As we transition into the second half of 2024, understanding and leveraging social media trends is more crucial than ever, especially for educational institutions aiming to recruit students locally and internationally.
Social media platforms have evolved into essential tools for reaching prospective students and engaging with the community. In this blog post, we will delve into the social media trends of 2024.
Based on our 15 years of experience driving enrollment for educational institutions, we’ve provided actionable, effective strategies for using social media presence to increase traffic to their websites, and ultimately, boost your student recruitment.
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What’s New: Social Media in 2024
In 2024, an estimated 5.1 billion people will use social media. That’s an astonishing 62% of the earth’s population. There is no end to this growth in sight. Over one year, from January 2023 to January 2024, we saw an increase of 320 million social media users globally.
Naturally, as various organizations have recognized the value of social media marketing, advertising spending across platforms is dramatically increasing. This year, social media advertising spending is projected to reach 219.8 billion dollars. With these impressive numbers in mind, it’s worthwhile to evaluate how your educational institution uses social media for its marketing efforts. Which platforms are you using?
Source: HEM
Choosing the Right Platforms for Your School
Each social media platform offers different benefits to schools depending on their target audience, marketing goals, and organizational objectives. With that being said, a highly effective social media marketing strategy will always involve utilizing several platforms at once. Let’s explore what each of the most popular social media websites can do for your institution:
Marketing on Facebook offers numerous benefits for schools looking to boost enrollment. One of the primary advantages is its ability to facilitate community engagement around school events or courses. By leveraging Facebook’s interactive platform, you can create and share content encouraging parents, students, and the local community to participate in discussions, attend events, and stay informed about school activities.
Furthermore, Facebook’s sophisticated targeting options enable schools to reach specific demographics based on interests, location, and behaviour. This precise targeting ensures that marketing efforts are directed toward families and individuals likely to be interested in the school’s offerings, thereby increasing the likelihood of converting interest into actual enrollments.
Additionally, Facebook is ideal for retargeting campaigns, allowing schools to reconnect with users who have previously shown interest in their programs but have not yet enrolled. This capability helps to keep the school top-of-mind and can significantly improve conversion rates.
Youtube
Marketing on YouTube offers significant benefits for schools aiming to boost enrollment. One key advantage is the ability to curate educational content in structured playlists. This feature allows schools to create organized collections of videos that provide valuable information to prospective students and their families, showcasing the school’s strengths, programs, and campus life.
YouTube’s live streaming option is useful for hosting live classes or events. This capability enables schools to reach a broader audience in real time, engaging with potential students through interactive sessions and live Q&A segments.
Moreover, YouTube offers targeted advertising options, including skippable and non-skippable ads. These ads can be accurately targeted through demographics, interests, and behaviours, making sure the promotional content reaches the right audience.
Marketing on Instagram provides distinct advantages for schools aiming to boost enrollment. This platform allows schools to engage younger audiences with short, dynamic content about campus life, educational tips, or event highlights. Instagram’s visual and interactive nature makes it an ideal medium for showcasing the vibrant aspects of school life, creating a compelling narrative that can attract prospective students.
Additionally, schools can utilize Instagram Stories, photo and video ads, to reach and convert prospects effectively. These features enable schools to present authentic and appealing glimpses into daily activities and special events, fostering a connection with potential students.
Placing ads in the Explore tab allows schools to discover new content aligned with users’ interests, reaching a broader and more targeted audience. By leveraging Instagram’s unique functionalities, schools can create engaging content that resonates with younger demographics, ultimately driving higher engagement and increasing enrollment.
TikTok
One of the primary advantages of this platform is its ability to help schools engage younger audiences by participating in trending educational challenges. These trends can capture the attention of prospective students in a fun and relatable way, showcasing the school’s creativity and modern approach to education.
In addition, TikTok is an excellent platform for promoting brand awareness and highlighting a school’s unique selling points through entertaining and dynamic content. Schools can effectively showcase their educational offerings and upcoming events to a broad audience through in-feed ads, brand takeovers, or hashtag challenges.
These marketing strategies enhance visibility while creating a buzz around the school, making it more appealing to potential students. Leveraging TikTok’s interactive and engaging format can significantly increase a school’s reach and appeal, ultimately leading to higher enrollment numbers.
Marketing on LinkedIn offers strategic advantages for schools aiming to boost enrollment, particularly among professionals and older audiences looking to expand their skills. LinkedIn is a powerful platform for connecting with a demographic focused on career advancement and lifelong learning. You can leverage this by promoting educational programs and events tailored to professional development, thereby attracting those keen on enhancing their qualifications.
Furthermore, LinkedIn facilitates networking and discussions among alumni and professionals, creating opportunities for organic engagement and community building. You can use LinkedIn to showcase your alumni success stories and highlight the career trajectories of their graduates, adding credibility and appeal to their programs.
LinkedIn’s targeted advertising capabilities enable schools to reach specific professional demographics, ensuring that marketing efforts are directed toward individuals most likely to be interested in furthering their education.
Source: Randolph-Macon Academy | Instagram | LinkedIn
Example: Depending on who you’re trying to reach, your post on the same topic should be tailored to the target audience. Adjust what platform you’ll use, what time you’ll post, and the overall tone of your message based on who you’re communicating with.
Incorporate the Latest Social Media Trends in Your Strategy
Your social media marketing strategy needs to be as dynamic as the platforms. This means staying current with trends, understanding the platforms your target audience prefers, and tailoring your content accordingly. Let’s explore some of the trends you should be aware of in 2024!
1. Embrace Video and Visual Content
Consistent with 2024 trends, visual content—especially video—remains critical to social media marketing. Programs like YouTube Shorts and TikTok have made short-form videos incredibly popular, providing a compelling way to share stories, campus life, and student achievements. These tools are indispensable for catching the fleeting attention of prospects.
What role does user-generated content play in social media strategies? User-generated content encourages current students to create and share content about their experiences. This can add authenticity and relatability to your posts.
As you create video content to boost your school’s social media presence, prioritize personalized content. Tailoring content to fit different platforms ensures better engagement. For example, Instagram can be used to deliver vibrant visuals and stories, while LinkedIn can be utilized for professional updates and alumni networking.
2. Embrace AI and Social SEO
Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize digital marketing. Leveraging AI technologies can automate prompts, suggest content, and enhance visual content generation. Moreover, as younger audiences increasingly use social platforms like Instagram and TikTok for search purposes, optimizing your school’s social media channels for search (Social SEO) becomes essential.
Gen Z’s usage of search engines and social media to look up brand information worldwide from 2016 to 2023
Source: Statista
Pro tip: Don’t underestimate the importance of social SEO across platforms. Gen-Z, represents the target audience for many educational institutions, is turning to platforms like Instagram and TikTok for answers to life’s questions. Ensure your institution ranks high in search results for quality organic traffic
This involves:
- Keyword Research: Identifying and incorporating relevant keywords in your social media profiles and posts.
- Geo-Targeting: Tailoring content to be relevant to specific geographic locations.
- Quality Posting: Regular and high-quality posts to maintain visibility and engagement.
Source: University of Westminster | TikTok
Example: The University of Westminster utilizes geo-targeting with location-specific hashtags and content. When choosing the right school for them, many students carefully consider the location of each option. Be sure to leverage your location by highlighting all your local community has to offer
3. Ethical Practices and Mental Health Awareness
In 2024, the focus on sustainable and ethical practices has never been more significant, making it crucial for educators, marketers, and administrators to understand the importance of promoting sustainability and mental health.
Developing content that reflects ethical practices can resonate deeply with the 18 to 30-year-old demographic, who are increasingly conscious of the impact of their choices on the environment and society. Highlighting mental health resources and supportive environments in your content can attract students who prioritize well-being.
Source: Left: Concordia University | Facebook, Right: University of British Columbia | TikTok
Example: This generation of students is highly principled regarding various world issues with climate change, diversity, and health being of particular interest. Here, Concordia University (left) demonstrates how they actively participate in global climate initiatives and the University of British Columbia (right) promotes health awareness.
