Creative design

Create your own logo

A logo is another good way to forge a unique identity for your new system.

You can put your logo on your landing pages, and in the Gmail user interface. Here are guidelines for the Web and in print.
  • We recommend that when you use the Google logo, you make sure your logo is at least as large or larger (after all, you're doing the work to administer the service, you should get the glory!).
  • If you want to make sure that none of the letters in the four-color Google logo gets lost, try using a solid background in white or a muted color.
  • We request that you don’t modify the Google logo unless we give specific permission to do so (for example, by replacing letters in the Google logo with your school's mascot).
  • We discourage people from using the Google logo in a sentence. For example: State University is partnering with   to deliver email.
  • We request that you make your logo distinct from the Google or Gmail logos. This helps to ensure that people don’t get confused.

Create awareness about your new Apps package

Choosing the right words to describe a new partnership can be tricky. Here are some phrases you can use to introduce your new email system and collaboration tools when you create web pages, press releases, and other communications materials:
  • Gmail at [university/school name]
  • Google Apps at [university/school name]
  • [University/schoolMail], powered by Google
  • [University/School name], in partnership with Google

Build a website

One of the best strategies for encouraging members of your community to sign up and log in to their Google Apps accounts is by leveraging your school website. Here are a few good ways to do that.

First, create a landing page that outlines the features and benefits of Google Apps at your school.

 EXPERT TIP
Use concise, step-by-step instructions to guide students and staff in signing up for the new services. To make it easier for people to sign up, try to keep the number of sign-up steps under five.

Second, link to the splash page from the popular, high-traffic pages of your school’s website. According to the administrators we’ve talked to, the most effective places to link from are often:
  • Your school's homepage (especially during initial rollout)
  • Your IT department homepage
  • Your old email system's login page
Third, create a Frequently Asked Questions page. An FAQ will not only help people when they have problems, it’s an easy way for your users to get to know Google Apps on their own – right from the beginning.

Here are some common questions you might want to put on your FAQ page. Of course, you’ll need to customize the questions to fit your specific implementation, but these should give you a good start. You can also find some sample answers here.
  • How do I create my [system name] account?
  • How do I log in to my [system name] account?
  • What services are included with my [university]mail account?
  • Can I log on to other Google-sponsored services with my [university]mail username and password (i.e., blogger.com)?
  • Who is eligible to participate in the [university]mail service?
  • Why are we using Google-powered services?
  • How do I change my [university]mail password?
 EXPERT TIP
Make sure you have a prominent link to your FAQ from your splash page.

Tip Cards

You can use the content of the Google Apps tips and tricks in a variety of ways. Place them in any of your outbound communications - include them on your website, add them to the signature of emails or brochures, or perhaps create and distribute "limited edition" bookmarks.

Flyers

Posting flyers in strategic places around campus is an especially effective way to raise awareness. Feel free to download and customize this template for an 8.5 x 11 flyer. You can customize the logos and colors to fit your school’s identity and brand.

Banners

Another good way to reach people in your community is by hanging a large banner in a gathering place like your student center, library, or computer lab.

Bookmarks

You can also use bookmarks to get students excited about using their new Google Apps services. They can be distributed in all kinds of different ways; you could include them in student orientation packets, for instance, or place them on library check-out and computer lab help desks.

Newspaper Ads

Consider placing an ad in your student newspaper the week of the launch. This makes a great complement to an article in the student newspaper, or a good stand alone way to reach students.

Desktop Backgrounds and Plasma Screens

Want to try a greener approach? Consider deploying a custom desktop background to computers in clusters and libraries around campus, or take out a large ad on your school's plasma screen system.

T-shirts for tech-staff or early-adopters

Consider creating a few co-branded t-shirts for IT staff, students who participated in the pilot, or early adopters.