Everyone seems to be on social media today, particularly prospective college and university students. In fact, 18-29-year-olds are the largest demographic on social media, with 70% using Facebook, 71% using Instagram, and 65% using Snapchat.
The young user base makes social media a must-have for higher education institutions.
Going where your audience is already hanging out, puts your institution right in their eye line. And, improving your social media presence can attract more students, help fundraising efforts, and build awareness around alumni achievements.
Besides the fact that the key demographic groups on social media match the target audience of most higher education institutions, there are plenty of other pros to having a social presence.
Social media can help your institution:
Social media platforms have become a crucial part of our daily lives, and universities have not been left behind in utilising these platforms. Here's how universities can use different social media platforms, including
LinkedIn is the most popular professional social media platform, with over 700 million users worldwide.
Universities can use LinkedIn to showcase their academic programs, faculty members, and alumni. By creating a university page on LinkedIn, universities can share job opportunities, publish articles related to their academic programs, and create connections with other universities and industry leaders.
TikTok is a short-form video-sharing social media platform with over 1 billion active users. Although it may not seem like an obvious choice for universities, TikTok can be an effective platform for reaching a younger audience.
Universities can create short videos to showcase campus life, student experiences, and academic programs. By using popular TikTok trends and challenges, universities can engage with a wider audience and promote their brand.
With so many fancy features and talked-about tactics, knowing where to start with social media can be difficult - especially if you’re new to marketing and managing social media.
Here are some ways colleges and universities from around the world leverage their social accounts to increase engagement and attract new students.
A recent study by TargetX found that 58% of aspiring students use social media to look up schools they’re considering. This provides an excellent opportunity to get your institution on their radar and show them what you have to offer.
Hope College in Michigan is well represented on pretty much every social media platform you can think of:
One of the more interesting tactics this college uses is offering virtual campus tours on Instagram. Prospective students can click “Campus” and be treated to an online look around the buildings and grounds.
Current students provide commentary on campus landmarks, different courses, and the extracurricular activities available at the college.
Prospective students want to know they’re going to fit in at your college or university. Introducing them to existing students is a great way to do this, but it’s also helpful for sharing important information about the institution.
Brandeis University has an entire Instagram Highlight dedicated to student takeovers:
When a prospective student clicks through, they’re greeted by multiple stories introducing different students, their courses, and their interests around campus.
Students expect more from higher education institutions than ever before. 79% prioritise student satisfaction over league table rankings, with many looking for campuses that share the same values as them.
Social media is the perfect springboard for sharing your institution's value propositions and any missions that align with your student's wants and needs.
UNSW Sydney is a prime example of a university doing all it can to share its values with students. On Twitter, they post pictures and commentary about key events in the college calendar:
And their Instagram is dedicated to showcasing iconic vantage points of the campus alongside pressing political topics and world news:
Social campaigns that incorporate UGC see a 50% lift in engagement. And, by 2023, Gen-Z (a.k.a. your target audience) believe that UGC will have more credibility than traditional content created by a company.
Allegheny College uses the hashtag #acgatorgram to gather photos from students on Instagram. The hashtag page shows a mixture of student selfies, campus shots, and college information.
In a similar fashion, Glasgow University’s dedicated #TeamUofG hashtag on Twitter is regularly used by students, staff, and even the Vice-Chancellor.
One of the biggest benefits of social media is its reach.
Universities used to be limited to advertising in their local area (or, at the very most, their country), but they can now spread the word across borders and into all four corners of the globe.
Purdue University uses this to its advantage to raise awareness of its annual Day of Giving. During the event, social media competitions take place under the #IGave hashtag, raising awareness of the day and Purdue University itself.
Trying to keep track of all your different social channels can be tricky. MIT makes it easier on themselves with their dedicated “social media hub”.
Here, they bring content from all their social channels together in one place. Students can browse images, text, and videos from various different platforms to get an overview of the institution.
Events are a major part of any university’s calendar, and they can be a great way for prospective students to get an insight into what your institution offers. Live-streaming events also helps to include existing students that aren’t able to make them in person, which can increase engagement and loyalty.
Lansing Community College does exactly this. They live stream key events like student graduations and seminars via their Facebook page to reach a wider audience.
Everyone loves the chance to win something, but there are benefits for you, too. Instagram accounts that hold contests grow their followers 70% faster than accounts that don’t, while 62% of participants are likely to share a contest with a friend.
Leeds Beckett University recently ran a giveaway on Instagram to coincide with one of their live events. They offered participants the chance to win a £50 voucher if they shared the event with their friends and followers.
The majority of colleges and universities are doing amazing things outside of teaching students. Alumni are participating in world-changing projects, professors are undergoing fascinating research, and existing students are doing great things outside of class.
Do what the University of Sheffield does and share these successes on social media. It gives a deeper insight into what students and staff are capable of and increases your credibility as an institution.
Now that you’ve got some real-life inspiration under your belt, here’s how you can create a social media strategy for your college or university.
If you’re an agency managing clients like colleges and universities, you’ll need to be creative with how you manage each account.
Here’s a quick rundown of how you can get started:
Juggling social media accounts for multiple higher education institutions can be hard. Therefore, it’s crucial that you schedule content and have social media calendars and strategies for each university.
Social media is crucial for universities and colleges. Reaching new students and engaging with existing ones means meeting them where they’re already hanging out.
Take inspiration from the institutions we’ve highlighted here, then sit down to create your own strategy. Don’t forget to schedule posts and consistently manage your accounts to grow your social media presence.