This document provides guidance on effectively using social media for student counseling and college admissions. It discusses why social media is useful, how to build relationships through engagement and two-way communication. Platforms like Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, Twitter and YouTube are overviewed for uses like groups, pages, hangouts, calendars and blogs. The admissions timeline is addressed to understand how information needs change. Connecting with colleges on their social media is also covered.
Want to hear about all things #Converge2015, but unable to attend this year’s conference? Maybe you made it, but your team didn’t. Or maybe you decided to head somewhere else for your annual work trip. Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered with the cliff notes version of the conference.
Want to hear about all things #Converge2015, but unable to attend this year’s conference? Maybe you made it, but your team didn’t. Or maybe you decided to head somewhere else for your annual work trip. Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered with the cliff notes version of the conference.
Social Tsunami: Riding the Wave for Student Engagement and Success - Course T...Cengage Learning
Social Tsunami: Riding the Wave for Student Engagement and Success - Course Technology Computing Conference
Presenter: Beverly Amer, Northern Arizona University
More than 66% of higher education faculty don't teach the use of social media in their discipline. Yet nearly 100% use it outside the classroom for personal and professional reasons. The wave of social media use in society is now rapidly rushing onto mobile platforms, leaving many faculty - and their courses - treading water. With our students already regularly surfing on their mobile devices, the time is right for exploring how to turn the tide of social media into tools for student engagement and success. Interested in learning more? Then paddle your board to this session for ideas from this presenter's sabbatical research for successfully navigating the social storm and staying on top of the wave! Goals/outcomes: Attendees will learn about the various forms of social media, current research surrounding effective use of social media in higher education, and explore practical and meaningful approaches for incorporating social media - in all its forms - into their courses to help increase student engagement and success.
Boundaries, Privacy, and Social Media Use in Higher Education: What do Stude...Vanessa Dennen
In this study, we examine university students’ beliefs and behaviors related to social media, identity, and boundaries in a higher education context. Findings suggest a complex and at times contradictory relationship between students and social media, in which they enjoy free access to information about and contributed by other people and freely share about themselves in a social or personal context, but are reticent to be active contributors in an academic context. Although students seek information about their instructors online, they do not believe that instructors might reciprocate. In contrast to a common assumption, they do not want to use social media in their coursework and prefer to restrict both their communication with instructors and coursework to private tools and settings.
An introduction to how and why childminders can use social media, with a look at Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and blogging.
This presentation was made to the Devon Association of Childminders in October 2014.
Case Europe Consumer Marketing in Higher EducationLaurence Borel
Presentation prepared for Case Europe Consumer Marketing in Higher Education. How to implement a digital marketing strategy Presentation prepared for Case Europe Consumer Marketing in Higher Education.
Indiana University 2014 "Students First" First Year Experience Conference - F...Jay Steele
Presentation given in the spring of 2014 at the Indiana University "Students First" First Year Experience Conference. Topics included ways in which our department is using WeAreIU.com and the IU Facebook network to facilitate student connections and engagement, especially among admitted students prior to attending IU. Also shared some of our favorite social media management tools.
Using Social Media to improve the Student ExperiencePaul Fryer
Why is social media important to us?
100% of Universities have a social media presence
18 – 24 is the primary demographic
The whole world can now see if we have any customer service issues
Customer Service timeline – Student Experience
Website less important
Audience are now more marketing savvy
78% of consumers trust peer opinions - Amazon, Trip Advisor (Student Room)
Communications Officer Bruce Nugent provided an update on the Lakehead Public Schools Social Media Strategy at the annual Parent Involvement Committee School Council Kick Off event on October 20, 2014. Judy Roche and Lee Ann Luby of the Vance Chapman Public School Council also spoke about how their school council communicates to parents through social media.
On the Verge: Showcasing the Use of Innovative & Disruptive Technologies Ashley Budd
Presenting innovative and disruptive technologies in the college admissions space. Original presentation created for the National Association for College Admissions Counselors, Critical Components: Mastering the College Admission Process conference, 2013.
