Social media has become essential for higher education institutions looking to connect with potential students and boost enrollment. In this post, we’ll discuss five practical ways that higher education institutions can use social media to attract new students:
- Create a strong social media presence: Before you can start using social media to boost enrollment, you need to ensure that your institution has a strong presence on the platforms where your target audience is active. This means creating profiles on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and making sure that your profiles are complete, up-to-date, and visually appealing.
- Use social media to tell your institution’s story: Social media is a great way to give potential students a behind-the-scenes look at your institution and what it offers. Share photos and videos of your campus, students, and faculty, and use Instagram stories and Facebook Live to give students a glimpse of what it’s like to attend your institution.
- Use social media to connect with potential students: Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are great ways to connect with potential students and answer their questions. Use your institution’s social media profiles to respond to comments, messages, and tweets, and make sure that you’re using hashtags and keywords to help your institution’s posts get in front of the right people.
- Use social media to share news and updates: Use your institution’s social media profiles to share news, events, and updates about your institution, and consider using Facebook and LinkedIn groups to create online communities for prospective students.
- Use social media to host virtual events: With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many higher education institutions have shifted their recruitment and admissions events to virtual formats. Consider hosting virtual events like webinars, Q&A sessions, and virtual campus tours on social media platforms to connect with potential students in a way that’s safe and accessible.
