Social Media & the College Admissions Process

You’ve heard it a million times – “You must be on social media!” “If your brand isn’t on Facebook, it might as well be dead!” Well, we do agree that every brand should be on social media, but it should be in the right capacity that aligns with the organization’s target audience and goals.

For higher education institutions, social media can be used throughout the admissions process. It can be a useful inbound marketing tool to increase awareness, drive students to your site, listen to what they are saying and even encourage them to apply.

As we stated before, staying true to the inbound marketing methodology, it is important to discover where your target audience (most likely, potential students) is spending time online. Is it Facebook, Twitter or Instagram? Maybe it is something else like YikYak? Whatever it is, once you discover it, create a strategy for reaching your target audience there.

One example for using social media for higher education, throughout the admissions process, is to listen to what is being said. This can provide useful insight, as well as the chance to reach your target audience. Twitter is the best platform for social listening, whether people are talking about your institution specifically or just about the college application process in general. This is a huge opportunity for your brand to get in front of them in the right place, at the right time.

Consider this: Nervous Nellie tweets about how excited but worried she is about the college application process and doesn’t know where to begin. You see the tweet, and you can help! Jump in and reply back, offering guidance and tips to help her through this fun but stressful time. Now, your institution’s name is on her radar, and if she loves it so much that she retweets it, it is also on the radar of all her followers.

The college admissions process can be difficult to navigate for many students. Capitalize on this opportunity by reaching those students on social media and addressing their needs. Want another example? Check out what we did for Maryville College and their admissions process using social media.

Updated: Apr 13, 2022