More Than Just Friends: Creating Vibrant Social Communities for Recruitment &...Sparkroom
Drawing from a blend of academic research and real-world campaigns, CUnet's social media strategist, Jeff Berg, will discuss how social media can play a key role throughout the school selection and application process and provide attendees with practical tactics to implement in their social media strategies today.
Leverage Analytics to Improve Online and Social Media Professional DevelopmentStephanie Richter
Presented at the 2014 POD Network Conference
As professional development occurs increasingly online and through social media, assessing the quality and effectiveness of programs and resources becomes significantly more complex. It is important to evaluate such initiatives, however, and to develop new tools to do so. In most cases the data is already available, but organizations need to collect and leverage the analytics for evaluation and improvement. In this session, participants will learn about the analytics tools available to gather data on the use and effectiveness of online and social media professional development resources and will draft a strategy to implement analytics in their own organizations.
Starting and maintaining a successful social media presence within graduate admissions can often feel like fishing without a pole. You know the students are out there, they’re hungry and swimming for content, but you might not even be on the boat, let alone have any bait. Join this session to learn how to get started and successfully maintain social media, discover which channels may be most productive for your audiences, and uncover the secrets to curating content with little effort.
Presented by Marcus Hanscom, Associate Director of Graduate Recruitment and Outreach at the University of New Haven in West Haven, CT.
It’s not a marathon, it’s a sprint: 24-hour giving day campaignsAshley Budd
From 30-day crowdfunding campaigns to 24-hour giving days, short intense bursts of fundraising have proven to be successful tactics for engaging donors online. Who responds well to these calls to action? What technologies need to be in place to ensure a positive philanthropic user experience? What is the time table to ambassador recruitment and PR? Ashley will share strategies, tips, and lessons learned from Cornell University's first ever Giving Day.
More Related Content
Similar to Effective Use of Social Media for College Counselors
Social Tsunami: Riding the Wave for Student Engagement and Success - Course T...Cengage Learning
Social Tsunami: Riding the Wave for Student Engagement and Success - Course Technology Computing Conference
Presenter: Beverly Amer, Northern Arizona University
More than 66% of higher education faculty don't teach the use of social media in their discipline. Yet nearly 100% use it outside the classroom for personal and professional reasons. The wave of social media use in society is now rapidly rushing onto mobile platforms, leaving many faculty - and their courses - treading water. With our students already regularly surfing on their mobile devices, the time is right for exploring how to turn the tide of social media into tools for student engagement and success. Interested in learning more? Then paddle your board to this session for ideas from this presenter's sabbatical research for successfully navigating the social storm and staying on top of the wave! Goals/outcomes: Attendees will learn about the various forms of social media, current research surrounding effective use of social media in higher education, and explore practical and meaningful approaches for incorporating social media - in all its forms - into their courses to help increase student engagement and success.
Boundaries, Privacy, and Social Media Use in Higher Education: What do Stude...Vanessa Dennen
In this study, we examine university students’ beliefs and behaviors related to social media, identity, and boundaries in a higher education context. Findings suggest a complex and at times contradictory relationship between students and social media, in which they enjoy free access to information about and contributed by other people and freely share about themselves in a social or personal context, but are reticent to be active contributors in an academic context. Although students seek information about their instructors online, they do not believe that instructors might reciprocate. In contrast to a common assumption, they do not want to use social media in their coursework and prefer to restrict both their communication with instructors and coursework to private tools and settings.
An introduction to how and why childminders can use social media, with a look at Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and blogging.
This presentation was made to the Devon Association of Childminders in October 2014.
Case Europe Consumer Marketing in Higher EducationLaurence Borel
Presentation prepared for Case Europe Consumer Marketing in Higher Education. How to implement a digital marketing strategy Presentation prepared for Case Europe Consumer Marketing in Higher Education.
Indiana University 2014 "Students First" First Year Experience Conference - F...Jay Steele
Presentation given in the spring of 2014 at the Indiana University "Students First" First Year Experience Conference. Topics included ways in which our department is using WeAreIU.com and the IU Facebook network to facilitate student connections and engagement, especially among admitted students prior to attending IU. Also shared some of our favorite social media management tools.
