When university presidents use social media marketing, it can have a powerful impact on student recruitment.

1. Higher Education Presidents with Social Media
Presence
Slide 1
Higher Education Presidents with Social
Media Presence

2. Higher Education Presidents with Social Media
Presence
Slide 2
1) Social Media Presence
2) Top Benefits of Going Social
3) Wading Into the Social Media Waters
4) Social Media Leadership Strategies
Overview
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Higher Education Presidents with Social Media Presence

3. Higher Education Presidents with Social Media
Presence
Slide 3
 Every college or university wants to expand its visibility,
respond to its audiences’ needs and cost-effectively promote
its institutional brand.
 These are just some of the reasons why 100% of schools have
embraced social media marketing to some extent.
 While being active with institutional accounts on major social
networks has become a must, for true brand messaging
maximization, who has more visibility than the college president?
 Top school administrators are increasingly taking to social media to
communicate with current and prospective students and the broader
community, acting as thought leaders, building strategic
relationships, and strengthening their institution’s reputations.
 According to a comprehensive 2012-2013 UMass study of social
media adoption in US colleges and universities, over half of
presidents are on Facebook (58%) and Twitter (55%), while 35%
host their own blog.
1. Social Media Presence
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Higher Education Presidents with Social Media Presence

4. Higher Education Presidents with Social Media
Presence
Slide 4
 A voice with the weight of an institution carries tremendous
power, establishing an example of responsiveness for the
entire campus.
 It is great both for broadcasting big news or managing campus
crises, finally putting rumours to rest. “These channels allow me to
reach a lot of people and give them a more personal view of my
thoughts and life,” explains Paul LeBlanc, president of Southern New
Hampshire University and a prominent tweeter.
 Here is some of LeBlanc’s Twitter advice from an interview with
higher ed consultant Michael Stoner:
 You have to find your voice and identify the persona you’re constructing (don’t try
to be the person you are in commencement in social media)
 Be authentic and comfortable
 Remember that humour goes a long way and that constantly retweeting other
people’s stuff is boring
 Don’t confuse the informality with being too informal: you’re still the president,
these are still public artifacts. Keep that in mind!
2. The Benefits of Going Social
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Higher Education Presidents with Social Media Presence

5. Higher Education Presidents with Social Media
Presence
Slide 5
 According to a 2012 survey cited by Stoner, “82% of
respondents were more likely or much more likely to trust a
company whose CEO and leadership team engage with
social media.” Better communication equates with better
leadership and this kind of transparency can powerfully
shape public perception of a college or university.
 University of Cincinnati (UC) President Santa J. Ono has become
something of a celebrity in higher education circles, elevating the
school’s visibility by tirelessly setting an example of relating to
students – whether that’s helping freshmen move into dorms, crowd
surfing at football games, or interacting on social media around the
clock.
 At last count, he has 29,500 Twitter followers (as “PrezOno”) and
notes that “it’s a rapid, efficient way to communicate with a lot of
people simultaneously: students, parents, alumni who are all over
the globe.”
2. The Benefits of Going Social
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Higher Education Presidents with Social Media Presence

6. Higher Education Presidents with Social Media
Presence
Slide 6
 Balancing institutional control with transparency isn’t easy
but tweeting presidents can personalize a school like nothing
else.
 But like anyone else, college presidents should embrace social
media to an extent that is comfortable to them. A popular
combination is using Twitter plus a blog – Twitter has a wide reach to
important audiences, including media, easily updated on the go,
while blogs are ideal for more comprehensive messaging.
 Facebook should be approached with more caution because its
equivocal privacy standards, encroaching advertising agenda and
more complex interactivity can mean less control if you’re not
following closely.
 That being said, Dominic Giroux, who became Laurentian
University’s president in 2009 at the age of 34 – the youngest in
Canada – has used his own Facebook page for student recruitment,
and actively engages students on Twitter, LinkedIn and his bilingual
blog.
3. Wading Into the Social Media Waters
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Higher Education Presidents with Social Media Presence

7. Higher Education Presidents with Social Media
Presence
Slide 7
 A recent study by McMaster University grad student Dan
Zaiontz, called “#FollowTheLeader”, analyzed the habits of
22 presidents who use Twitter to recruit students and
connect with faculty, government, media, alumni and donors.
 The study identified five Twitter user types:
 The Customer Servant: Answers a wide range of questions
 The Institutional Promoter: Only shares content about the school
 The Socially Inconsistent President: Has social media accounts but doesn’t
use them
 The Oversharing Non-Strategist: Mixes personal information and institutional
news but has no clear purpose
 The Socially Active Strategist: Exhibits a clear strategy in blending personal
information into institutionally-focused activity
 The most popular presidents on social media mix witty observations,
informative news scoops from daily meetings, cheerleading about
sports teams or school-related accomplishments, questions for the
general community, re-tweets of interesting student comments, and
advice/answers to student questions.
4. Social Media Leadership Strategies
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Higher Education Presidents with Social Media Presence

8. Higher Education Presidents with Social Media
Presence
Slide 8
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