Overview
Oasis is a student organization at Northeastern University. It's focused on guiding members through their first website or app development through workshops and team projects. I joined Oasis as a Marketing Co-Director. My responsibilities included creating social media content, mostly on Instagram, and managing email communications.
As I began working and looking at Oasis' Instagram, I noticed inconsistencies in the branding. The typography, colors, and imagery used on our social media and marketing materials strayed from that of our website. The social media posts lacked a cohesive club's identity making it difficult to establish a strong and recognizable presence online.
Inconsistent Branding
The Oasis website had a very established brand: beachy and fun. The Instagram, however, had a larger variety of colors, fonts, and themes. There wasn't an obvious connection between the website and the Instagram. Furthermore, the content on Instagram posts/stories was overwhelming and cluttered. Instagram was a key engagement channel, so to acquire members and maintain member retention, improving the feed was vital.
Developing Brand Guidelines
I started by documenting these inconsistencies - taking into account the wide range of colors on the Instagram. I also created moodboards with the themes I was looking to convey. Then, I developed some simple brand guidelines, referencing the Oasis website as well. After generating some ideas, I went to each of the 8 members on the Oasis executive board and asked for their feedback. I showed branding options of different colors, typography, and tone.
I continued to work on branding for the next month, meeting with my team every week to receive feedback. I also analyzed which posts and stories received the most engagement and reach. By March, the brand guidelines were finalized and added to the documentation section of Oasis' Notion.
Final Version of Branding
Branding Pages in Notion
Instagram Posts & Stories
Here a few posts and stories that I created, keeping the brand in mind.
Additional: Email Templates
Another big part of what I did was handle email communication. I shared important information like upcoming events, workshop details, and exciting opportunities. To make things more efficient, I made email templates, which I documented in the Notion. This really helped keep everyone in the loop, boosted attendance at events, and set clear expectations for our members. It also was helpful when handing off responsibilities to the next Marketing Director.
What I Learned
I learned the importance of branding and cohesive visuals for increasing Instagram engagement. Developing a consistent style created a more professional and put-together look. It helped people recognize Oasis' content more easily in their feeds, building brand recognition and fostering a stronger connection with the audience. This resulted in a 33% increase in followers and over 2,000 more in reach within 4 months.