Using Social Media to improve the Student ExperiencePaul Fryer
Why is social media important to us?
100% of Universities have a social media presence
18 – 24 is the primary demographic
The whole world can now see if we have any customer service issues
Customer Service timeline – Student Experience
Website less important
Audience are now more marketing savvy
78% of consumers trust peer opinions - Amazon, Trip Advisor (Student Room)
Communications Officer Bruce Nugent provided an update on the Lakehead Public Schools Social Media Strategy at the annual Parent Involvement Committee School Council Kick Off event on October 20, 2014. Judy Roche and Lee Ann Luby of the Vance Chapman Public School Council also spoke about how their school council communicates to parents through social media.
On the Verge: Showcasing the Use of Innovative & Disruptive Technologies Ashley Budd
Presenting innovative and disruptive technologies in the college admissions space. Original presentation created for the National Association for College Admissions Counselors, Critical Components: Mastering the College Admission Process conference, 2013.
More Than Just Friends: Creating Vibrant Social Communities for Recruitment &...Sparkroom
Drawing from a blend of academic research and real-world campaigns, CUnet's social media strategist, Jeff Berg, will discuss how social media can play a key role throughout the school selection and application process and provide attendees with practical tactics to implement in their social media strategies today.
Leverage Analytics to Improve Online and Social Media Professional DevelopmentStephanie Richter
Presented at the 2014 POD Network Conference
As professional development occurs increasingly online and through social media, assessing the quality and effectiveness of programs and resources becomes significantly more complex. It is important to evaluate such initiatives, however, and to develop new tools to do so. In most cases the data is already available, but organizations need to collect and leverage the analytics for evaluation and improvement. In this session, participants will learn about the analytics tools available to gather data on the use and effectiveness of online and social media professional development resources and will draft a strategy to implement analytics in their own organizations.
Starting and maintaining a successful social media presence within graduate admissions can often feel like fishing without a pole. You know the students are out there, they’re hungry and swimming for content, but you might not even be on the boat, let alone have any bait. Join this session to learn how to get started and successfully maintain social media, discover which channels may be most productive for your audiences, and uncover the secrets to curating content with little effort.
Presented by Marcus Hanscom, Associate Director of Graduate Recruitment and Outreach at the University of New Haven in West Haven, CT.
It’s not a marathon, it’s a sprint: 24-hour giving day campaignsAshley Budd
From 30-day crowdfunding campaigns to 24-hour giving days, short intense bursts of fundraising have proven to be successful tactics for engaging donors online. Who responds well to these calls to action? What technologies need to be in place to ensure a positive philanthropic user experience? What is the time table to ambassador recruitment and PR? Ashley will share strategies, tips, and lessons learned from Cornell University's first ever Giving Day.
http://confabevents.com/events/higher-ed-2013/program/managing-student-generated-content
What happens when a staff person decides to mentor and empower students to become social media ambassadors? Social media projects at colleges and universities are most successful when staff and students share roles and responsibilities. This session will cover the importance of why it’s critical to train your student staff to be leaders, not simply to complete assignments. Ask yourself: If you left tomorrow, could they step into your role?
In this talk a staff mentor and two students will walk through the value of student-generated content, presenting tools and best practices for content generation, curation, and project management.
Learn how to foster a student team that works hard, pushes the envelope, and loves their job.
Navigate the fine line between freedom to play and meeting your goals.
Explore pitfalls, best practices, and the unexpected oddities of working with students who eat/sleep/breathe social media.
From big brands to college admissions offices, understanding the user is something that all sites struggle with. We as designers, developers, and content curators often attempt to make a site for everyone when, in fact, if we target a specific user, the experience could be tailored just for them. Higher ed institutions have many constituents. In this presentation we will target the prospective student user, the lifeblood of any tuition-driven college or university. Track: content, responsive design/mobile, marketing
2012 .eduGuru summit presentation - Topics covered: state of college admissions, access and completion, fit factors, marking communications strategy, community building.
A workshop hosted by the South African Journal of Science aimed at postgraduate students and early career researchers with little or no experience in writing and publishing journal articles.
