Twitter For Higher Ed: Why Twitter Should be Part of Your Marketing Plan

Created in 2006, Twitter has turned into a breaking news social media site for 229 million daily users in recent years. Twitter is unique to other social media platforms because it requires a limit on the amount of words that can be used for each post. Each tweet is allowed to be just 280 characters, including spaces. This means the writer of the tweet must be focused and know the purpose of the message going out at any given time.

All of this is good news for higher ed institutions. With the focus of Twitter now as a news platform, social media posts and posts leading Twitter users to specific websites are able to be focused and purposeful, leading to positive engagement with prospective students and influencers.

How You Can Use Twitter to Engage With Different Audiences

The power of Twitter should not be ignored by higher ed institutions. Nor should it be treated in the same way as Facebook and Instagram when it comes to engaging with audiences. As of the fall of 2022, many users treat Twitter as a “breaking news” site, and so that is how higher ed institutions should use it as such.

Do you have breaking news sports scores to share with your students, alumni, and stakeholders? Issue a press release or quarter-by-quarter score reports. A research project your faculty got funding for? It’s time to share the news on Twitter.

Twitter is also a powerful place to highlight equity, cultural values, and important causes that the institution believes in. Interaction with national days or initiatives and call attention to what your campus is doing to be part of a broader solution.

Student takeovers, live Q&A sessions, contests, and around-campus videos are other great ways to create a buzz and engage with stakeholders on twitter. Tips and insights about studying, well-being, mental health, and other campus priorities? Share about it on Twitter.

How To Start (Or Restart) With Twitter

Higher ed institutions should treat Twitter as their own personal newsroom and use it as another way to get positive press into the hands of people who need it. As with other social media accounts, institutions will want to create a promotional, branded hashtag to use that will link all of your posts together and allow you to see what others are saying about your institution when using the same hash-tag. If you think it’s not important, according to this post about Twitter statistics, tweets that use hashtags are 33% more likely to be retweeted than those that do not use hashtags. Twitter also has a feature that allows you to search for discussions about your school that might not be linked to the hashtag.

Beyond creating a hashtag that can be used across social media platforms and on your institution’s websites, it’s best to make a plan for when to post and when to interact with followers. Generally, posting on Twitter three or more times a day is recommended, as well as interacting with @s and direct messages daily. Making a plan for who will interact with comments and who will post takes organization, but being proactive and making plans will benefit your institution in the long run.

Work with Us

Adding Twitter or reimagining what Twitter can do for your higher ed institution doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’ve spent the last 21 years in higher ed marketing and would love to consult with you on solving these challenges together. Contact our Vice President Dana Cruikshank for a free consultation call.