Great Social Media Idea: Advice for Incoming Students

Pay attention today, faithful readers... today's idea is a good'un!

I really loved this gallery from Loyola Marymount University, in which faculty and staff members offered advice to incoming students:

There's just something so great about seeing the smiling faces of the community offering great life advice to the newest members of the family. The white board is a nice touch... it's fun to be able to see the handwriting and it adds to the personal touch that makes things like this so powerful. 

I'm not entirely sure what their plan is for this series, but it's definitely something I could see continuing on throughout the summer, adding some new photos on a regular basis. It's also neat to think about different ways these could be leveraged into inviting participation from alumni and even current students, be incorporated into admissions materials, or be made into a really wonderful alumni magazine spread.

In a lot of ways, it reminds me of one of my favorite things from last year's orientation season, this great video from Oberlin College where parents offer their advice to the new freshmen. This video often pops up in my head when I think about different ways to achieve success in the social space. Yes, humor and a sense of fun go a long way, but so too can genuine words and heartfelt sentimentality.

Not only that, but it's never, ever, ever a bad idea to create content that can provide real value to the viewers. When a brand can post something that offers something truly useful rather than just making themselves look good, it is operating at a very high level on social media.

Well done, LMU!