Social media for higher education is no longer a “nice to have” marketing element. It has become an indispensable part of college and university marketing and admissions. However, likes and engagement on social media aren’t a direct route to achieving your enrollment goals. While alumni engagement is crucial to painting a full picture of your school’s environment and appeal, it doesn’t necessarily help graduating high school students decide what college to attend in the fall. Boosting admissions with social media requires insight into the groups you’re attracting and how you’re serving their needs.
Luckily, the right approach to high-engagement content can make social media marketing one of your most powerful recruitment tools. A study of prospective first-year students revealed that 73% spend two or more hours daily on social media, and 68% of students who have used university or college social media accounts as a resource are more likely to have a positive opinion of the institution. When you craft a social media strategy to meet these students where they are online and engage them with vital information, you can reap the rewards of brand awareness and effortless admissions marketing.
The Changing Digital Expectations of Students
Gen Z and Gen Alpha are digital natives who don’t remember a world without digital technology at their fingertips. They create and consume online content to connect with others and share common interests. Strong social justice and sustainability values drive these students. They are also accustomed to finding engaging and authentic information that will most effectively meet their needs.
To meet the expectations of these digitally driven generations, colleges and universities must meet students, parents, and alums where they are. Promoting your campus’s narrative will require adapting storytelling to the formats and social media channels younger generations prefer and placing a strong focus on honesty and transparency.
What Social Media Platforms Do College Students Use the Most?
Generation Z values authenticity, prefers direct and immediate communication, and is comfortable with online messaging and social media. Eighty-one percent spend more than one hour a day on social media. Most of their time is devoted to YouTube (78%), Instagram (76%), and TikTok (69%).
The communication preferences of the youngest generation are still evolving. But Gen Alpha’s social media usage habits trend toward short attention-grabbing content. They spend an average of 84 minutes a day consuming entertainment and educational content on YouTube. Also, they make up almost half of daily TikTok users.
The Benefits of Social Media for Higher Education
Social media allows you to show a side of your institution that can’t be expressed through brochures or traditional advertising. With the right approach, you can showcase campus life and give prospective students a way to participate in a broader conversation surrounding your school’s brand and reputation. But the advantages of social media for higher education extend far beyond initial engagement to help students become and remain part of an interactive community.
Student Recruitment and Enrollment Marketing
Over half of Gen Z use social media instead of search engines to research brands. By meeting prospective students on the platforms they use most, colleges can proactively provide the information students are seeking. Sharing authentic, relevant, and engaging content on the platforms students frequent can help you attract prospective students through targeted marketing and authentic storytelling.
Student Engagement and Retention
Social media offers an opportunity for the wider school community to build connections through relevant content. When current students and alums champion events and share their own experiences, prospective students can learn more about the campus environment and build a sense of belonging.
Institutional Branding and Reputation
A strong social media presence enhances a school’s public image by adding a personality to branding, showcasing achievements, and building an engaging and admirable online reputation. Social media posts can be enhanced with school logos and colors to create a consistent message.
Increased Personalization
Social media for higher education allows for more tailored messaging and experiences than traditional marketing, supporting personalized marketing and providing opportunities to share targeted information when it’s needed most. Officials and administrators can answer questions and provide information tailored to a prospective student’s actions.
Real-Time Communication and Support
Platforms like Instagram and YouTube enable fast, responsive communication between students and campus services. When your social media team provides speedy replies to messages and comments, students can continue researching your school without interruption.
How to Use Social Media for Higher Education
Social media for higher education is an extension of traditional marketing. It also allows you to share a more authentic personality that embodies your institution. Younger generations crave authenticity and have developed a natural filter to avoid messages with irreverent information. Instead of using social media platforms to regurgitate readily available information about your school, focus on engaging students with storytelling to deliver relevant and timely interactions.
1. Community Building
Social media for higher education can create a sense of community and connection among students, faculty, and campus organizations by creating shared spaces and interactive communications. Post images and videos of students to help tell the story of life at your school. Create spaces where students can gain insight into the workings of academic programs and post questions for instructors.
