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31 Lessons from a Social Media Professional in Higher-Ed
Inspired by the Instagram Live conversation between @mkobach and @jsstansel
Lessons
Inspired by the Instagram Live conversation between @mkobach and @jsstansel
Lessons
Every Account Matters
• Some accounts have 100,000 followers and some have 10 followers. They all represent the university equally.
• A screw-up on the 10-person account will still make the news
• Some accounts have 100,000 followers and some have 10 followers. They all represent the university equally.
• A screw-up on the 10-person account will still make the news
Crisis Communications
• Crisis comms is a big part of higher-ed social media
• Constantly dealing with issues around campus
• Crisis comms responses need to go through an approval process
• What's the right way to say this
• Crisis comms is a big part of higher-ed social media
• Constantly dealing with issues around campus
• Crisis comms responses need to go through an approval process
• What's the right way to say this
Example Crisis Communications Situation
• Student said something racist on the school's Facebook page
• Are you going to expel them?
• It's not the job of the social media to expel, but they need a planned reply
• Student said something racist on the school's Facebook page
• Are you going to expel them?
• It's not the job of the social media to expel, but they need a planned reply
Social Media Matters
• Schools should invest more in social
• Jon is the only full-time social media employee at the university
• Many social media accounts are run by professors or administrators and tacked on to their current job
• Schools should invest more in social
• Jon is the only full-time social media employee at the university
• Many social media accounts are run by professors or administrators and tacked on to their current job
Social Media Strategy
• Jon creates a strategic framework for social with different buckets such as diversity & retention
• If a post doesn't fall into a bucket, then the post can't be posted
• Random one-off requests such as "post this flyer" take away from the strategy
• Jon creates a strategic framework for social with different buckets such as diversity & retention
• If a post doesn't fall into a bucket, then the post can't be posted
• Random one-off requests such as "post this flyer" take away from the strategy
Proving Value to Leadership
• Different university leaders expect different things from the social media team
• Jon keeps a folder "why we tweet" that showcases how Twitter has helped the university
• For example, a student commits to the university based on a tweet
• Different university leaders expect different things from the social media team
• Jon keeps a folder "why we tweet" that showcases how Twitter has helped the university
• For example, a student commits to the university based on a tweet
Signaling
• Use social to create a community
• "We are here, come join us"
• Use social to create a community
• "We are here, come join us"
Why Professors Should Tweet More
• Academic papers are boring and hard to read
• Use Twitter to easily explain your ideas
• Use that to get more media and attention for your ideas
• Academic papers are boring and hard to read
• Use Twitter to easily explain your ideas
• Use that to get more media and attention for your ideas
Tools of the Trade
• Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram account
• Hootsuite and Sprout Social for posting and analytics
• Experimenting with TikTok paid advertising
• Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram account
• Hootsuite and Sprout Social for posting and analytics
• Experimenting with TikTok paid advertising
Differentiation Through Skillsets
• "Canva makes you a graphic designer in the way a microwave makes you a 5-star chef"
• Learn the basics of photoshop, photography, and videography
• It will be a differentiator
• "Canva makes you a graphic designer in the way a microwave makes you a 5-star chef"
• Learn the basics of photoshop, photography, and videography
• It will be a differentiator
Dealing with Stress
• Unplug every so often
• It's important to step away
• Unplug every so often
• It's important to step away