Thinking of getting a dog? Be aware that breeds like Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and German Shepherds can be loyal and dangerous. Proper training and socialization are crucial to preventing aggressive behaviors. Ensure safety by understanding their needs and always supervising interactions. Stay safe, and enjoy your furry friends!
The simplified electron and muon model, Oscillating Spacetime: The Foundation...RitikBhardwaj56
Discover the Simplified Electron and Muon Model: A New Wave-Based Approach to Understanding Particles delves into a groundbreaking theory that presents electrons and muons as rotating soliton waves within oscillating spacetime. Geared towards students, researchers, and science buffs, this book breaks down complex ideas into simple explanations. It covers topics such as electron waves, temporal dynamics, and the implications of this model on particle physics. With clear illustrations and easy-to-follow explanations, readers will gain a new outlook on the universe's fundamental nature.
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
it describes the bony anatomy including the femoral head , acetabulum, labrum . also discusses the capsule , ligaments . muscle that act on the hip joint and the range of motion are outlined. factors affecting hip joint stability and weight transmission through the joint are summarized.
Acetabularia Information For Class 9 .docxvaibhavrinwa19
Acetabularia acetabulum is a single-celled green alga that in its vegetative state is morphologically differentiated into a basal rhizoid and an axially elongated stalk, which bears whorls of branching hairs. The single diploid nucleus resides in the rhizoid.
How to Build a Module in Odoo 17 Using the Scaffold MethodCeline George
Odoo provides an option for creating a module by using a single line command. By using this command the user can make a whole structure of a module. It is very easy for a beginner to make a module. There is no need to make each file manually. This slide will show how to create a module using the scaffold method.
This slide is special for master students (MIBS & MIFB) in UUM. Also useful for readers who are interested in the topic of contemporary Islamic banking.
How to Add Chatter in the odoo 17 ERP ModuleCeline George
In Odoo, the chatter is like a chat tool that helps you work together on records. You can leave notes and track things, making it easier to talk with your team and partners. Inside chatter, all communication history, activity, and changes will be displayed.
Executive Directors Chat Leveraging AI for Diversity, Equity, and InclusionTechSoup
Let’s explore the intersection of technology and equity in the final session of our DEI series. Discover how AI tools, like ChatGPT, can be used to support and enhance your nonprofit's DEI initiatives. Participants will gain insights into practical AI applications and get tips for leveraging technology to advance their DEI goals.
Delivering Micro-Credentials in Technical and Vocational Education and TrainingAG2 Design
Explore how micro-credentials are transforming Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) with this comprehensive slide deck. Discover what micro-credentials are, their importance in TVET, the advantages they offer, and the insights from industry experts. Additionally, learn about the top software applications available for creating and managing micro-credentials. This presentation also includes valuable resources and a discussion on the future of these specialised certifications.
For more detailed information on delivering micro-credentials in TVET, visit this https://tvettrainer.com/delivering-micro-credentials-in-tvet/
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
3. • How are you using social media?
POLL
Are you using
social media?
– For personal use
– For counseling
• What platforms are you using?
–
–
–
–
–
–
Facebook
Twitter
Blogs
Google+
YouTube
Pinterest
9. Should I have a separate Facebook
profile for work?
No.
10. Using social media as an extension of
current communication practices.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Counseling meetings
College school visits
Parent questions
Scheduling
Announcements
Reminders
Correspondence
•
•
•
•
•
•
Flyers
Newsletters
Forms
Contact information
Calendars
Resources
11. What does not belong in
the social media space?
• Personal record
information
– Directory info. is OK
• Individual applicant
follow-up
• Individual financial aid
packages
12. Social media for relationship building and educating
RELATIONSHIPS
13. Opening up two-way communication.
Social, mobile, & on-demand.
•
•
•
•
Reach
Timing
Service
Advocacy
14. Don’t just broadcast information and
deadlines! Encourage engagement.
• Photos from
campus tours
• Helpful news
articles
• Preview college
school visits
• Use polls
16. Social media platforms for current
communication practices.