2. Marketing and Recruitment
Colleges and universities can use a range of social media content that showcases campus life, student experiences, and academic strengths to attract students. Showcase college life with virtual tours and short dynamic content about living spaces and events.
3. Academic Support and Resources
Social platforms can help promote academic programs, distribute academic tips and study resources, and share vital information about available tutoring or advising services. Students, faculty members, and groups can create posts sharing information about:
- Managing study schedules
- Available tutoring options
- Seeking members for study groups
4. Alumni Engagement and Relations
Alums are a major source of fundraising contributions. They’re also natural cheerleaders for colleges and universities. Schools can maintain strong alumni ties through social media by celebrating achievements, promoting events, and encouraging alumni involvement.
5. Faculty and Research Promotion
Social media for higher education can be used to interact with academic and public audiences to spotlight faculty accomplishments. Users can also share ongoing research with both academic and public audiences. Creating groups on various social media platforms increases options for collaboration and shared projects.
6. Student-Generated Content and Feedback
Encouraging students to post and engage with institutional content helps you build authentic stories that foster peer connections and provide valuable feedback for prospective students. Request user-generated content with relevant hashtags, school lingo, and school-branded gear that share stories about campus life and college events to boost engagement and interactions.
7. Promoting On-Campus Events
Social media is one of the best places to generate buzz about campus events to drive attendance and participation. Promote student-focused events with Instagram Stories and YouTube videos. Use hashtags strategically and encourage current students and alums to share in the fun with user-generated content sharing past and present experiences. Connect social media posts to other digital sources that provide all the details about an upcoming event.
For example, our student event calendar Localist centralizes school events into a single, fully-branded calendar to simplify event discovery for all audiences. Calendar layouts that align with your school’s identity allow anyone within your organization to publish in-person, virtual, or hybrid events. Connecting your calendar to your social media posts will ensure every user can easily access all vital information to enhance participation.
Best Practices for Higher Ed Social Media Success
A vital part of your institution’s strong online presence includes developing social media profiles that engage students with:
- Content from influencers
- Personalized communications
- Authentic insight into life on campus
Taking steps to develop the right voice to generate content across the most popular platforms will be crucial for success.
Assign a dedicated social team or partner with student ambassadors.
Creating and posting authentic, timely, and relevant content requires a dedicated team with experience in creating and consuming social media content. A team accustomed to using your chosen platforms can develop a strategy to ensure your institution’s message resonates with your target audience.
Develop a clear content strategy with platform-specific goals.
Defining objectives for each platform can help you create tailored content that improves engagement while supporting wider institutional goals. While using various social media platforms is a good idea, you shouldn’t regurgitate all the same content across them.
For example, you might use Facebook to post information about school-wide events or announcements. You could then use Instagram to post short-form videos and send targeted information to students or potential students.
Stay consistent with brand voice and visuals.
Consistent messaging and visual identity work to reinforce your school’s brand across all social channels, helping you keep a strong and recognizable identity. Use images, language, and colors that are consistent with your institution’s missions, goals, and personality. Presenting an overarching theme will help you develop an authentic social media presence that accurately represents your school.
Monitor and adapt to changing trends in student behavior.
In 2015, 82% of young people used Facebook to connect. In 2023, that figure dropped to just 45%. Today’s incoming students prefer Instagram and YouTube, and Gen Beta may bring an entirely new preference to online social interactions. Regularly analyze social trends and student preferences to stay relevant and responsive in your student outreach efforts.
Engage and Connect With Students With Concept3D
Social media is a vital part of a strong marketing strategy for higher education institutions. It allows you to meet students where they are and engage them with relevant content that can help them make decisions about their future. Integrating your social media posts with other digital tools like campus tours, maps, and calendars will allow you to further engage students and share additional information.
Localist from Concept3D allows you to link your event calendar to your social media posts to provide a full roster of information, enhancing connectivity and boosting participation rates. Want to learn more about how Concept3D can help you strengthen student engagement and highlight everything your school has to offer? Contact us today or request a demo to gather more information.