Facebook for Higher Education How Institutions Can Optimize Their Page

By Leah Bishop Kennesaw State University10/6/17

Table of Contents

References 10

Introduction 2

Optimizing Facebook Pages 3

Branding Facebook Pages 4

Show Off Your Campus 5

Connect with Students 6

Share News and Events 7

Expand your Reach 8

Leave an Impression 9

Social media has become a vital part of higher education’s digital marketing plan. Students are now turning to social media platforms to research universities and colleges before going through the application process. Higher education social media posts allow prospective students to visualize their experience on different campuses.

Facebook is still one of the highest used social media platforms, with 76 percent daily use from 1.9 billion users worldwide (Pew Research Center, 2017; Kimp, 2017). Facebook is also the most commonly used social media platform for higher education, with 96 percent of 950 higher education institutions world-wide having Facebook pages (Hanover Research, 2014). It is important for higher institutions to know about the distinctive features Facebook offers and how to create an experience for the students when they visit an institution’s page.

Introduction

5.6 million 18-24 year olds

8 seconds is the average attention span

1.1 million mobile-only monthly active Facebook users in 2016

(Elrick, 2017)

(Kimp, 2017)

(Kimp, 2017)

(Statista, 2017)

2

Facebook provides an about section for all their pages. Higher education institutions need to fill out these sections, highlighting accomplishments and qualities that set them apart from other institutions. About sections should include an address so visitors know where your campus located; a phone number and website URL so they know what to do if they want more information; and a category that describes the higher education institution page.

With 2 billion people searching on Facebook, it’s important for higher education institutions to optimize their page so they’re easily discovered. Visitors on pages need to be able to easily find information when they need it. By filling out these sections, higher education institutions will be easier to find.

Higher education institutions should verify their page through Facebook to help visitors ensure your page is authentic. A blue badge is automatically given to public figures or brands. If a blue badge is not given to an insitution or department, a gray badge can be requested from Facebook. Badges help prospective students and alumni know they are looking at the correct university, college, or department when they search through Facebook (Facebook Help Center, n.d.).

Optimizing Facebook Pages

It’s important for higher education institutions to claim an username because it would help visitors remember the page they are trying to visit. Usernames should be simple and include variation of the page’s name.

Verification

Usernames

About Section

3

Various departments within higher education institutions create their own Facebook pages, so it is important to create branding guidelines for the departments to follow. Developing a consistent brand throughout the various department Facebook pages allow students, alumni, and the academic community build a level of trust and positive attitude toward the institution ((Nevzat, Amca, Tanova, & Amca, 2016). Institutions need to develop a branding policy for departments to follow, including guidelines on profile pictures and page names.

Branding Facebook Pages

Higher education institutions should use logos and specific colors to help brand their Facebook pages. An example of good branding is the profile pictures for University of Maine. Only social media accounts managed at the university level are allowed to use the blue profile picture. Other departments have to use a white profile picture with the department name (University of Maine, n.d.).

Profile Pictures

Along with page verification, higher education institutions can help users spot an official account from an unofficial account by branding the account name. Facebook does not provide a limit on characters for page names, so a department’s name plus the institution’s name can be added (Oregon State University, n.d.). Oregon State University provides a good examples of how departments should adopt a specific format.

Account Names

4

Show Off Your Campus

When students are considering a higher education institution, they want to see if they will fit in on the campus. Showing off the campus through photos allows the students to visualize themselves on the campus walking around or sitting under a tree to study.

Higher education institutions can create virtual tours in Facebook photo albums. High quality photos provide prospective students feel like they are taking a tour of the campus. This is important to have in case your page has visitors considering an institution outside the state and are unable to take on campus tours.

Photo Albums

Photos that are 360˚ provide panaromic view create great way to show off certain parts of a institution’s campus and can easily be taken with phones. As seen with Oregon State University’s post, these types of photos provide a stunning view of the campus that students could enjoy (Facebook Blueprint, n.d. - c).

360˚ Photos

5

With over 800 million users on Facebook Messenger, it’s apparent asking questions online is becoming an emerging social strategy. The shift of users to Messenger, along with other messaging apps, has signaled a migration from public posts to more intimate and private conversations. One on one conversations online has fostered more direct, open communication and the intimacy of the conversation makes it possible for students to share more personal information. Messenger codes and chatbots allow students to feel higher education institutions are available at any time to answer questions about admissions or a program the institution may offer (Higher Education Marketing, 2018).

Facebook has continued to improve Messenger since it became its own app. Universities and departments can create a code Messenger users can scan and start a conversation with the Facebook page. Codes can be printed on fliers and other materials students will see, as well as displayed on websites. Students then have an easy and more convenient way to contact departments in higher education institutions (Facebook Blueprint, n.d. - b).

