Universities have always been the leaders in what we now call content creation. The fairly recent buzz about “thought leaders” was all but invented by the venerable professors and researchers drawn to higher education. But in today’s world, universities must stay on their toes to not only create and distribute content, but to control it. With the vast opportunities online come challenges and responsibility.
1. Colleges have become more competitive than ever.
In today’s world, a college degree is a requirement, not a bonus. More and more students are competing for the same number of openings, and universities want to make sure they are accepting the best and brightest, the ones who will graduate college and achieve success in their careers. But the cost of attending college has increased as well. For many, a college education will be one of the biggest investments they ever make.
The Internet opened up unlimited horizons for universities by allowing information to reach not only future students but their parents, advisers and teachers at the click of a keystroke. But what opened up for your university opened up for all other universities at the same time. What are you doing to make sure that you show up on that first page of the Google search?
2. Video resonates more than ever with a university’s up-and-comers.
Remember a world without the Internet? Then you probably aren’t a 17-year-old today, researching universities. Not only are teenagers the key demographic for many social media outlets, but teens searching for information about colleges tend to be more visual learners than teens of the past. Ninety-five percent of teens use the Internet (Pew Internet) and are a driving force in the evolution of the social media powerhouses: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. In the last year, all three of these platforms made it easier to create, post and share videos in response to what Generation Z demanded. Thirty-seven percent of teens use a smartphone (Pew Internet), and video already accounts for 50 percent of mobile traffic (Bytemobile Mobile Analytics Report). Any way you slice it, teens love video, and if you can help them visualize themselves at your university, your school will move to the top of the application pile… I mean, online list.
2. Content marketing should be “in the bag” for universities.
University content marketing should be easy-peasy. Not only have universities already been doing it for years (Hello, alumni magazines), but they have a wealth of strong content creators chomping at the bit to share their original content.
As a university, shame on you if you aren’t taking advantage of the faculty, field experts, researchers and alumni at your fingertips to write and share new information. Any knowledgeable person affiliated with your university who creates respected content is continually building your college’s reputation.
3. Many voices are both a blessing…and a challenge.
Along with the undeniable plus of being stocked with a plethora of intellectuals, universities must also deal with being stocked with a plethora of people who are both young and old and don’t always make the best choices when they interact with social media. For a university’s public affairs department, controlling the buzz is an ongoing challenge.
In recent years, both athletes and professors, students and faculty, have made missteps that reflect poorly on their chosen university. Some colleges have banned social media to head problems off at the pass; unfortunately, people find ways around rules and create stealth accounts.
One way to handle the ubiquity of social media is for universities to accept its presence in our culture. Some colleges have chosen to be proactive and hold social media training for those who may represent the university, either officially or unofficially (athletes, faculty and administrators).
4. Trumpet the accomplishments of your university community.
While many voices can make a university’s job more difficult, the potential for positive press is also much greater than that of any company. If someone works at Private Corporation A for 20 years but then moves on to Company B and discovers the cure for cancer one year later, Corporation A receives no mention in that earth-shattering Internet story.
But a university gets to claim talent for a lifetime. As long as your college is remaining connected and engaged with potential students, current students, faculty, the community and alumni, your large pool of possible save-the-world types is virtually unlimited. Share those accomplishments, and interact with those you are proud to call your own.
5. Take advantage of “.edu.”
Simply by existing as an institution of higher learning, your college or university should capitalize on its educational status at every juncture by using the “.edu” extension online. Automatically, any content shared on an “.edu” site is viewed with respect.
Keep in mind that when universities share content, we’re all listening and viewing. We want to know what you want to share. And that’s a great starting point for any content marketing plan.