When it comes to social media strategy, U.S. universities are schooling the masses, but luckily their tactics aren’t just reserved for those with a college fund and the time for a degree.

1. 3 Big Reasons Universities Need
a Social Media Monitoring Tool

2. Universities & Social Media
When it comes to
social media, U.S.
universities are
schooling the
masses…

3. Even brands can learn from higher education
institutions simply by looking at their social networks
and seeing how they:
 Market themselves
 Maintain their reputations
 Engage their consumers (i.e. the community of
students)
 Promote their wide variety of products (i.e.
courses and extracurricular activities)

4. When it comes to converting applicants to
freshmen, social media has replaced the printed
prospectus.
In fact, Drake University’s
2013 study found that one in
five of their students were
influenced to enroll there
because of the college’s social
media presence...

6. Universities like Drake are using social media to improve their
overall brand image, but this is only possible through
social media monitoring
This is because Universities who are investing in their online
reputation must:
• Encourage people to connect with campus life online
• Keep track of their engagements on all social networks
• Justify ROI to the University Chancellors

7. A good social listening tool is not just
helpful; it’s mandatory.
Social media data and analytics
are crucial when it comes to the
3 most important areas of
a university’s social media
strategy...

8. And here’s why...

9. #1. School Spirit & Brand Image
Q: What do all of the most prestigious
colleges have in common?
A: A sterling reputation and
powerful branding.

10. Just look at
Harvard University...

11. With more than 3 million fans on Facebook and over 330,000 Twitter
followers, Harvard University are proof that a carefully maintained reputation
and good brand visualization on social media is rewarded.

12. Everything Harvard posts
features the crimson Harvard
shield, whether it’s news
about the latest research or
footage of their men’s
basketball team winning the
Ivy League
championship, encouraging
school spirit and amplifying
their brand message.

13. But what about the posts they can’t control; negative
comments about their institution that are shared by
others online?

14. Universities like Harvard use social listening to keep
track of everything said about their brand online.
This allows them to react immediately
and keep their brand image in tact.
And it’s not just comments...

15. Social listening tools are getting high tech and
monitoring image-based social networks like Instagram
and Pinterest.
Now, even unflattering photos are getting picked up
and analysed in case they pose a threat and require
immediate action.

16. #2. Enhancing Student Experience
For students, the transition from high school to
higher education is like moving from a fish tank into
the ocean.
It can often feel as though there is little support
available.

17. Luckily, social media can
serve as a constant Q&A
session for students...

18. ...but how do universities make sure
every student feels as though he or she is being heard?
Social Listening is Key!

19. By monitoring conversations, Universities can
respond to students and give them the answers they
need.
Thanks to this process, students are connecting with
all aspects of college life through social media
including:
• Where to eat
• What events to attend
• Office hours of their tutors, etc….

20. Social media measurement also enables colleges to check the
level of engagement with every new post.
They can find out:
• When content is being shared
• The number of mentions
• The sentiment of these mentions
• The most popular media type
This will help them determine the optimum
conditions for each post.

21. #3. Attracting Prospective Students &
Staying Connected with Alumni
Marketing and customer retention are just as
important for universities as they are for brands.
Social media has become the avenue
for attracting future students and
staying connected with those that
have left.

22. Marketing
(Applicants):
High school demographic
Videos and images of student
experiences generate the most
engagement
Customer Retention
(Alumni):
Age 23+ professional
demographic
Things like university research
news and sports results appear
to be more popular

23. But which networks are prospective students
most active on & which are better for
targeting alums?

24. Social listening will help
you find out which social
media sites are used by
different demographics.

25. Social listening will also help you justify your
social media spending on things like marketing…
Social Media ROI is about the numbers:
• How many people saw it?
• & out of those,
• how many liked it enough
to engage and join
the online community?

26. Social media data collected after a campaign is
tangible, numerical proof of whether it was successful or
not.
So when it comes to convincing university departments of
social media’s importance, social media monitoring is the
most important thing of all.

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