Messenger Codes

Higher education Facebook pages that receive a lot of the same questions could benefit from chatbots. Filled with a database of information, chatbots for universities could help both prospective and current students find answers quickly. Chatbots also help staff members, as it frees up time normally spent talking to the students (Daulerio, 2016).

Chatbots

Connect with Students

6

Share News and Events

Sharing news and events via social media is important on higher education institutions. Since Millennials and Generation Z turn to technology when they are looking for news and events, higher education institutions need to share this information on their pages. Facebook allows page administrators to share news and create events to help gather interest about the page and what is happening within the institution. Posts also drive engagement on the pages, from simple likes, sharing the posts or event, or commenting on the post (Peurata, 2017).

When Facebook pages start a live video, users are notified by a notification. This feature would help bring engagement to a higher education institution page needs a boost in organic reach. Higher education institutions can use Facebook Live to broadcast seminars and lectures, along with answering Q&A questions for prospective and current students. After a live broadcast, pages can edit the videos as well as add captions later if needed (Joly, 2017).

Facebook Live Videos

When sharing a news story, it is best have a photo accompany the post. Since photos have a 67 percent engagement rate, they are a popular option to among public and private institutions. The content of the image also needs to be considered. Since people relate to other people, photos of accomplishments of faculty, staff, students, and alumni can gather a higher engagement rate than other photo topics (Peruata, 2017).

Posts with Images

By creating an event, higher education institutions are helping students discover activities around campus. Pages should fill out the event pages completely and provide as much information as possible to make the event more appealing to students (Facebook Blueprint, n.d. - a).

Create an Event

7

Expand your Reach

With millions of updates being posted online on a daily, it can be difficult for post to be seen. Facebook allows pages to boost their posts for a small fee. Facebook also allows pages to create ads to reach a certain demographic. This allow higher education institutions can connect with the students looking into a degree program or considering finding out more information about a certain institution. Not all ads are the same though. Some gather higher engagement than others with different demographics (Facebook Business, n.d. - a).

Image ads provides awareness to who an institution is or what degrees an institution offers. Similar to regular posts, images with people are more likely to gather more interest and interaction than photos without people (Peurata, 2017).

ImagesWith 100 million videos views each day on Facebook, it’s hard to ignore the impact a video ad could have. Higher education institutions need to capture the attention of students within 15 seconds. Videos also need to be design with the sound off in mind since the ad will most likely been seen on a mobile phone (Video Ads, n.d.).

Videos

Carousel ads allow pages to showcase up to ten images or videos in a single

ad. Carousels would allow more highlighted information about

a degree or other program offered in an higher education institution (Facebook Business, n.d. - b).

CarouselsSlideshow ads are similar to video, except they do not have movement to them. Slideshows use high quality images with motion, sound, and text to create a video-like feel (Facebook Business, n.d. - c).

Slideshows

8

Leave an Impression

Prospective students for undergraduate and advanced degrees are looking to social media to find out information about higher education institutions before applying. With 67 percent of people looking at photos and videos on higher education Facebook, it is important for institutions to create experiences for the visitor to help feel like they are already students (Facebook IQ, 2016).

Facebook recently added the ability for cover videos to automatically play when a person visits a page. Higher education institutions can use this Facebook page feature to create an experience for prospective students. Harvard University took adventage of the feature to create an experience for page vistiors of walking through the gates of the prestigious university.

Cover Videos

Like 360˚ photos, 360˚ videos are a great way to show off campuses. What sets 360˚ videos apart is the ability to make a person feel they are in the middle of an event or campus. While 360˚ videos require an investment in specialized hardware, these types of videos provides an immersive storytelling that can sway a student into wanting to attend an institution (Facebook Blueprint, n.d. - d).

360˚ Videos

9

References

Daulerio, K. (2016, November 10). Engaging Students with Chatbots: A Rising Tide. Retrieved from http://blog.admithub.com/engaging-students-with-chatbots-a-rising-tide

Elrick, L. (2017, June 14). Is Facebook Still An Effective Marketing Tool for Higher Education? Retrieved from https://www.oliveandcompany.com/blog/facebook-marketing-in-higher-education

Facebook Blueprint. (n.d. - a). Creating an Event. Retrieved October 2, 2017 https://www.facebookblueprint.com/uploads/resource_courses/targets/332752/original/build/index.html#/id/co-1000

Facebook Blueprint. (n.d. - b). Encouraging Communication With Customers. Retrieved October 2, 2017 https://www.facebookblueprint.com/uploads/resource_courses/targets/342718/original/build/index.html#/id/co-3000

Facebook Blueprint. (n.d. - c). How to Create 360 Photos. Retrieved October 3, 2017 https://www.facebookblueprint.com/uploads/resource_courses/targets/338439/original/build/index.html#/id/co-2000

