our connection to the UCLA brand by sending cohesive, compliant, visually-aligned, and responsible communications to our main stakeholders.
Email Best Practices
- Avoid one-off and forwarded emails that aren't critical or urgent
- Collect information and share in a regular rhythm
- Shorten long content received from others to be concise/scannable
- Point to a link or email address for those who are interested
- Can also link to PDFs you upload
- Prioritize your information, not requests from other units – it’s ok to say no to a request from an outside org!
- Be cognizant that our audiences receive lots of emails, so let’s be responsible stewards.
- Try to use department/unit name or chair name (in limited cases) for your sender
- You can adjust the reply to address according to a particular need
When to Use
- Newsletters or event invitations to multiple constituents/groups
- Something you might have previously sent via listserv
- ALWAYS use for emails to external groups like alumni, donors, etc
- Official department emails (letters from chair, invites) which would benefit from a professional template
- Collectivized information
- Aim to reduce one-offs, forwards, and multiple emails a week
- Find ways to work within departments and unit to share information to send consistently and from a predictable source
When Not to Use
- Not intended to replace all emails
- Limited group or individual communications where direct from the source is more meaningful/responsive
- Ex: Emailing with a student about their academic situation or addressing a question
- Ex: Emailing with a student group about a specific topic of ongoing discussion for example
- If you aren’t sure, just ask! We are here to help and fully understand there will be a learning curve for everyone.
Central Comms Team Role
- Maintain email lists (alumni, current students, faculty/staff for each department) in partnership with departments
- Maintain and create a variety of email templates
- Work one-on-one with department email leads to develop an email strategy (cadence of newsletters)
- Approve emails to send
Emma Platform Training Resources
- Emma 101 Video Library – HERE
- Drag and drop editor: Overview – HERE
- Drag and drop editor: Frequently asked questions- HERE
- UIC also has some really nice resources that walk you through the process
Design Resources
Logos: UCLA Luskin School, Departments and Research Centers
UCLA Brand Resources (UCLA color palette | UCLA graphic elements)
Presentation Templates (PowerPoint | Canva | Keynote)
Letterheads
- Luskin School of Public Affairs (Word Doc | PDF)
- Luskin Social Welfare (Word Doc | PDF)
- Luskin Urban Planning (Word Doc | PDF)
- Luskin Public Policy (Word Doc | PDF)
- Luskin Undergraduate Program (Word Doc | PDF)
Accessibility
UCLA Session on Accessible Graphic Design and Social Media
Media Relations
Contact the UCLA Luskin Communications Team
Resources for Faculty, Researchers and Students:
UCLA Luskin Faculty Guidelines for Media Outreach
Research and publications
When your research gets published in a journal or you are nearing completion of work that is likely to generate coverage by outside media, the first step is to contact UCLA Luskin Communications:
Kate Shirley
Executive Director of Communications
Office: (310) 206-5252
Email: kshirley@luskin.ucla.edu
Personal counseling about communications and media outreach will be provided by the Communications staff, and they will assist with preparation of materials to be sent to media outlets, often in cooperation with staff at one of our research centers.
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Aspects to discuss with the Communications staff
Timing
- Some news outlets plan their article and op-ed schedules weeks in advance. Therefore, it may be important to anticipate their needs and reach out well before publication.
Distribution
- Different outlets have vastly different readership and viewership. It’s best to target communications to those most likely to be interested in your work and adjust your message appropriately for different platforms (newspapers, magazines, television, radio, podcasts, online media, social media, etc.)
- Think about how best to tailor coverage of the research to a national audience. Does the message need to be different for Californians? Angelenos? Your assistance will help tailor a media contact list and ensure that the right message reaches each audience.
- In almost every instance, in-house coverage on the UCLA Luskin website will be part of the mix. Additional coverage is often placed on the website of UCLA Luskin research center(s), if appropriate.
Forms of Communication
- In many cases, we partner with the UCLA-wide distribution network by working directly with UCLA Newsroom to get out the message. We make sure that every news release we publish is also posted by UCLA Newsroom, which expands the readership.
- In some cases, a traditional news release sent directly from UCLA Luskin is best.
- Direct pitches to selected reporters may be helpful in certain situations.
Partnerships
- Let us know if co-authors, internal or external research associates, or outside distribution partnerships are involved. If the work was grant-funded, be sure to mention it. Please be prepared to provide contact information for any specific person or organization that will need to be part of the communication plan.
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What to do when the media reach out to you
- When contacted directly by a member of the press, regardless of media outlet, please let the Communications staff know. Normally this will be just a courtesy contact, but in certain instances we may ask you to coordinate your interview, op-ed or participation in a media event with other UCLA Luskin efforts to maximize the potential reach of coverage.
- The Communications staff can also assist with logistical details, such as helping to arrange for studio time to conduct an on-air interview. Don’t hesitate to ask.
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Follow-up
- Once a print story has been published or an electronic piece has aired, please notify Communications so that we can share the good news on our social media channels and include a summary blurb on the Luskin in the News page.
UCLA Luskin Media Training Webinar
UCLA Guide for Working Successfully with the Media
Website
Other Resources
UCLA Library Tools
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U.S. Major Dailies: New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and the Wall Street Journal, dating back to the 1980s.
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Proquest Newspapers: Searches all ProQuest newspapers to which UCLA subscribes, including national and international news sources and alternative press.
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In addition to accessing the articles through the database, you can set up a “My Research Account” with a personal login to set up search alerts. From there, you can set up search alerts.
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L.A. Public Library: While the UCLA Library does not have access to the web edition of the New York Times, the Los Angeles Public Library offers access to the digital edition through their library card.
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For special requests, library staff, including a 24/7 chat service, will get back to you. Submit inquiries here.
