If you are in charge of social media at your college, university or school, I bet you’ve learned a lot over the past few years.
I’ve witnessed the rise of social media for the past 8 years. It is really amazing how fast things have changed in higher education since 2005.
While social media is now seen as an important part of the marketing and communication mix, it can still be intimidating. That’s what some students of my social media marketing course (people like you working in higher education) keep reminding me. Fortunately, there is now a great deal of experience and expertise in our industry.
Just look at the speaker line-up of the Higher Ed Social Media Conference (Dec 4, 2013)!
Since these great higher ed social media professionals will share more advanced practices, ideas and tips at the conference, I’ve asked what kind of advice they would give to somebody just starting with social media in higher education.
Be Strategic & Plan! -Bryan Fendley, Director of Academic Computing at the University of Arkansas at Monticello
If there is anything that I would pass on, it would be that you can’t do every social media channel well. Popular advice dictates that you have to have a presence in as many social media channels as possible. That can be a huge challenge, and a potential fail point. Try and establish a social media presence that strategically uses the differing strengths of each platform you choose. Always squeeze the most out of content, by working it through some sort of content life cycle.
I approach social media like writing. Be consistent, stick to a schedule, and avoid chasing every new idea that comes along. If what you are saying doesn’t resonate with your audience, say something different. Social media marketing can become somewhat of an addiction. You can really lose your way. Develop a plan and see it through.
Make your time count! -Jaime Hunt, Director of Web Strategy and Interactive Media at Radford University
Don’t feel like you have to have an active presence on every social media platform. Gauge the ROI to determine if the expected results are worthy of the time commitment.
It is not possible to be extremely active on every platform; make your time count!
Start with one channel -Tiffany Broadbent Beker, Social Media Coordinator at College of William & Mary
Take your time and don’t feel like you have to be everywhere at once. Start with just one channel, build your audience there, get a feel for what your community is looking for in terms of information, discover what tone and voice works best, and then take small steps from there.
If photos are really popular with your audience, perhaps start dabbling next in Instagram or Flickr, or if videos are really getting a lot of interaction maybe check out YouTube or Vine.
Learn from your community -Meg Bernier, Assistant Director Social Media at St Lawrence University
You’re going to make mistakes.
You’re going to phrase something wrong or not fully think through how a post might come across or that it might lend itself to more negative comments. Take these experiences as learning opportunities; this is your community telling you something. No one is an expert in social media yet but your community is the expert when it comes to itself, so take the time to listen. I have found that working in social media has made me better in all aspects of my job because you learn quickly that you can’t be perfect and know everything and that’s okay – those are the times where the community teaches you how to be better at what you’re doing. Those are pretty amazing (and sometimes much-needed humbling) moments.
Keep up with students -Jackie Vetrano, Web and Social Media Coordinator at Genesee Community College
Don’t feel like you’re falling behind!
Social media is fast, and constantly changing, so it’s easy to think that you’re “out of the loop.” Poke around, talk to students, and see where they’re going in order to “keep up” with them!
Learn the language -Lisa Sherrodd, Website Strategist at University of Wyoming
Learn the language!
Learn how to make your social media voice authentic. Learn how to optimize images for your page so that it looks professional.
We had so many comments that people “liked” our page, because they could tell right away it was authentic and professional.
Pick the right content -Andrew Smyk, Program Coordinator at Sheridan College
My best advice is to pick one social media platform that suits your (target) audience and look at you communication goals and think about how often you can post/interact with your audience. Pick the right content to post and retweet. In my case, it was news about the program, the work of current students and program alumni.
When starting out, don’t (over) subscribe to every social media site. Only pick the one’s you will actually have time to manage.
Test your channels -Erika Fields, Web Content Communications Director at Wellesley College
You don’t have to do everything at once!
Figure out which outlet your audience is using the most and start there. Not every outlet is going to work for every school so test a few out, change depending on the outcomes and be flexible! Don’t forget to have fun with it too.
Measure wisely -Joshua Dodson, Web & SEO Analyst at EKU
I would encourage people to measure results, but don’t just treat it like other marketing channels. Ensure that you do have your Goals set up in Google Analytics (inquiries, applications, donations, etc.), then look at social media’s impact. Examine the multi-channel funnels report and see where social media influences Goal Conversions. Then, recognize converting students directly through social media is not necessarily the primary purpose.
Hopefully that might come in time, but a lack of direct conversions may not be horrible. It is important to look at the bigger picture and social media’s overall impact on your objectives.
Don’t forget to reflect on what you’re doing -Ma’ayan Plaut, Manager of Social Strategy and Projects at Oberlin College
Think. At least a little bit if not a lot about what you’re doing every time you do it.
The internet is no different than real life (it is real life) but the pace of the internet means that the world as a whole, by extension, is moving faster too. Social media is a reflection of us and what we do, but rather than take that as an inevitable, use it as an opportunity to proactively reflect on what you’re doing and why.
Learn from your peers -Alaina Wiens, Web Content Strategist at University of Michigan-Flint
Reach out. Connect with other people who do what you do. Connect with people who inspire you. The tools, tactics, and terminology changes all the time–but the root is always the people. Ask questions. Share what you learn. And never stop learning.
What about YOU? What’s your best social media tip?
I would love to compile a few more higher ed social media tips on this page. Please, don’t be shy and share yours by posting a comment below!
And, if you want to learn more from these great higher ed social media professionals, make sure you sign up your team for the HESM13 conference (Dec 4, 2013).
