Social Media Best Practices for Higher Education
e recently had the opportunity to lead two "Social Media in Higher Education" sessions for staff at City University of New York as part of their annual All Staff Day in Manhattan.
In collaboration with their Director of Organizational Development, we distributed a pre-workshop survey to assess the most common challenges. That feedback helped shape every aspect of the session.
What's Holding Social Media Back in Higher Ed?
The feedback pointed to the same challenges we hear consistently — not enough time, not enough content ideas, and metrics that look fine on paper but don't translate to real engagement. Participants also faced the challenge of creating consistent content with limited staff and resources.
Save Time With Smarter Strategy
Most higher ed teams are managing social alongside a dozen other responsibilities. That means the strategy has to work harder than the effort.
Focus first on what success looks like. Want to grow awareness of your programs? Drive more event registrations? Engage current and prospective students? Align your content efforts around those goals. If you're not moving toward a measurable outcome, it's worth reassessing.
Leverage internal talent. Students can be invaluable for content creation, channel insights, and boosting reach. Involve them as contributors or ambassadors. Think: "Follow @CUNYStudent for a look at campus life from a real student perspective."
Make social media management part of your weekly rhythm. Even 15 to 30 minutes a day makes a difference. A dormant profile can hurt more than help.
Create a shared calendar or working group across departments to keep communication flowing and avoid duplicated efforts.
Content Creation and Repurposing That Actually Works
Strong content starts with story themes for the academic year rather than scrambling week to week. What topics will matter to your audience? What are students proud of or curious about? What will inspire alumni to share?
Visuals matter. Posts with real photos — students in action, behind-the-scenes moments, campus events — consistently outperform stock images and templated graphics.
Repurpose wherever possible. A blog post can become a newsletter feature and a quote graphic for Instagram. One student spotlight can yield five different posts. You don't always need new content — reposting timely or seasonal content from the previous year with a small update can be just as effective.
Bridge the Gap Between Social and Your Website
Your website is often the final stop after a social click. Make sure it reinforces the message and gives visitors a clear next step — applying to a program, registering for an event, or simply learning more.
Audit your top-visited pages. Are they clear, mobile-friendly, and built around what your audience actually needs? Even small changes like adding a relevant testimonial, a clean call to action, or better imagery can make a meaningful difference.
Keep Listening and Improving
Use platform analytics to review performance monthly or quarterly. What's gaining traction? What's falling flat? Why?
Talk to students, faculty, or alumni about what kind of content they find valuable. Don't guess. Ask.
Prioritize value over self-promotion. Show your community, celebrate wins, provide answers.
If your team is navigating similar challenges, we're glad to help think through what a smarter social strategy looks like for your institution.