In a recent webinar, we discussed the critical role of social media in higher education and offered practical strategies for enhancing student engagement and retention.
As competition for student enrollment intensifies, retaining current students through effective digital communication is more vital than ever.
Social media, particularly through short-form video content, offers a powerful way to connect with audiences personally, ensuring students remain engaged and supported throughout their academic journey.
The webinar featured insights from:
Maya Demishkevich, Carroll Community College's chief communications officer, host of the Hidden Gem podcast, and founder of College Crusader, Social Media Solutions for Colleges, and
Rob Clark of Greenville University, and creator of That Tall Family.
Each shared their expertise on leveraging social media to drive meaningful student interactions.
With fewer first-time college students in the pipeline, retaining current students is vital for sustaining institutional growth.
Demishkevich emphasized that retention is not only cost-effective but also increasingly necessary in a competitive landscape.
She outlined a four-step approach to leveraging social media, particularly Instagram, to enhance student retention.
The first step is to identify where the institution can make the most significant impact. This is followed by establishing goals, defining messaging, and identifying messengers.
For Carroll Community College, this meant focusing on academic support services, which are often underutilized due to misconceptions among students.
(Image created byMaya Demishkevich)
Demishkevich identified five primary reasons students drop out:
Addressing these, her team crafted a targeted Instagram campaign to debunk myths and encourage students to use academic support services.
The campaign featured content created by student ambassadors to resonate with peers.
It addressed misconceptions, such as the belief that only struggling students use support services, or that seeking help is a sign of weakness.
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The posts and stories highlighted that these services are available online and free of charge.
The results were impressive:
A 24% increase in students using the academic support center and a nearly 2% rise in retention rates.
Surveys revealed that 82% of students had seen the content, influencing 81% to seek help.
By strategically using Instagram, Carroll Community College successfully demonstrated that social media can play a pivotal role in retaining students.
Rob Clark shared his insights on leveraging short-form video content to boost engagement and awareness. His key message focused on the power of consistent content creation and the strategic use of influencers to amplify a brand's reach.
Clark emphasized the importance of staying current with social media trends.
Just as athletes practice daily, content creators must stay immersed in the digital landscape to understand what resonates with audiences.
This approach helped him reach 4 billion views on his channel in three years.
He pointed out that while not every piece of content will succeed, creating daily content allows for pattern recognition, helping to refine strategies over time.
A striking example Clark shared was a video created for the University of Greenville's women's volleyball team.
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Despite being posted on a smaller, niche account, the video garnered over 3 million views.
He highlighted that schools often spend substantial sums on polished videos that don't perform well, whereas collaborations with influencers can achieve far greater reach for a fraction of the cost.
Clark also discussed the importance of platform-specific content. He noted that each social media platform has its own culture and audience, and content should be tailored accordingly.
For example, a video that performs well on YouTube might not have the same success on Instagram or TikTok due to differences in user behavior and content consumption patterns.
Clark urged institutions to focus on building a robust content catalog, as quantity eventually leads to quality. By consistently posting and analyzing what works, schools can refine their strategies and achieve sustained engagement and awareness.
During the Q&A, Demishkevich and Clark offered actionable insights tailored to higher education marketers.
One key takeaway was the importance of not overthinking content creation.
Clark emphasized that successful content often comes from simple, low-effort ideas.
He shared an example where a video that took only a few minutes to create became his most viewed content, reinforcing the idea that the audience ultimately decides what resonates.
When asked about tools for content creation, Demishkevich recommended CapCut for its ease of use and built-in templates, making it accessible for beginners.
Clark echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the best tools are the ones users are most comfortable with, and that even platform-provided tools can be sufficient for effective content creation.
On managing student ambassadors, Demishkevich emphasized the value of compensating them, whether through part-time wages or federal work-study programs, to ensure commitment and quality.
Clark added that minimal management is often best, allowing creators the freedom to produce authentic content. He suggested leveraging content already being created by students, as it often performs well organically.
The "Engage and Retain Students: Social Media Strategies for Higher Education" webinar provided proven insights into using social media effectively to boost student engagement and retention.
From practical strategies shared by Maya Demishkevich to Rob Clark's expert tips on leveraging short-form videos and influencers, this session is a must-watch for higher-ed marketers looking to enhance their digital presence.
Don't miss out on these actionable takeaways—watch the full webinar on-demand now to elevate your institution's social media strategy!
Last Updated: Aug 22, 2024 11:00 AM