• Facebook
– pages & groups
– posts and messaging
• Goggle+
–
–
–
–
Hangouts
Calendars
Forms
Documents
• Tumblr Blogs
17. Facebook groups for counseling.
Your social media classroom.
• Name group
• Select privacy
– Skip inviting
members for now
• Add a group
description
• Invite students via
email
18. Facebook groups for counseling.
Your social media classroom.
• Features
–
–
–
–
–
–
Email notifications
Messaging
Sharing
Polling
Files
Events
19. Facebook groups vs. Facebook pages
• Use pages for
– Broadcast messaging
– 500+
• Use groups for
– Community building
– Less than 500
20. Google+ Hangouts for meetings
and college visits.
•
•
•
•
Google+ account
Web camera
Internet connection
Up 9 participants on
camera.
– Unlimited viewers
• YouTube On Air
21. Google Calendar for scheduling.
• Public calendars
– Events & Deadlines
• Coordinate with
colleges
• Integrates with
Google+ Hangouts
• Notifications & RSVP
• Daily agenda
• Add to your website
22. Google Drive and Google Forms.
• Google Drive
–
–
–
–
–
Documents
Presentations
Spreadsheets
Forms
& More
• Google Forms
– Surveys
– Polls
– Registrations
23. Blogging made simple with Tumblr.
• Tumblr account
• Customizable
• Social sharing
– Text posts
– Links
– Photos & video
• 30% of students
already use Tumblr
25. A need for information is always
present, but the kind of information
needed changes over time.
• Pre-college search
– Advocacy
• College search
– Facts & figures
• Campus visits
– Understanding fit
• Testing & Applications
– Resources & Reminders
• Decisions
– Realizing fit
• Post-graduation
– Transition
27. Colleges use social
media to connect
with prospective
students.
•
•
•
•
•
Facebook Pages
Twitter accounts
YouTube
Tumblr
Social Media
Ambassadors
• Goggle+ Hangouts
28. Connect with colleges on
Facebook.
• Facebook Pages
– University
– Admissions
• Accepted student
groups
• Facebook apps
29. Connect with colleges on Twitter.
•
•
•
•
College news
Admissions
Create lists
Join the
conversation
–
–
–
–
#EMchat
#FAchat
#Admissions
#HigherEd
30. Connecting with colleges of YouTube.
• Subscribe to
channels
• Share
• Create your own
channel and add
favorites
32. Social media ambassadors are incredible
assets in the college search.
• Examples from RIT
–
–
–
–
–
–
YouTube channel
G+ Hangouts
Facebook page
#RITstudents
@RIT_Erin
@RIT_Tanner
39. On the Verge:
Showcasing the Use of
Innovative & Disruptive Technologies
TOMORROW AT 1 PM
Join me!
Editor's Notes
Hello. My name is Ashley Hennigan and I am assistant director of social media strategy at Cornell University. Before becoming completely dedicated to social media at Cornell, I spent over five years in undergraduate admissions at Rochester Institute of Technology, in Rochester, NY. I want to thank the NACAC Education and Training team along with Joyce Smith for bringing me here to Portland to speak with you today. Lastly, I want to thank all of you for choosing to attend this session on the effective use of social media.
My goal for this presentation is for you to walk away with a better understanding of why colleges have moved into the social media as a means for communicating with students throughout the admissions lifecycle, the benefits of using social media with students and parents and perhaps a golden nugget or two that you can bring back to your school or organization so that you too can use social media to your own benefit. What I know about social media I have learned from my own personal use of the tools and from working with university communications. Rather than spending the whole presentation talking about what colleges are doing I thought I would share how you might incorporate similar social media practices in to your own work. Now, I know there are still many barriers and challenges associated with such an implementation, but I ask that we all keep an open mind for the next hour as we walk through – why you might choose to use social media, how to use social media to build relationships, what platforms are most popular with students, how social media fits in the admissions timeline, how you can connect with colleges and then we will leave time for some questions and discussion.