Social Media
This resource is designed to support colleagues managing Luskin social media accounts by offering guidance, helpful tips, and recommended tools. Whether you’re new to social media or looking to refine your approach, these best practices will help ensure your content is effective, consistent, and aligned with our values.
Policies & Guidelines
Be respectful. Remember that you are posting through a UCLA affiliated account. UCLA’s social media channels call for a different approach than personal accounts. When you represent the university on social media platforms, it is important to adhere to UCLA’s values and follow UCLA’s principles of community, UC diversity statement, UC statement of ethical values and standards of ethical conduct and all other applicable policies.
Be prepared. In the case of an emergency that impacts or involves the campus community, hold off on posting and defer to the Bruins Safe Online for communication updates, reference materials, and instructions. You can follow UCLA BruinAlert on X here. Do not post any crisis-related communications outside of official messages from the UCLA Office of Emergency Management.
Be confidential. Be careful not to reveal confidential or proprietary information about UCLA students, employees, or alumni. As online spokespeople, you must ensure that your posts are completely accurate and not misleading, and that they do not reveal non-public information about UCLA. Exercise sound judgment and common sense.
Be aware of liability. Whenever possible, ensure a signed photo release form is on file for any student who is clearly identifiable in social media content. For minors: Do not use photos of minors without the prior written consent of a parent or legal guardian.
Protect property. Follow copyright laws and respect fair use and intellectual property right. Do not use copyrighted content (video, images, sound files) without permission.
Protect UCLA’s brand. Use UCLA’s logos, colors, and fonts correctly per the UCLA Brand Guidelines. If you need your department’s logos, please let me know.
Stay professional. Your tone should reflect the values of equity, academic excellence, and public service that define UCLA Luskin. As an administrator, you can and should respond when relevant, but consider how your response may reflect on you, your department and the University. You may remove libelous or offensive comments, or spam comments but do not censor posts with which you personally disagree.
Consult prior to launch. Faculty or staff must seek approval from Luskin Communications team prior to launching a new departmental social media account. Any new departmental accounts must demonstrate a content strategy and staffing plan. A new channel is not always the right solution for your marketing efforts. Before you request a new social media channel, ask yourself:
Be active. To be considered an active departmental account, the minimum post frequency is once per week. Luskin Communications reserves the right to disable departmental accounts that are dormant (no posts or activity) for more than six months.
Closing down old social accounts. It may be determined that the channel does not meet a specific need, competes with other channels, or is not staffed adequately to maintain a consistent social presence. Discuss with the Luskin Comms team, archive any content or metrics, and close down the account.
Social Media Best Practices
Have at least two admins. Having multiple account administrators for every social media account will ensure that the account can continue to be updated regularly, even if one of the existing administrators is not available (ex: goes on extended leave or changes jobs). Admins should be full time staff/faculty, NOT students or student workers. Students can have access as editors to post but should never have primary responsibility for accounts.
Plan first. Consider your core messages, target audiences, goals, and overall strategy for content creation. We highly recommend a content calendar, as it helps organize postings, ensure consistency, and make it easier to plan. A content calendar is a tool—usually a spreadsheet, shared document, or scheduling platform—that outlines what content will be posted, on which platform, and when. It’s especially useful when multiple people or a team are involved, as it helps streamline workflow. Sample content calendar on sheet 2 (Copy and paste this template into Google Doc or Google Sheets).
Be Strategic. When deciding your intended audience, consider the following questions:
At the university level, we have identified the following groups as our target audiences:
Be Professional. Use a tone that reflects UCLA Luskin: professional, inclusive, mission driven and keep messaging aligned with the school’s values—equity, academic excellence, and public service.
Make content accessible. Alternative text, or “alt text” describes visual content for those who are visually impaired. Use alt text for all images. Avoid putting important text only in graphics. Use camel case for hashtags (#BruinDay). When posting videos, include captions—Instagram auto-captions can help, or use tools like CapCut.
Be Concise. Aim for short, punchy captions (1–2 sentences max). Use emojis sparingly for warmth and readability 👍 Include clear calls to action when needed: “Learn more,” “Join us,” “Apply today,” etc.
Be engaged. Be social, conversational, and engaging. Promote two-way communication. Respond to comments in a timely manner. Regularly monitor and engage with comments, messages, tags and mentions and collab requests.
Be Respectful. Users are free to discuss topics and disagree with one another, but please be respectful of others’ opinions. Don’t post material that is profane, libelous, obscene, threatening, abusive, harassing, hateful, or defamatory. Hide or delete comments when appropriate.
Be Consistent. Post one post per week at a minimum, but 2-3/week is ideal. Meta Business suite allows you to schedule content on Facebook and Instagram. Consider timing: mornings and lunch hours usually get better engagement.
Prioritize Quality Content. Social media is very visual, so it is important that your images are high quality. Refer to the UCLA imagery brand guidelines for photography and videography. Remember to optimize the image size format that best suits each platform. Here is a Box folder of some stock photos of our students, our building, our faculty/staff you can use.
*Facebook auto-scales, but 1200 x 630 is best*
Balance your content. Aim for a healthy mix of promotional, educational, community-building, and celebratory posts. Below is an example for reference:
Helpful Social Media Tools We Recommend
Tag Thoughtfully. Tag @uclaluskin and use the school #UCLALuskin hashtag when appropriate. Tag students/alumni/faculty only with their permission.
Monitor Growth. Most major social media platforms have built-in analytics tools that let you monitor growth and performance — and they track things like followers, engagement, reach, and content performance.
Still need a little help? Don’t hesitate to reach out! Peaches is available to sit down with you/your team and help identify clear goals and content strategies for your accounts, offer feedback, and provide additional resources.