Managing social media in higher education offers marketers a dynamic landscape that serves a multitude of priorities as one of the institution’s most public-facing assets. Current and prospective students, alumni, stakeholders, and donors are among the audiences targeted across a number of social media platforms. But with so many audiences to serve, are you losing the student voice in your content strategy?
Implementing a student-centric social media strategy will not only increase engagement and create a sense of belonging and community, but when done strategically, it can support the broader marketing goals of the institution. Here are a few tips to support a student-centric social media strategy:
Amplify the Student Voice
Students are at the heart of our institutions, so engaging them in the broader social media strategy is critical. Use these tips to grow the student presence on social media and amplify their unique voices across campus:
- Start a spotlight series. Every student has a unique journey that led them to their home away from home. Bringing those stories to life through features and short- and long-form video content is an excellent way to authentically reinforce the messaging used in your broader marketing campaigns through the student voice. Bonus: spotlights often have high organic engagement and shareability as they engage family, friends, and supporters.
- Create an ambassador program. Engaging students in a social media/marketing ambassador program is a great way to build a team that is tuned into the latest trends, topics, and interests of their peers. Offer student ambassadors an opportunity to lead the way in social media takeovers or “Day in the Life” features, identify and attend events for content, and utilize their connections on campus to recruit additional participation.
- Foster collaboration. Attending student organization meetings can provide content ideas, feature leads, and create a space for feedback and collaboration.
Meet Students Where They Are
Even the best social media marketing strategy will not thrive on the wrong platforms. A 2023 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center of 5,733 adults in the United States reported that 78% of 18-29-year-olds use Instagram, and of that same demographic, 62% indicated that they use TikTok. Snapchat was another favorite among that demographic as well, with 65% of U.S. adults under 30 reporting that they use the photo and video messaging app. 74% of adults under 30 also reported using at least five of the polled platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Reddit, and Pinterest, among others.
Understanding the platforms students are using will ensure that your strategy reaches who it needs to reach, where they interact with you most.
Leverage Trends to Boost Your Strategy
Around the world, individuals build connections and communities through common interests, shared feelings, and relatable content on social media. So, when planning your student-centric approach, it is crucial to roll up your sleeves and dig into the latest trends and conversations across the platforms. What topics are important to students right now? What conversations and trends are they engaging in? With an understanding of what your audience is engaging with, you can start the process of building a successful social strategy. Keep what can be integrated into your plan and let go of trends or topics that do not make sense for your brand. Avoid wasting time and creative energy on trends that do not fit.
With the average lifespan of a trend lasting mere days to several months, your strategy should be fluid and allow room to pivot your content. Consider ways to use trends to make mundane information more engaging and memorable. Can you say it with a meme? Create an efficient process to identify trends and incorporate them into your strategy as needed.
Understand the “Why” and “How” Behind Student Engagement on Social Media
Since the early days of social media, mainstream platforms have experienced an evolution of features. Longform video platforms like YouTube have implemented shortform video elements, while shortform platforms like TikTok have extended their video times upwards of ten minutes. Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn have added features to encourage new ways of engaging with content and extend users' time on the platforms.
While social media has continued to evolve, the “why” behind consumer use has also evolved. Community and connectivity remain at the heart of social media use, while social networking platforms have become a source of news and updates for millions. On a college campus, that shift means more students are looking to the institution’s social media pages for alerts, events, and other important reminders in addition to regular content.
Surveys, polls, and focus groups are great ways to understand how your students are viewing and interacting with your institution’s social media accounts. Do they favor a certain platform over another for campus alerts and updates? What kind of content do they love, and is there anything missing? Ask the right questions, and the data will help drive a strategy that is both entertaining and a resource for students. A healthy balance is key.
Final Thoughts
Social media is a powerful resource for higher education marketers to connect and communicate with students in new and evolving ways every day. Positioning students at the forefront of your social media strategy can drive meaningful engagement, reinforce institutional messaging, and support recruitment and retention initiatives across campus. Use social media analytics and follow-up surveys, polls, and focus groups to track the success of new initiatives and pivot as needed. Happy posting!
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Kristen Cosner
Communications Director
Kristen Cosner has worked in marketing, communications, and creative roles across the college, university, and community college settings in higher education. She is an alumna of West Virginia University’s Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications program and currently serves as the communications director for academic support and services in the Office of the Provost at WVU. Kristen is also an adjunct instructor and freelance photographer, designer, and social media manager.
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Marketing Communications Today is a collection of resources for marketing communications professionals filled with industry research, marketing trends, and career information about integrated marketing and data-driven communications. Learn industry insights through the Marketing Communications Today blog, podcast, as well as Integrate Online.
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