MarCom Studio

What Are Social Media Avatars?

Social media avatars are the profile images used to represent an account across social media platforms. They appear next to posts, comments and messages and are often the first visual element users see when interacting with an account.

Using an official, branded avatar helps audiences quickly identify verified university-affiliated accounts and reinforces a consistent visual identity across the institution’s digital presence.

UT San Antonio Official Account Avatars

Official avatars have been created for schools, departments, programs, centers and offices across UT San Antonio. These avatars follow university brand standards and ensure consistency across all institutional accounts.

All social media accounts representing the University of Texas at San Antonio or any of its schools, departments, programs, offices, centers or initiatives must use an approved branded avatar.

Exceptions may be granted for select accounts that have previously approved program logos or campaign branding. These exceptions must be reviewed and approved by the institutional communications or marketing team prior to use.

Avatar Guidelines

To maintain a consistent and professional university presence across social media, please follow these guidelines when selecting and using your avatar.

• Do:
  • Use the official branded avatar that corresponds to your college, school, department, or program.
  • Ensure your avatar clearly reflects your affiliation with UT San Antonio.
  • Use the avatar consistently across all official social media platforms associated with your account.
  • Download avatars only from the official university source to ensure the correct format and branding.
• Do Not:
  • Alter, crop, recolor or modify the provided avatar files in any way.
  • Use the avatar graphics for purposes other than social media profile images.
  • Create new versions of the avatar or add additional design elements.
  • Replace the avatar with unofficial logos, photos, or graphics without approval.

How Do I Change My Avatar?

Below are quick steps for updating your avatar on major platforms.

• Facebook
  • Navigate to your page.
  • Click your current profile image.
  • Select Edit Profile Picture.
  • Upload your official UT San Antonio avatar.
  • Adjust the crop if necessary and click Save.
• X (formerly Twitter)
  • Go to your profile.
  • Click Edit Profile.
  • Select your profile image.
  • Upload the official avatar.
  • Adjust the crop and click Save.
• Instagram
  • Go to your profile.
  • Tap Edit Profile.
  • Select Change Profile Photo.
  • Upload your official avatar and confirm.
• Threads
  • Navigate to your organization profile.
  • Click Edit Profile and tap your profile picture.
  • Select”New Profile Photo” and upload your official UT San Antonio avatar
  • Adjust the crop if needed and confirm/save changes.
    Note: Profile images are synced with Instagram, so updates may reflect across both platforms
• LinkedIn
  • Navigate to your organization page.
  • Click Edit Page.
  • Select the profile image area.
  • Upload the official avatar and save.
• YouTube
  • Sign into the account associated with your channel
  • Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select “View Your Channel”
  • Click “Customize Channel”
  • In YouTube Studio, navigate to the Branding tab.
  • Under Picture, click Upload and upload your official UT San Antonio avatar.
  • Adjust if needed and click Publish to save changes.

Official avatars have been created for schools, departments, programs, centers and offices across UT San Antonio. These avatars follow university brand standards and ensure consistency across all institutional accounts.