We have been subscribing to and monitoring college Twitter streams lately. In doing so, we have learned that colleges are using Twitter to:
- Broadcast campus happenings (concerts, sporting events, etc.)
- Few are engaging their students or alumni directly
The communications are one-way, typical of a radio broadcast, a newspaper ad, or other traditional media used by most colleges. Based on our experiences, we believe colleges are squandering opportunities to connect with their students in an increasingly mobile medium. A recent Pew Internet & American Life survey, Twitter and Status Updating, said most avid users are college aged:
Twitter and similar services have been most avidly embraced by young adults. Nearly one in five (19%) online adults ages 18 and 24 have ever used Twitter and its ilk, as have 20% of online adults 25 to 34. Use of these services drops off steadily after age 35 with 10% of 35 to 44 year olds and 5% of 45 to 54 year olds using Twitter. The decline is even starker among older internet users; 4% of 55-64 year olds and 2% of those 65 and older use Twitter.
We believe that higher education’s failure to embrace Twitter and other social media tools is due largely to inadequate staffing; however, a few well-placed student “ambassadors” could help the college gain a foothold and a voice with fellow students in this medium. Who better to communicate with students than other students? Many colleges do this well for recruitment and campus peer support groups, so it seems to us that it is only a small step to take this support and engagement online via Twitter, and perhaps Facebook.
Those who consider Twitter and other social media tools a passing fad run the risk of losing near-term opportunities to demonstrate relevancy in their student lives, and may impact their long-term ability to maintain their connections with these students after graduation.
College administrators take note: Social media is here to stay. It is a product of the Millennial Generation–today’s students–and they will undoubtedly see that it remains useful in their adult lives. Connecting now is the best way to ensure you will remain prominent in the daily stream of information to your future alumni.
Tags: Alumni, Facebook, Socal Media, Student, Twitter, Web 2.0