using social media to improve the student experience
TRANSCRIPT
Using Social Media
to improve the Student Experience
Paul Fryer
Digital Marketing Manager
30 January 2014
14th September 2012University of Bedfordshire 2
Social Media: Do’s and Don’tsPublic relations
14th September 2012University of Bedfordshire 3
Social Media: Do’s and Don’tsLoyalty building
14th September 2012University of Bedfordshire 4
Social Media: Do’s and Don’ts Collaboration
14th September 2012University of Bedfordshire 5
Social Media: Do’s and Don’ts
Networking
14th September 2012University of Bedfordshire 6
Social Media: Do’s and Don’tsStudent recruitment
14th September 2012University of Bedfordshire 7
Social Media: Do’s and Don’tsCustomer service
Using social media to improve the student experience
Why is social media important to us?
• 100% of Universities have a social media presence
• 18 – 24 is the primary demographic
• The whole world can now see if we have any customer service issues
• Customer Service timeline – Student Experience
• Website less important
• Audience are now more marketing savvy
• 78% of consumers trust peer opinions- Amazon, Trip Advisor (Student Room)
Why is social media important to us?
• People have always talked – one of many forums
• Easier to use a space they are already in
• The use of any form of technology to communicate is transitory
• Failure to engage and listen could cost us business and will mean we do not have our ear to the ground
• Registration and WiFi issues
Using social media to improve the student experience
Using social media to improve the student experience
• Over 30 accounts University wide. Main University account (@uniofbeds has nearly 10,000 followers)
• Currently most powerful – due to extensive reach, amount of activity, ease of updating, demographic
• Clearing – over 200 daily interactions (Freshers)
• 1-2 hours devoted daily to main account (feedback required from all areas of the University)
• Working with departments on responses daily
• Monitoring sentiment and competitors
Using social media to improve the student experience
• 15+ regularly updated University accounts
• More popular with key influencers (parents) and International students
• 28,000+ likes on our main page (potential reach of 180,000+ people for campaigns)
• Targeted posts (based on age, location, marital status, interest etc.)
Using social media to improve the student experience
YouTube
• All pushed through one central account with specific playlists (662,710 video views)
• Statistics on viewing patterns/calls to action
• One account with over 200 followers
• Purely visual, can showcase University facilities
Blogging
• 10 University blogs. Also have student bloggers
• Blogger has high search engine optimisation (SEO)
Using social media to improve the student experience
How we use it for customer service
Aug 2014 – Jan 2015
Using social media to improve the student experience
Our practices – guidelines are in place
• Available on in.beds.ac.uk under ‘MARC’
• Ensure consistency and appropriateness
• Guidelines not policies – want to be innovative
• Advice on content – most popular
• Advice on audience - Peek analytics
Using social media to improve the student experience
Website shares
Using social media to improve the student experience
Automated Tweets
• Clearing 2014
• Retweeted over 837 times
• 1,600,000+ views
• Featured in Huffington Post
• Public apology needed
Using social media to improve the student experience
How you can help
• Come to us for advice / guidance
• Tap into ready built audience and content strategy
• What happened yesterday is irrelevant
• Quick response times
• 24/7 – evenings and weekends Average of 28 a day in 2014
• Take ownership of problems
• Turning around complaints
Using social media to improve the student experience
How social media can help
• Customer service
• Student retention
• Brand visibility – Google rankings
• Changing the public perception of the University
• Reaching specific demographics
• Responding and diffusing issues and problems
• Helping us to offer a better student experience
Using social media to improve the student experience
All equals positive feedback!
Task: How would you respond?
• University only mentioned (not talking directly to us)
Task: How would you respond?
• Respond immediately • Conversational tone
Task: How would you respond?
• Suggest other avenues
Task: How would you respond?
• Take conversation offline • Final positive feedback!• Student number