Why should university alumni associations blog? Because… it works

April 4th, 2007 Karine Joly No Comments

Executive Director of the Caltech Alumni Association at the California Institute of Technology, Andy Shaindlin started a blog, Alumni Futures, targeted to his professional peers last February.

In a post titled “Should Alumni Associations Be Blogging?”, Andy dares alumni associations to get in blogging mode, because blogs are great community-building tools:

Here’s an idea for someone daring: Continue providing the same kind of information you already offer online, but use a blogging format instead of the static informational pages you have now.
[…]
Give it a shot…I dare you.

If your director (or board) wants a bit more before letting you start a blog for your alums, I’ve got what you need: a great case study that you can share to make your point.

Appalachian State University‘s Alumni Association started its blog, What’s hAPPening, more than 2 years ago.

The blog averages more than 360 visitors a day. In February, it recorded more than 8,800 visitors and more than 14,800 page views.

What really shows that the blog got the alums hooked is that more than 60% of the visits are by returning visitors.

Assistant Director for Alumni Affairs at Appalachian State University, Rob Robertson is the blogger behind this successful blog. Rob explained in an email that the blog has doubled the number of monthly visitors to the Alumni Association website in the past year alone. The blog has also been a great way to interact with alums and celebrate the most successful ones.

Rob explains that they have “received hundreds of photos and notes from alumni, most of which are posted for all to read. This includes dialogue with alumni serving overseas in Iraq and comments surrounding our National Championships in football. The most popular photos submitted are of children of alumni wearing Appalachian clothing.”


What's hAPPening - blog

“The blog highlights news articles and profiles of successful alumni, many of whom have “fell off the radar” of the University. Among some of the alumni the blog “has found” is a top competitor on the Bassmasters tour, a top government officer in Africa, a famous ninja and many alumni active with NASCAR,” adds Rob.

The blog has also helped update alumni records with the Class Notes-type information it publishes, such as promotions and weddings, information that is sent to the office of Alumni Records. Any information that might be of interest are sent to development officers so they can send cards to alum prospects mentioning they’ve heard about the alum accomplishment via the blog.

Alumni associations should blog, because… it works.

Do you have a successful alum blog? Tell us a bit more about it by posting a comment below!

Got a question or comment?