Using Social Media in Higher Education

transcript

Using Social Media To Reach Adult Students

#gaea @kathiebeckett

Is Social Media a Fad?

http://youtu.be/3SuNx0UrnEo?hd=1

Pet Rocks were a fad. Social Media is not.

Social Media Defined

Social Media, defined: Activities that involve socializing and networking online through words, pictures and video

Invented: for fun and to meet girls (Facebook)

Uses: relationship building, interaction and community, networking

Conversations: Listen, Learn & Share

“We don’t see a need for social media.”

You may be ignoring

social media, but

it’s not ignoring

Ignore Social Media at Your Own Risk

• Students are active in social media.

• They engage in peer discussion.

• If you don’t engage

with them, the conversation continues.

But, it goes on without you.

You know you need to do something

with social media, but …

• “My boss is nervous that someone will post something negative.”

• “She told me that we already have enough to do without adding more to our plates.”

• “He said ‘We can’t keep up with technology, so why bother?’”

Overcoming Objections: Loss of Control

Concern #1: Loss of Control

• “What if we get negative comments?”

• Negative comments can help more than they hurt.

• Look at negative comments as an opportunity to change perceptions or begin a conversation.

Address negative comments professionally.

The case of Chapstick and its attempt at interaction and engagement

Ignoring the situation may lead to social media crisis. Indignant Facebookers created their own “Butt seriously, Chapstick” page to make sure their comments were heard.

Overcoming Objections: Time

Concern #2: Time

• Plan on 1-10 hours/week

• Utilize technology

• Plan posts in advance

• Choose channels selectively

Use Social Media Dashboards:

Hootsuite

Social Oomph

Or any of the

gazillion others

• Social Media Dashboards can help you post across multiple channels

• HootSuite is free and easy to use

Overcoming Objections: Information Overload

• “We’re overloaded with information already.”

• Just because you (or your boss) is overloaded doesn’t mean your student is overloaded.

• Millennials (born 1982-2000) are the always-connected generation. They don’t think they are overloaded with information.

Overcoming Objections: Anyone can creative an “Official” account for your University

If your boss still hesitates on social media, register your name, anyway, on all channels

• Facebook.com/AnytownUniversity

• Twitter.com/AnytownUniversity

• LinkedIn.com/AnytownUniversity

If you don’t register your names, someone else will … and it might be a rebel or disgruntled student.

Social Media,

as Defined

in Donuts

Social Media and the Donut Factor

• We can define social media in terms of donuts, but think of SM more like an appetizer or dessert in your marketing mix. It’s certainly NOT the main entrée and won’t fill you up … yet.

• Continue to use your traditional marketing methods as well as social media

• LERN recommends continuing to mail your pieces and NOT discontinuing your brochures … and I agree.

So, you’re on board with Social Media … now what?

• Just building it doesn’t make it happen!

• Nurture it to make it grow.

• “Likes” are important, but interaction more so.

• Ask “why would anyone want to visit my page?”

Social Media Channels: Too numerous to count

Graphic Courtesy of Les Adkins, mysylbert.com #gaea

@kathiebeckett

Pick Your Favorites

My favorites for Education:

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

• Twitter

• YouTube

• Flickr

Facebook

• Announce upcoming events

• Link to your college’s blog

• Post college photos

• Get your students to “like” your page by offering incentives

Facebook: Engaging the Customer

• http://youtu.be/_yWLBA77Mic

LinkedIn: Professional Networking

• Set up your LinkedIn account for your college or University as a group (you will need your own LI account to administer the group)

• Jump in on the discussions and encourage your instructors to engage as well

Connect with celebrities, businesses, entrepreneurs, family and friends with 140 characters per tweet.

Twitter: Explained

Nascar driver tweeted a picture of a crash at the Dayton 500 race while inside his car and added 100,000 new followers in under 2 hours.

How We Use Twitter

• Great for conferences (TweetUps!)

• Great for EXPO event (tweet about information sessions starting, etc.)

• Secure your Twitter name asap

• Other colleges have chosen not to use this due to time constraints

Engaging the Consumer

Across Multiple Channels

• http://youtu.be/U2fJVh1W_M0

Create Your Own Canvas with Lands End

Generating Content: POST*

•P: People (Who do you want to reach?)

•O: Objective (What do you want them to do?)

•S: Strategy (How to do it?)

•T: Technology (Implementing Technology)

*Forrester Research

Generating Content

• What can you post? Upcoming class information, interesting articles, photos and videos of your students/instructors

• Don’t post just to post. In other words, have something to say or don’t say anything.

• Post on your top channels at least once a day.

• If you’re stumped, think about what you would talk about with a friend.

• Don’t constantly “Sell” your program; it turns people off.

Engagement: Use incentives or contests

• Consider using incentives or contests to increase engagement on your site. Or, go wildly creative and use your imagination … while gaining fans!

http://youtu.be/Poa06ceCcOQ

Listen to the voices

• Set up Google Alerts that notify you when someone mentions your college

• Set up a listening station. Great example on how to do it: www.zephyrmarketing.net

• Respond to (don’t delete) any negative comments.

Social Mention* searches

across multiple

channels for mentions of your college in real time

Monitor Your Reputation

College Prowler: Reviews of Colleges by students, for students

Measuring ROI

• http://youtu.be/ypmfs3z8esI

Happy Social Marketing!

Thank you for your time.

kbeckett@kennesaw.edu

770-499-3100

Twitter: @kathiebeckett

Facebook: facebook.com/kathiebeckett

Using Social Media in Higher Education

Documents