Facebook Blueprint. (n.d. - d). How to Create 360 Videos. Retrieved October 2, 2017 https://www.facebookblueprint.com/uploads/resource_courses/targets/338439/original/build/index.html#/id/co-3000

Facebook Business. (n.d. - a). Advertising on Facebook. Retrieved October 3, 2017, from https://www.facebook.com/business/products/ads

Facebook Business. (n.d. - b). Facebook Carousel Format: multiple images and text in one Ad. Retrieved October 4, 2017 https://www.facebook.com/business/learn/facebook-create-ad-carousel-ads

Facebook Business. (n.d. - c). How Facebook Slideshow Ads Work. Retrieved October 3, 2017 https://www.facebook.com/business/learn/facebook-create-ad-slideshow-ads

Facebook Business. (n.d. - d). How Video Ads Work on Facebook. Retrieved October 3, 2017 https://www.facebook.com/business/learn/facebook-create-ad-video-ads

Facebook Help Center. (n.d.). What is a verified Page or profile? Retrieved October 4, 2017 https://www.facebook.com/help/196050490547892?helpref=faq_contentFacebook IQ. (2016, November 10). A Mobile Decision: How US Students Return to Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/iq/articles/a-mobile-decision-how-us-students-return-to-higher-education

Hanover Research. (2014, March). Trends in Higher Education Marketing, Recruitment, and Technology. Retrieved from http://www.hanoverresearch.com/media/Trends-in-Higher-Education-Marketing-Recruitment-and-Technology-2.pdf

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Harvard University. (2017, May 26). Experience Commencement as a Harvard graduate in this inspiring 360° video. Congratulations, Class of 2017! [Facebook Video] Retrieved October 3, 2017, from https://www.facebook.com/Harvard/videos/vl.832117540286090/10154377525246607/?type=1

Harvard University. (n.d.). Home | Facebook [Facebook Page]. Retrieved October 3, 2017, from https://www.facebook.com/Harvard/

Higher Education Marketing. (2018, January 18). How Instant Messaging and Chatbots are Transforming Student Recruitment for the Hyper-Connected Generation [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.higher-education-marketing.com/blog/instant-messaging-chatbots-student-recruitment

Joly, K. (2017, April 27). Colleges go live on social media | University Business Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.universitybusiness.com/article/colleges-go-live-social-media

Kennesaw State University College of Science and Mathematics. (2017, August 30). Congratulations to Rebecca Webster and the other 9 Birla Carbon Scholars on a great Birla Carbon Symposium yesterday! Each student scholar worked side-by-side with a faculty researcher on a project over the 10-week summer program. [Facebook Post] Retrieved October 5, 2017, from https://www.facebook.com/KSU.CSM/photos/a.226860670702498.61197.221412651247300/1456717154383504/?type=3&theater

Kennesaw State University College of Science and Mathematics. (n.d.). Home | Facebook [Facebook Page]. Retrieved October 5, 2017, from https://www.facebook.com/KSU.CSM/

Kimp, S. (2017, March 22). Facebook demographics analysis reveals several startling truths. Retrieved from https://thenextweb.com/facebook/2017/03/22/facebook-demographics-analysis-startling-truths/#.tnw_AKJo1H4t

KSU College of Computing & Software Engineering. (n.d.). GOT I.T.? Do you want to make a difference and have an impact on world through computing? If yes, a Kennesaw State Computing Master's degree in Software Engineering is right for you! We offer 100% online, hybrid or in-class degree programs. [Facebook Ad] Retrieved October 1, 2017, from https://www.facebook.com/KSUCCSE/

Morehouse College. (n.d.). Home | Facebook [Facebook Page]. Retrieved October 4, 2017, from https://www.facebook.com/Morehouse1867/

Nevzat, R., Amca, Y., Tanova, C., & Amca, H. (2016). Role of social media community in strengthening trust and loyalty for a university. Computers in Human Behavior, 65, 550-559. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.09.018

References cont.

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Oregon State University. (2016, August 17). Here's a small look at summer on campus. Tilt/scroll for a 360 view (and the back of Weatherford). [Facebook Post] Retrieved October 4, 2017, from https://www.facebook.com/osubeavers/photos/a.94202303286.85946.38992348286/10154639663513287/?type=3&theater

Oregon State University. (n.d.). Social Branding | University Relations and Marketing. Retrieved October 2, 2017 http://communications.oregonstate.edu/brand-guide/using-brand/social-media/social-branding

Peruta, A., & Shields, A. B. (2016). Social media in higher education: understanding how colleges and universities use Facebook. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 27(1), 131-143. doi:10.1080/08841241.2016.1212451

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References cont.

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