50 Great Social Media Ideas for Higher Ed (Part 2)

Since March I've been writing about the trends in social media use in higher ed, and I recently highlighted great idea #50. So, I decided what better way to celebrate reaching that milestone than put all those ideas together in one place! 

Below is Part 2 (click here for Part 1) of a list of 50 awesome ways higher ed is utilizing social media to engage with prospective students, current students, alumni, and parents; promote important news and research; and help bring campus stories to a wider audience.

If you enjoy this list and the ideas on it, please bookmark the blog, follow me on Twitter and Facebook, and use the form on the right to submit a great idea that I haven't featured yet!

26. Nostalgia through Music – Susquehanna University 

Nothing stokes alumni nostalgia quite like music, as Susquehanna proves here. Original post. 

27. Borrowing Buzzfeed – Drake University 

Want a fun way to promote an upcoming event? Look no further than this fun listicle from Drake! Original post.

28. Spirit Fridays – University of Portland 

Sometimes I write about myself. Because why have a blog if you can't do some navel gazing, amirite? This is a really fun way to get some school spirit going, on and off campus! Original post. 

29. Orientation Welcome Signs – University of Portland

Me again! Figured I'd get myself out of the way early. Asking your alumni to make signs welcoming new students and submitting photos is a terrific way to keep them engaged and make your new students feel like part of the family. Original post.

30. Tagboard – Wake Forest University 

Tagboard is a terrific tool to curate all the tweets, instagrams, facebook posts, vines, etc. that use a specific hashtag. Perfect for events like orientation and graduation! Original post.

31. Texas A&M – Orientation Instagram Challenge

Capturing all the new student excitement with an Instagram challenge is a great way to get freshmen connected to your social media presence early and often. Original post. 

32. Building Anticipation – Louisiana State University

What a way to promote an event! Just look at that picture... even I'm excited for LSU football now, and I hate the SEC. (West coast = Best coast!) Original post. 

33. Answering Freshman Questions – Howard University

Such a great way to connect with incoming students and make them feel right at home. Original post. 

34. Going Viral with Humor – Saint Joseph’s College

No matter how hard you try and how creative you get, nothing beats a good joke when it comes to going viral. Original post. 

35. Incoming Class highlights – University of Southern California

Everyone loves reading about new freshmen, so why not do some legwork with the admissions office and start sharing some of their great stories early? Original post. 

36. Monthly Photo Challenge – Louisiana State University

More LSU, more great social media ideas. Just search on the #snapLSU hashtag and see how awesome this idea is. Original post. 

37. Freshman Advice – Washington State University and Appalachian State 

There might not be anything people on Facebook love more than giving advice to new students. Seriously. Original post.

38. A Different Type of Heart Hand – Soka University

Leveraging student creativity is always a good thing, especially when it turns a well-known meme onto its head (er... heart). Original post.

39. Y’all Come Back Now, Ya Hear! Video – Lee University

Watch the video here. "Bummer in the summer." Enough said. Original post.

40. Recycle, Repost, Reuse – Texas

You don't always have to creat something new... put all that great content you'v got on the web to use! Original post. 

41. Dorm Pride – Elon University

Stoking dorm pride is always, always a good way to get engagement. Heck. sometimes all you need to do is just post a photo and watch the likes come flowing in! Original post. 

42. Acceptance Letters Ahoy – Yale 

Is it getting time for acceptance letters to be sent out? Snap a quick pic of them before they hit the mail. Such a fun way to get prospective students excited... and nervous! Original post. 

43. 4th of July Fun – Siena College

Tired of posting about holidays, but feel obliged to do so? Why not have some fun with it? Original post. 

44. Promoting Instagram on Facebook – Yale

Yep, Yale again. Having difficulty promoting your Instagram page? Post a gallery of your best pics on Facebook! Original post. 

45. Sharing Stories – University of Portland  

Last post about me, I promise! Want to really emotionally connect with people and have your posts resonate? Don't just go for cheap engagement... tell a story. Original post.

46. Page Lists Galore – Marquette University 

Is the number of "official" Facebook pages at your university overwhelming? Check out this really handy trick to allow people to see them all in one place. Original post. 

47. Graduation Hashtag – Loyola Marymount University 

Debating between promoting a year-round institutional hashtag and doing a unique one for an event? For a day as special as graduation, give a speical hashtag a try. Original post.

48. Promoting Multiple Events – Nebraska 

A small, but handy, tip to make your life just a bit easier when being forced to promote events on Facebook. Original post. 

49. Return of the Text – Lee University, Michigan State, Oklahoma Christian

Photos and videos may be all the rage, but ignore the power of plain text Facebook updates at your peril. Original post. 

50. Quote Graphics – Capella University 

Even if you're not into inspirational quotes, they are proven workhorses at getting engagement. Original post.

* * *

CLICK HERE FOR PART 1.

Again, if you enjoyed this list and the ideas on it, please bookmark the blog, follow me on Twitter and Facebook, and use the form on the right to submit a great idea that I haven't featured yet!