Let’s start with a quick poll – Show of hands for how many people use social media in their personal life? Is anyone using social media for professional development or networking with other educators? How many people are using social media with students in a counseling role? – Keep your hands up if you would you be willing to share what you are doing…So I have a sense of what platforms we are all familiar with, quick show of hand for people who you facebook for either personal or work? Twitter…Great! It looks like we have a diverse mix of users here.
For those of you who are using social media regularly. Why are you? Put simply, social media is a new communication tool and it has changed the way we communicate with each other. Just as the telephone did, just as email has done, just like text messaging is. With each introduction of a new communication technology, people struggle to find it’s use. We’ve gotten by without it this long, right? I would argue that they only reason you would adopt the practice of using any new communication tool is if that tool is able to increase your efficiency.
And I believe counselors need more efficient meansto communicate with their students. Counselors are teachers without a classroom. This is true for admissions counselors at universities also, and in an effort to reach students they have become early adopters of social media and use it in different ways throughout the admissions cycle.
Let’s take a look at how our communication practices have changed. Communicationtechnology grown exponentially in the past 20 years and mobile connectivity has been a game changer in the past decade. There are social media tools that can be used to replace face-to-face meetings, phone calls, emails, print publications and flyers, and social media sties can even be used in lieu of a sub-par website. Try not to think about social media as an extra thing to do, but rather a more efficient way to communicate the messages you are already sending.
This data is from the 2013 Social Admissions Report from Inigral and this is the kind of data I look at when forming social media strategy for admissions offices.Facebook rules the social media space. Sure, not every student is on Facebook, but consider the reach. What other method of communication do we have that will reach 89% of students? Facebook is the only platform on this list that requires a log in to view all of the content. The rest are open, which is great because your students doesn’t need to be “on Twitter” to view your updates or “on Tumblr” to read your blog.If you have access to your site’s web developer, you can ask them to set up social feeds on your webpage so this content is available to everyone to view there.
When social broke out on the scene in the early 2000s. It was scary new technology. It was perceived as too intrusive into student and families’ personal lives to be used in a professional setting. Enhancements in privacy and information security, along with an overall acceptance of the need for personal branding and an online presence, has broken down these barriers allowing educators to leverage social media to better communicate with students.
Now, I don’t mean to gloss over this topic, but I do want to share my stance on the use social media in schools. I believe digital literacy is an important piece of college preparedness and that social media is part of that education. While many districts have banned the use of certain technologies during the school day, and have been met with challenges concerning cyber-bulling, I don’t believe a prohibition on the use of social media is the answer. It is possible that the platforms we are using are not appropriate for school. Facebook may be too personal a space. However, I encourage all educators who are met with these challenges to take an active role in the social media space so that they might serve as positive accessible role models, rather than leaving the space to be run by the influence of their peer groups alone. For those adventurous enough to enter this space and take the active role that our students so desperately need, there is another debate – should I have a separate Facebook profile for my work life and my personal life and thanks to information security features on Facebook, the answer is no. I am going to launch my browser quickly to show you a nice feature that I know helps me sleep at night.
Here are a few examples of communications that could be leveraged effectively through social media and in a moment I will walk through some of the tools that I have used at RIT and Cornell to accomplish these tasks with great success.
But first, let’s review what information belongs in the public domain and what does not. Essentially, we are safe using directory information online. What doesn’t work in the social media space? Anything involving FERPA, so we wouldn’t want to publically share a student’s personal record information, speak with admissions counselors about a specific applicant or disclose any individual financial aid awards, etc.
Social media is a great tool for messaging, but the reason it out-performs email and text messaging is it’s ability to build relationships.
Communication today is social, mobile and on-demand. Students and parents are looking for answers online. College admission counselors are too. For example, you may have sent me a save the date to attend your college fair, but the first place I am going to look for the date of the fair is going to be in a Google search, not my stack of invites. Therefore, by posting important information online we can reach out constituents where they are. Allowing this information to live in a social setting elevate the messaging from static content, to dynamic content, opening up two-way communication where questions can be asked and answers can be delivered in a space for all to see. Updating a website or sending out a letter can take time. Social media platforms allow content to be shared quickly and with little hassle. Social media platforms are also a space for questions and concerns to be addressed. Again, allowing this dialog to take place in a public setting will get answers to more students and families, and will show everyone the level of knowledge and care that you are providing. Last, social media spaces empower users to be active participants. Students and families can share stories and become advocates for others in the college search process. I picked this photo because quality of information is critical in the college search process. Creating a forum for two-way communication can help you monitor the conversations about the college search and dispel rumors or misguided interpretations of the process itself.
It’s difficult to build relationships and have a two-way dialog when you are the only person posting to your Facebook group or blog, so here are a few ideas to help drive engagement. Encourage students and families to post photos and reviews of the colleges they have visited. Post helpful news articles about the college process along with follow up questions that students might be asking themselves. Post links to college websites before a school visit and ask students to respond if they plan on meeting with the admissions counselor. And you can always use polls to get feedback from students about what content they would like to see more of. Polls are very popular!
For all of those communication use cases, I want to introduce you to a few of my favorite social media platforms.
Because Facebook is our most widely used platform by students. I am going to first, show a few examples of effective uses of Facebook to communicate with students. I also want to show a few examples of the free resources that Google provides that can help with workplace organization. Last, I will show you how to set up a blog on Tumblr. It is the most popular blog platform among students, it is free and easy to use, and it can be quickly set up in lieu of a sub-par counseling website.
If you have a goal increasingcommunication with your students and parents, try leveraging Facebook groups. Creating a Facebook group is quick and easy. Name your group something fun and descriptive. Consider a pilot group this year with seniors. Then decide who else will be in the group. Will you invite all seniors or just pilot to those you advise? Will you invite your colleagues? Teachers? Community partners? Will you invite parents? You do not have to be Facebook friends with students to interact with them in the group. You can invite students by adding their email address or sharing the direct link to the group with them.
Facebook groups are easy to monitor. You can turn on email notifications to receive an email every time a student posts something to your group. Likewise, students can receive the same email notifications for your posts. Groups allow you to send a mass-Facebook message to all group members. This feature should be used sparingly for important announcements and reminders. The sharing features in Facebook groups are similar to the rest of the platform. You can post updates with text or share photos and videos. Facebook groups also allow for polling with the “Ask Question” feature and allow you to upload documents to the group with the “Add File” feature. Groups also integrate with Facebook events, which may be helpful in promoting college fairs, college visits or important deadlines.
Just a quick note about Facebook pages vs. Facebook groups. Pages are helpful for building awareness and spreading messaging to the masses. Groups are better suited for communities with fewer than 500 people. If you have a large school, you may consider segmenting your classes into smaller groups for more effective communication.
Video is one of the most powerful communication mediums at our disposal today. Google+ released a range of tools in 2011, my favorite being the Google Hangout. Broadcasting on a Google+ fairly easy and requires minimal technology. You will need a free Google+ account, a web camera (less than $20), and an internet connection. Up to 9 people can connect with cameras in the hangout and there is no limit to how many people can watch the hangout online. Hangouts have an On Air feature that integrates with YouTube. This feature allows you to broadcast Hangouts live on your YouTube channel and the entire Hangout will archive automatically and save to your YouTube channel making it easy to share with those who may have missed it.
Among the suite of Google products is a calendar tool that allows for public viewing. One of the most challenging tasks for admissions counselors is coordinating travel schedules and school visits. A public calendar of all events and availability would be a great resource for admissions counselors and visit coordinators. This is a prime example of using social media to increase efficiency. Creating a calendar requires a free Google account. It integrates nicely with Google+ Hangout events and offers email and text messaging notifications and RSVPs. Because the calendar is public, viewers can easily add events to their own calendars. You can set notifications to remind you about each individual event or set the calendar to email you a daily agenda. Lastly, Google calendars can be added to your website with a simple embed code. You can make your updates on the Goolge platform and they will update to your website automatically.
Drive is the last Google product I will share today. It has watered down versions of Office products with social media integration. Set up any of the following documents, presentation, or spreadsheets on Google Drive and share them with colleagues to collaborate in real time. No need for multiple versions, they save automatically, and they are available to you anywhere, anytime. One really nice bonus feature in Google Drive is the Form tool. Use can use this for surveys or quick polls or for more complicated event registrations. Google will host the form online or you can embed forms into your website. All of the information collected will flow into a Google spreadsheet and save in Google Drive.Has anyone used Google Docs to review college essays?
If your website is designed like it’s ‘99. Consider a quick and dirty fix with tumblr. Why use tumblr than another site? It’s easy to set up, it’s integrates with other social media sites making your content highly sharable, and 30% of students are already using tumblr as their preferred blogging platform. A free tumblr account is required. I recommend creating a school or department account instead of a personal account for this platform. Tumblr has many themes to choose from and is highly customizable. It’s easy to add school colors, mascots and other school branding. Viewers do not need a tumblr account to view and interact with content! If Facebook groups are not a viable option for your school or organization, consider a blog as an alternative platform for your social classroom. Like Facebook, Tumblr allows you to post text, links, photos and videos. Viewers can share, like, and comment on content and tumblr users can choose to subscribe to your page so they don’t miss a post.
A quick note about the admissions timeline and what we know students are looking for.
We know students are always seeking information, but that over time the kind of information they are seeking changes. College are moving away from static website and using social media because the information search process is dynamic. One website that is supposed to serve all of these needs as they change over time is too difficult to maintain, especially since most of this information needs to be updated annually. Social media site allow us to make updates in real time (and with a time stamp) and the shareabliity of social media allows us to reach our constituents where they want to receive our messaging. This is by far the most efficient means of communication we have to date.
Let’s look at how you can connect your students with colleges during their search.
Colleges and universities have realized the power of social media to show prospective students what their campuses are really like. Consider following some of the schools that your students most frequently apply to, to get a sense of what kind of information they are sharing through social media. I’m going to show a few examples from the main social platforms and also introduce the fairly new concept of social media ambassadors and how these current college students are innovating to connect with high schools students and answer their questions.
Over 90% of colleges and universities have a Facebook and Twitterpresence. Larger universities might also have Facebook pages for their college admissions offices. Consider liking their pages and sharing their content with your student Facebook group. Many colleges have also employed Facebook groups for admitted students. Encourage your students to join these groups. It is a great way to connect with future classmates and stay connected to the college over the summer. Some colleges also offer Facebook apps for a more tailored experience on Facebook. These communities are also highly valuable and should be recommended to students to join.
You can also get updates from colleges on twitter. Some admissions offices will have their own twitter handles to follow, separate from the main university accounts. You can organize your colleges on twitter easily by adding them to a list. This way you can only view college tweets when you are looking for their updates or share your list with students. Many great conversations take place on twitter surrounding the college admissions process. You can view and join these conversation by searching hash tags. Emchat is enrollment management chat, mainly admissions counselors. Fachat is financial aid chat. You can also view content tagged for admissions or higher ed by doing simple tags searches with these keywords.
Inigral reported that 42% of students used YouTube to aid in their college search last year. Colleges have done really creative things with YouTube videos including virtual tours and student interviews. You can subscribe to college YouTube channels and receive a daily or weekly email with new videos that have been added to any of the channels you subscribe to. YouTube videos are easy to share in your Facebook group or blog. You might also consider creating your own YouTube channel, even if you don’t have plans to create videos yourself or use Google Hangouts, you can add college videos as favorites and they will show up on your channel for your students to view in one place.
Colleges are having fun on tumblr too. A feature of the tumblr platform encourages you to follow other tumblr accounts. This is a great opportunity to connect your students with colleges they may be interested in while keeping them connected to your messaging.
LAST,Colleges have recognized the power of connecting prospective students with current students online. You too should encourage your students to seek out and follow social media ambassadors at the schools they are interested in. These ambassadors are highly accessible due to the nature of the social media platforms they work in and they provide a highly authentic point of view along with real time updates from campus.
last
At this time I am happy to entertain questions or facilitate a discussion on any of the topics I’ve covered.
Thank you for attending! If you are not on technology overload and want to hear more about cutting edge technologies that are disrupting admissions practices, please join me tomorrow for my second session “On the Verge”