How can social media such as Facebook and Twitter help universities recruit students?

Wednesday 26th August 2009

Jennifer Taylor

What is social media?

“Social Media is an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio.”

http://www.wikipedia.org

In simple terms…

• Social media is people having conversations online

• It’s how people engage, participate and share online

• It’s a conversation supported by online tools

What are social media?

• Forums and Online Communities

• Blogs• Social Networks • Multimedia sharing• Social Bookmarking• Diggs• RSS readers• Microblogging

Why is social media important?

• Wikipedia – almost 4 million articles• YouTube – over 100 million videos• Blogger – 200 million blogs• Facebook – over 250 million users• Twitter – 1 billion tweets

More reasons social media is important…

• 73% of active online users have read a blog• 45% have started their own blog• 39% subscribe to an RSS feed• 57% have joined a social network• 55% have uploaded photos• 83% have watched video clips

Visiting social sites is now the 4th most popularonline activity – ahead of personal email

Figures from “What the F*ck is Social Media” by Marta Kagan

It doesn’t matter what industry you are in.

Your customers and prospects are talking

about you online. Your company needs to be

part of that conversation.

The 6 Dangerous Fallacies of Social Media, Jason Baer

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Aims of student recruitment teams

• Analysis of current market position & market share• Building awareness of the University and courses• Organising and advertising Open Days• Promoting Undergraduate and Postgraduate Prospectus• Developing partnerships with Schools and Colleges • Undertaking widening access, promoting recruitment of

students in target groups• Stimulating applications and converting offers into firm

acceptances

What are prospective students looking for?

• University presence on social networking site• Course-related updates• Careers information and workshops• Opportunities to network with other students• Admissions and clearing updates• Information on facilities and residences• Opportunities to converse with teaching and support staff

How universities can use social media to engage prospective students

• Sharing information– Broadcasting university news and events– Departmental blogs that discuss current work and research– Videos of research or campus tours

• Showcasing student and department work– Videos, audio, photo sharing, blogs

• Connecting people– Creating a dialogue and communicating to students– Involving students in events– Allowing prospective students to meet online

Stanford offers Facebook office hours for

students to talk to teaching staff

Cardiff University used flickr to engage students in the 125th Anniversary events

Saint Leo University engaging students through twitter

Oxford University using YouTube to broadcast lectures and upload college life videos

Micro-blogging sites like twitter can be used to publicise university news

Facebook can be used to give out useful information

Why should universities use social media to recruit students?

• Reach a large target audience• It’s relatively cheap – although time intensive• New generation of prospective students expect

an online presence• Your university will be discussed online – be part

of that discussion