This document discusses the growing use of social media, particularly among students and young professionals in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It notes that people in these countries now spend almost a quarter of their online time using social networks. The document then discusses how universities can benefit from using the professional networking platform XING to connect with current students, alumni, and potential employers. It provides examples of how the University of Lüneburg has used XING successfully and outlines some best practices for universities on the site.

2. XING Official University
Groups
Spanning the online gap between academia and business

3. Social media
Just a hype or the future of
communication?
3

4. Online-Time is Social-Media-Time
Communication is shifting towards social media
Users in D-A-CH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) spend almost ¼ of their
entire online-time in social networks (12/2011)
Soziale Netzwerke 22,6 %
Multimedia (Video, Fotos etc.) 8,7 %
Portale 7,1 %
Instant-Messaging 3,8 %
Online-Gaming 3,7 % Up 61% vs.
previous year
Online Aktionen 3,3 %
Suchmaschinen 2%
Communitys 2%
Nachrichten 1,9%
Source: BITKOM / ComScore February 2012
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5. Social networks
Not a flash in the pan: Trend has reached all corners of society.
50 million Swiss, Germans & Austrians are registered on social networks
50+ 53%
30-49 80%
14-29 96%
0 20 40 60 80 100
Source: BITKOM forsa polled 1,000 online users aged 14+ in spring 2011
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6. Social media communication
Social media is defined by content and interaction
Content is King
Personal, appealing, trustworthy, relevant,
current, educational
Dialog is Queen
Transparent, open, appreciative, accessible,
quick, easy
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7. Social media usage among students
Far higher than the remainder of the population:
How often do you use the following platforms and networks? (1 = daily; 6 = never)
never daily
Source: MSR Media July 2011 7

8. Social networks
Web 2.0 makes networks
• visible
• easier to handle
Practical benefit bundled with meeting
emotional needs
• Effective contact management
• Expand network of contacts
• Rediscover long-lost friends
• Exchange views on various topics
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9. Social networks – Potential for universities
Students
Potential employers
University
Alumni
Interact with your target group!
• Stay in touch with alumni and
follow their career
• Position your university as a brand
• Foster business relations People interested in
• Provide networking options for students (e.g. for postgraduate studies
internships, mentoring, career starters, etc.)
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10. About XING
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11. About XING
Critical mass • 12 million users worldwide
• 5.5 million users in German-speaking countries
High user • 245 million connections
activity • Total visits in DACH per month: 25.3 million
• 790,000 paying members
Loyal
• Over 45,000 groups
community
• 250 regional Ambassadors & 60 Xpert Ambassadors
On- & offline
• 185,000 events in 2011, over 9´000 in Switzerland
connections
• Data protection compliant with strict German legislation
Safe
• Certified by various institutes & SSL encryption
environment
• Direct customer service
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12. XING facts
Educational and career levels of members
Student/intern
University degree 1%
34%
Entry level
No/lower 4%
school qualifications Senior executive
18% 23%
Educational
Professional/ Career
experienced
Level 37%
Level Executive
High school 12%
qualification
26%
High school diploma Manager
and university qualification 20%
22%
Source: XING AG data, April 2012
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13. XING facts
Member employment status
Part-time
Freelancer 2.6%
14.1%
Intern
0.2%
Board member Volunteer
0.2% 0.1%
Managing partner/
partner
1.6%
Owner Status
13.2%
Full-time
68.0%
Source: XING AG data, June 2011
13

14. Primary Business Network in Switzerland: XING
Reserach with 3´000 Swiss Professionals
XING is the primary business network for 4 out of 5 Swiss professionals.
Others 4%
17%
79%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Figures in %
Source: Reserach Marketagent / XING, October 2011
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15. Swiss are most satisfied with XING
Reserach with 3´000 Swiss Professionals
XING leads the satisfaction scale – no. 2 is Facebook
13 41 31 12 3
8 28 42 19 3
7 18 45 21 8
10 34 37 16 4
1= very satisfied 2 3 4 5 = very dissatisfied
Werte in %
Source: Reserach Marketagent / XING, October 2011
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16. XING for universities
Ways to approach and retain
your target groups
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17. XING for universities
How can XING generate value for you?
• Contact to students – potential
job applicants • Information about universities
• Networking & expert events and courses of study
• Maintain contact with former Interested • Find and get in touch with
alumni
Alumni contacts
parties
Student Lifecycle
• Informationen about the
university, events, etc.
• Communication channel
Graduates Degree between university and
students
• Get in touch with companies
• Appeal to headhunters
• Career events Internship
• Forge contacts with company
• Early incorporation of representatives
graduates
• Forster contacts via XING
• Search for internships, student jobs
& thesis projects on XING
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18. The XING group
Community for students, university members and alumni
Set up forums
Integrate videos, photos
and documentation
Online courses for staff
when it comes to online
moderation
Invitation mailings to your
students & alumni
Group awarded title
“Official university group”
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19. XING Company Profile
Professional Web 2.0 profile
Large header
Description of the university
Post updates about the
university
Option to allow people to
follow updates
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20. XING Events
Event organization made easy
Invite your group members
to your events
Fill your event page with
your own content and
photos
Simple payment processing
For example: Alumni
events, expert roundtables,
career days, etc.
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21. XING for universities
Benefit from the many changes made for universities and students
Invitation mailings to your
students & alumni
Detailed information
pages for students
Improved visibility as part of the
“Official university group”
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22. Best practice
What universities have done
on XING to date
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23. Best practice among German universities?
Leuphana University in Lüneburg
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24. Expert chat
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25. What’s your strategy?
 Entertainment
 Community
 Service
 Teaching
…?
XING für Hochschulen | Katharina Döpke | Hamburg, 24.01.2012 25

26. “Our university group on XING offers
our students, alumni and teaching
staff the perfect starting point for
building up a personal career
network.
This helps them to share news and
views while boosting their ties to us.”
Philip Dunkhase
University marketing spokesperson, Leuphana University Lüneburg
The professional network
www.xing.com
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27. Thank you
for your kind Robert Beer
Country Manager
Switzerland & Austria
attention!
XING: xing.to/robert_beer
Twitter: beersocial
Das professionelle Netzwerk
www.xing.com