Digital
![post-its brainstorming](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/staff/sites/staff/files/styles/small_image/public/post-its-brainstorm.jpg?itok=tEsmC5Y6)
This has enabled fully collaborative ways of working when delivering on digital products and campaigns, including content strategy and management, UX research, and design and development tasks.
Similarly, the team is working in synergy with digital communications professionals across the universities by providing guidance and sharing best practice.
Find out more below about how we work and the support available to create that seamless digital experience we want for our staff, students and all our audiences. If you can't find an answer to your query, please contact us at digitalcommunications@ucl.ac.uk
Websites
- Websites managed by the team
We create content for a number of UCL websites and work with staff and students to source relevant information. The sites and pages we manage include:
- UCL gateways - main UCL homepage / prospective students gateway / current students gateway / staff gateway
- About UCL (including the Faculties page)
- VPEE pages for staff (including the Brand and Social Media pages)
- UCL campaigns - Made At UCL and UCL Minds
- UCL Maps
- UCL News (managed in conjunction with UCL Media Relations)
- UCL President and Provost
- UCL 2034 Strategy (including UCL Annual Review)
- Requesting a website correction / update
For website updates, please contact digitalcommunications@ucl.ac.uk.
For updates to the degree programme content / online Prospectuses , please contact vpee.marcommspublications@ucl.ac.uk .
- Featuring my programme on main UCL homepage
UCL homepage at ucl.ac.uk is largely dynamically generated, filtering content from various sections of the UCL websites through a number of components - hero video, hero call to action, breakthrough stories feed, news stories feed, video carousel, people features, Instagram, SoundCloud, and Twitter feeds.
To discuss how your programme / project can be featured on the homepage through one or several of these components, please contact digitalcommunications@ucl.ac.uk with details of your request.
- Best practice for building effective websites
For advice and assistance on creating, developing and maintaining effective UCL websites, visit the Digital Experience Sharepoint site.
If you have a specific query, please contact us at digitalcommunications@ucl.ac.uk.
- Quality and analytics for my site - GA and SiteImprove
For analytics only, find out more on how to access Google Analytics for your website. For quality control and analytics, the SiteImprove solution is available to website owners.
Guidance is available on how to best use UTM tagging for paid and non-paid activities. We are now also implementing a Gecko form script which allows to more accurately measure the source of conversions through UTM tagging. Download the UTM tagging guidance PDF (click to request access) or contact CAM.AD@ucl.ac.uk for more details.
Video and audio
- Guidance on creating video and audio materials
We can work with staff and students to identify and tell compelling video and audio stories that aim to encourage a range of external audiences to get involved with UCL.
If you want to ensure your video or audio fits in within UCL wider campaigns and thus maximise its reach, contact us at digitalcommunications@ucl.ac.uk.
For everything there is to know about podcasting at UCL, check our new Podcasting Guide.
- Video and audio recorded from home
With the rise of homeworking during the Covid-19 crisis, we've developed a short and practical Good Video Guide.
- Brand guidelines and data protection for photo/video materials
When creating audio and video materials, please refer to the UCL's brand guidelines, including video branding.
When filming, please also ensure that all participants fill in the UCL Filming and Photography consent form. The data is held by UCL Data Protection (can be contacted at data-protection@ucl.ac.uk if needed).
- Assistance with creation of audio and video materials
With regards to the actual recording of video and audio stories (of an event, lecture or for training/educational purposes), please contact UCL Educational Media.
In addition, CAM and Procurement have worked with stakeholders across UCL to identify the best suppliers of creative services - including recommended and approved external suppliers of video services.
For everything there is to know about podcasting at UCL, check our new Podcasting Guide.
For more info, contact us direct (digitalcommunications@ucl.ac.uk).
- Central UCL audio and video channels
We manage the following video and audio channels. We are also the main content creators for them:
- UCL YouTube: UCL’s central YouTube account, which over 21,000 subscribers
- UCL Sound: UCL’s central SoundCloud account, which has more than 535,000 followers
(also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Acast) - StudyUCL YouTube channel: UCL's Youtube Channel for prospective and current students, with over 8,500 followers.
- Taking part in existing podcast series (Made at UCL, UCL Minds)
To discuss ideas and options to take part in Podcast series such as Made at UCL or UCL Minds, contact podcasts@ucl.ac.uk.
Also, for everything there is to know about podcasting at UCL, check our new Podcasting Guide.
Digital signage
For full details on the digital screens and creating content for the screens, visit UCL Brand digital screen guidance.
- Getting content onto a screen at UCL
Firstly, you will need to find out who the local content manager is for the screens you would like to display content on. You can do this by emailing digitalcommunications@ucl.ac.uk
If you already have content ready, you will be able to submit this to your local content manager.
- Templates for creating screen content
Download the following templates depending on whether the screens you have in mind are in a portrait or landscape position
Portrait template, pptx *(for use in the Student Centre and Libraries)
Landscape template, pptx
Drag and drop your imagery and text onto this template
Export file as a PNG (or MP4 if this includes animation) and send this to your local content manager
- Best practice for creating screen content
When creating new content, please consider the following:
- Slides will only be shown for approx. 7 seconds each in the rotation of different content.
- Make sure the image you choose has sufficient contrast with the banner colour in the top right corner so the UCL letters are legible
- Make sure the image you choose has some copy space – an area of less detail, where the font colour you choose has sufficient contrast to be legible
- Adjust the title text size to fit your headline length. If it drops below 24pt though consider rewriting to make it more punchy
- Try to include a Call To Action in your content
- Include a website link where available
- Include important dates where applicable
- Recommended dimensions for screen content
Portrait screens: 1080x1920
Landscape screens: 1920x1080
- Access to manage screens in my department/building
Please email daroapps-support@ucl.ac.uk stating which screen(s) you need access to.
This may fall under a particular building, department or faculty. If you are unsure which folder your screen(s) sit under on the OneLan CMS, please check this by emailing digitalcommunications@ucl.ac.uk.
- Uploading screen content
If you have been granted access to the relevant screens, you should be able to sign in to the OneLan CMS via digital-signage.ucl.ac.uk/signin
Use your UCL login and you should see the folders that contain content for your screens via Media > Files & Folders
You can either drag and drop your content into the folder, or once in the folder, select Upload Files
- New screens request and support with existing screens
You can contact the ISD service desk:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/help-support
If you have a local support team, they will be able to assist you: