College marketing online has evolved from websites to social media for the 2010s and the trend seems like it’s here to stay. Facebook is one of the most widely used social networks with over 500 million users spread across the globe. Colleges have used Facebook pages to increase their reach and level of interaction with students in a myriad of ways.
For prospective students Facebook is used to provide virtual tours, geolocation based marketing and information for freshmen. Virtual tours and online pamphlets have been around for a while but the use of Facebook is a win-win situation for universities (businesses) and students (consumers). Students often find themselves on Facebook from their computers or their phones. With the help of Facebook’s uniform layout, it provides a simple, familiar way to browse content for students. For businesses it is free to have a Facebook page.
Potential students are also marketed to and through with the Facebook check-in option. University of Kentucky placed large wooden markers that looked like the Facebook Places logo. This encourages students to sign in or ‘check in’ their location at the school that helps spread awareness of the school as peers of these students are likely to see these posts and gain interest in the school.
Moreover, an exciting new specialty in the era of neo-web marketing; OnCampus Advertising can target the news feed of students enrolled in a specific school. This drastically improves the efficiency of our clients’ marketing efforts and needs as we can hone into only the relevant newsfeeds. This can be useful for targeting students for transfers, summer programs, and graduate schools.
Ultimately, Facebook has become a vital tool for colleges and businesses that wish to stay ahead of the game. It is necessary to get the student involved and help create word-of-mouth or ‘buzz’ on a larger scale.
