Engaging With

Students On
Social Media During
COVID-19
Katie Crombe – Associate Director of Admissions, Alma College
Ashley Rains – Director of Media & Public Relations, Spring Hill College
Kristen Schober Gonzalez – Director of Communication and Marketing, Villa Maria College
Carrie Viohl – Marketing Specialist, Southern Regional Technical College
Sana Meghani – Virtual Student Support Program Coordinator, Trellis Company
Zach Taylor – Institutional Support Consultant, Trellis Company
Webinar Overview
• Introduction
• Snapshots into COVID-19 and Social Media
• Importance of Social Media
• Setting Up an Effective Social Media Strategy
• Overview of Popular Social Media Platforms
• Best Practices from Social Media Experts
• Questions, Answers, and Resources
Expert Panelists

Katie Crombe Kristen Schober Gonzalez

Associate Director of Admissions Director of Communication & Marketing
Alma College Villa Maria College

Ashley Rains Carrie Viohl

Director of Media & Public Relations Marketing Specialist
Spring Hill College Southern Regional Technical College
COVID-19 and Social Media
Importance of Social Media
• Over 90% of U.S. adults aged 18-29 use some form of social
media every day.
• Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Snapchat
include billions of users—and their services are free, aside
from data sharing.
• Usage increases with education level—college-enrolled
adults are more likely to use social media than non college-
enrolled adults.
• YouTube is the most popular social media platform among
18-29 year-olds. 91% of this demographic uses YouTube.
• Source: Pew Research (2019)
What to Know for Social Media Strategy

• Your school’s voice

• Your school’s value
• Your timing
• What inspires your students
• What your audience needs right now
• How to generate content
• When NOT to post anything
Facebook
• Launched in 2004
• 79% of users are between 18-29 years old
• Types of content to focus on for Facebook:
• Videos (prerecorded and Facebook Live)
• Images/graphics, links/text
• Tips & Best Practices:
• Boost posts to reach a wider audience
• Host virtual tours of your campus
• Publish videos to educate and inform students
• Create moderated Facebook Groups for new students
to virtually meet each and engage (i.e. Class of 2024)
• Set up a Messenger bot to engage current and prospective students
Instagram
• Launched in 2010; Facebook-owned in 2012
• 67% of users are between 18-29 years old
• Types of content to focus on for Instagram:
• Images/text
• Short videos (< 1 min; appear in profile feed)
• Stories (15-sec video clips or images; disappear after 24 hours)
• IGTV live videos (between 60 seconds and one hour)
• Tips & Best Practices:
• Use highlights to keep important information easily accessible
• Create a class account to feature incoming class
(ex. @university2024)
• Can cross-populate on Facebook
• Host Q&A’s to answer student questions
• Host virtual campus tours with live video
• Publish short videos that inform students about various
processes (applying, housing, etc.)
Twitter
• Launched in 2006
• 38% of users are between 18-29 years old
• Types of content to focus on for Twitter:
• Images and text with 280 character limit
• Live and prerecorded videos
• Graphics, GIFs, and hyperlinks
• Cross-posting capacity with Instagram
• Tips & Best Practices:
• Host Q&A sessions or Twitter Chats for current and
prospective students
• Engage students with graphics and GIFs, include institutional
links to student content
• Create different Twitter handles to manage various aspects
of your schools (i.e. admissions, student life, financial aid, etc.)
• Respond to users who mention your school’s twitter handle
YouTube
• Launched in 2005; purchased by Google in 2006
• 91% of users are between 18-29 years old
• Types of content to focus on for YouTube:
• Videos and livestreams
• Video playlists based on topics
• Tips & Best Practices:
• Create short, informative videos for all
student audiences
• Cross-promote YouTube videos on other platforms
• Use ‘Playlists’ to organize videos in your YouTube
channel (i.e. Tips for New Students, Financial Aid,
Admissions, etc.)
Snapchat
• Launched in 2011
• 62% of users are between 18-29 years old
• Types of content to focus on for Snapchat:
• Snaps = images or videos, with text; can add “filters;”
maximum of 10 second video
• Stories = collection of images and videos that only
approved friends can see
• Tips & Best Practices:
• Promote school’s Snapchat username on
other platforms
• Use Snapchat Stories to provide students
with engaging content
• Create an ambassador application for students
and alumni to take over school’s Snapchat account
TikTok
• Launched in 2016
• 41% of users are between 16-24 years old 
• Types of content to focus on for TikTok:
• Short video clips, maximum of one minute
• Images and text, can add “filters”
• More and more colleges “Reach Gen Z” on TikTok
• Tips & Best Practices:
• Provide snapshots of student life
• Embrace quick-cut editing to optimize information
• Trends and hashtags are fleeting—update frequently
and monitor trends closely
LinkedIn
• Launched in 2002
• 28% of users are between 18-29 years old
• 37% of users are between 30-49 years old
• Types of content to focus on for LinkedIn:
• University news and blog content
• Eye-catching visuals and statistics
• Student success stories
• Tips & Best Practices:
• Make sure you have a LinkedIn Page set up as “Educational
institution”
• Use LinkedIn to engage your alumni by providing career-related
resources and opportunities
• Host webinars for students and alumni on career-related topics
(preparing for a virtual interview, networking tips, etc.)
• Create LinkedIn Groups for alumni to connect and network
Which SM Platforms to Use
for Student Engagement Activities
• Hosting virtual tours or live Q&A sessions
• YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook
• Sharing news and resources with students and alumni
• Twitter and LinkedIn
• Building a community and organizing groups for students
• Facebook and LinkedIn
• Engaging with prospective and current students
• Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat
• Providing students with snapshots of student life
• TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube
Searching for Schools Using Social
Media

Source:
https://www.targetx.com/higher-ed-insights/research/2017-social-admissions-report/
Best Practices from Social Media
Experts

Source:
https://www.targetx.com/higher-ed-insights/research/2017-social-admissions-report/
What Works on Our Campuses
What Works on Our Campuses
What Works on Our Campuses
What Works on Our Campuses
Resources
• Pew Research: Trends in Social Media Use - https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/
• NASPA: https://www.naspa.org/blog/5-ways-to-engage-and-support-students-online-during-covid-19-and-
beyond
• Center for Disease Control (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/social-
media-toolkit.html
• National College Attainment Network (NCAN) COVID-19 Resources:
https://www.ncan.org/news/493855/How-the-Education-Field-is-Responding-A-Roundup-of-COVID-19-
Resources.htm
• Scientific American’s ‘Harnessing Social Media for the COVID-19 Pandemic’ resource guide:
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/harnessing-social-media-for-the-covid-19-pandemic/
• Social Media Today’s Trends in Social Media Amid COVID-19:
https://www.socialmediatoday.com/user_media/ckeditor/nkapoor/2020/04/08/top-5-digital-marketing-
trends-for-2020-during-covid19.jpg
Questions and Discussion
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