4. Meta AI, Algorithm Changes, and Their Implications
Recently, Meta introduced Meta AI, a new chatbot that enhances user experience and content creation capabilities across Meta platforms. This tool makes it easier for users to search within platforms and offers creators advanced capabilities similar to ChatGPT.
Source: Instagram and Facebook
Algorithm changes by Meta, and other social media platforms, can impact content visibility, prioritizing highly interactive content. To maintain or improve visibility, educational institutions should create engaging, high-quality content such as interactive posts, live videos, and real stories from students and alumni.
Maintaining a focus on authenticity is crucial; authentic and high-quality content remains vital for creating a strong digital presence and fostering meaningful engagement. By continually refining your posting strategies and prioritizing genuine, high-quality content, you can navigate the shifting landscape of social media algorithms and maintain a robust online presence.
5. Nostalgia Core
The resurgence of 70s and 80s aesthetics, fueled by Gen Z’s fascination with these decades, presents a unique opportunity for education marketing. By incorporating vintage-inspired visuals, music, and fashion into their content, educational institutions can create a strong emotional connection with this demographic.
Source: University of Kent | TikTok
Example: Does your school have an impressive legacy to share? Uset to appeal to Gen Z, an audience that is fascinated with the past. Here, the University of Kent showcases a nostalgia-core throwback video.
This nostalgic trend that captures the essence of simpler times but also bridges the institution’s heritage with modern-day aspirations. It invokes a comforting and inspiring sense of nostalgia, making it a powerful tool for engaging prospective students who appreciate the charm and nostalgia of the past.
6. Google Ads and Social Media Ads
In the landscape of 2024 social media trends, a multi-channel approach incorporating Google search ads and social media ads can effectively maximize your reach. Google Search Ads are perfect for targeting potential students actively seeking information about schools like yours, ensuring your institution appears at the top of their search results. Meanwhile, Social Media Ads allow for precise demographic targeting, reaching a broader audience that aligns with your school’s profile.
By leveraging the strengths of both platforms, you can achieve comprehensive coverage, engaging both individuals actively searching for schools and those who fit your target demographic but may not be actively looking. This combined strategy enhances your visibility and increases the likelihood of attracting and engaging prospective students, aligning with the latest trends in social media marketing for educational institutions.
Driving Social Traffic to Your Website
A robust social media presence drives traffic back to your institution’s website. How can you achieve this? First, ensure all social media profiles are fully optimized with relevant keywords, consistent branding, and clear calls to action. This optimization helps increase visibility and attract the right audience.
Consistent posting of regular, timely content keeps your audience engaged and encourages them to return for more updates. It’s crucial to focus on high-quality, informative, and visually appealing content, which will capture and retain the interest of potential students and their families.
Incorporating clear calls to action (CTAs) in your posts will guide followers to your website for more information or to apply, effectively converting social media engagement into tangible results. By implementing these strategies, your institution can enhance its online presence and drive more traffic to its website.
Tracking Social Media Performance and Link Management
Effectively tracking social media performance is crucial for making informed decisions. Using tools like link shorteners and UTM parameters can help you track where traffic is coming from, providing valuable insights into which platforms and posts drive engagement.
Additionally, consider using Linktree or similar tools to share multiple links through a single profile, streamlining the user experience and ensuring your audience can easily access all your important content. By implementing these strategies, you can clearerly understanding your social media performance and make data-driven decisions to optimize your efforts.
How can educational institutions optimize their social media profiles? Social media trends are ever-changing, and staying on top of these developments can give educational institutions a significant advantage in student recruitment and engagement.
By updating social media strategies, enhancing content creation, utilizing AI, and maintaining focus on ethical practices and mental health, schools can position themselves as attractive options for prospective students. Embracing these strategies will lead to a stronger online presence and better student recruitment outcomes.
Struggling with enrollment?
Our expert digital marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students!
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What role does user-generated content play in social media strategies?
Answer: User-generated content encourages current students to create and share content about their experiences. This can add authenticity and relatability to your posts.
Question: How can educational institutions optimize their social media profiles?
Answer: Social media trends are ever-changing, and staying on top of these developments can give educational institutions a significant advantage in student recruitment and engagement.
