Social Recruitment

How important is social media to your institution as a tool in your student recruitment toolbox? I expect your answer is “very important.” People of all ages engage with social media daily. According to Hootsuite, 69 percent of U.S. adults use at least one social media site, and the average American internet user has 7.1 social media accounts. Across most industries, marketers use social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to promote their businesses. Colleges and universities are doing so as well, knowing that today’s students (or potential students) are digital natives and expect to look at schools online before stepping foot on campus. Social media also allows institutions to easily reach international candidates, as it carries your message across the globe.

Because social media and its impact are constantly evolving, following the followers—that is, keeping on top of which of the popular outlets have the most or growing number of users—is an essential aspect of where to focus your message for your recruitment efforts. At the moment, the place to be is Instagram.

There are more than a billion active Instagram users worldwide; 60 percent of those users access the platform every day. According to Hootsuite, Instagram became the top platform for teenagers in Fall 2018, when it surpassed Snapchat for the first time: 72 percent of U.S. teens now use Instagram. An active and informative Instagram presence will involve not only official posts from your Marketing staff, but will also include content from your students. More than 80 percent of current higher-ed students report that they regularly use Instagram. Posts from students provide insight to their peers and potential peers on your campus, student life, and the surrounding community.

If you aren’t currently integrating a strong social media component into your recruitment efforts and are seeking inspiration, there are websites that offer examples of “the best university Instagram accounts” active today for you to explore. These lists include accounts from institutions both in and outside of the U.S. Some that make these lists include (within the U.S.) the University of Michigan, Colorado State University, Dartmouth College, West Virginia University, the University of Rochester, and Boston University. Outside of the U.S., top mentions include the University of Nottingham (England), Adolfo Ibáñez University (Chile), Sydney University (Australia), and the University of Alberta (Canada).

Social media is here to stay. Use it to your benefit.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management October 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Allegion US Partners with Two Colleges for Mobile Credential Technology

    Allegion US recently announced a partnership with Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) and Denison College, in conjunction with Transact + CBORD, to install mobile credential technologies campus-wide, according to a news release. Implementing Mobile Student ID into Apple Wallet and Google Wallet will allow students access to campus facilities, amenities, and residence halls using just their phones.

  • Abstract colorful arrows in front of a contemporary university building

    Spaces4Learning 2025 Trends in Higher Education

    With 2025 well underway, it’s time to take a look at some broader trends submitted by you, our Spaces4Learning readership. We asked for your thoughts on topics like classroom design, health & safety, materials & construction, and technology in both K–12 and higher-education environments. Below is a roundup of 2025 trends in higher education from the experts in the trenches.

  • Beeville ISD Starts Construction on New Elementary School

    The Beeville Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently began a construction project that will consolidate two existing, aging schools into a new elementary school, according to a news release. The district is partnering with Pfluger Architects and Spawglass General Contractors for the design and construction, respectively, of the new facility.

  • Fort Collins to Convert 1980s Office Park into Junior High School

    The Liberty Common School, a charter-public school in Fort Collins, Colo., recently broke ground on an adaptive reuse project that will convert an 1980s-era office park into a 45,000-square-foot junior high school for seventh- and eighth-grade students, according to a news release.

Digital Edition