social media and graduate student recruitment

Bob Johnson Consulting, LLCBob Johnson Consulting, LLC 11

Social Media and Graduate Social Media and Graduate Student RecruitmentStudent Recruitment

©Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D. 2010©Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D. 2010

Graduate Student Marketing SeminarGraduate Student Marketing SeminarEducation Dynamics – Aslanian Education Dynamics – Aslanian

ConferencesConferencesNew York, N.Y. New York, N.Y.

July 29 , 2010July 29 , 2010


Getting StartedGetting Started


The “Groundswell”…The “Groundswell”…http://www.forrester.com/Groundswellhttp://www.forrester.com/Groundswell

““A social trend in which people use technology A social trend in which people use technology to get the things they need from each other, to get the things they need from each other, rather than from traditional institutions like rather than from traditional institutions like corporations.”corporations.”

Groundswell, Harvard Business Press, 2008Groundswell, Harvard Business Press, 2008

What’s in the Groundswell…What’s in the Groundswell…– FacebookFacebook– YouTubeYouTube– LinkedInLinkedIn– WikipediaWikipedia– Rate My ProfessorRate My Professor– And a host of other sitesAnd a host of other sites


Do you agree?Do you agree?

Question…Question…– ““If a school has 11,000 students and 319 FB fans now If a school has 11,000 students and 319 FB fans now

at official site, what fan level says FB is important for at official site, what fan level says FB is important for marcom?” (Asked on Twitter)marcom?” (Asked on Twitter)

Answer #1…Answer #1…– moreheadstatemoreheadstate@@HighEdMarketingHighEdMarketing “I'd say 2. Very “I'd say 2. Very

little effort and that's two more people you are little effort and that's two more people you are reaching. Also depends on what you are using it for.” reaching. Also depends on what you are using it for.”

Answer #2…Answer #2…– rachelreubenrachelreuben@@HighEdMarketingHighEdMarketing “I'd argue it's more “I'd argue it's more

about the volume & quality of conversation & about the volume & quality of conversation & interaction than # of fans.”interaction than # of fans.”


Online adults in the United States…Online adults in the United States…Data from Forrester Research Technographics® surveys, 2009Data from Forrester Research Technographics® surveys, 2009

How people 25 to 34 and 35-44 use social mediaHow people 25 to 34 and 35-44 use social media

– Creators….Creators…. 32% 32% and..... 23%and..... 23%

– Critics………Critics……… 45% 45% and….. 34%and….. 34%

– Collectors…Collectors… 26% 26% and….. 20%and….. 20%

– Joiners……Joiners…… 70% 70% and….. 54%and….. 54%

– Spectators…Spectators… 79% 79% and….. 73%and….. 73%

– Inactives……Inactives……10% 10% and….. 17%and….. 17%

Groups overlap… thus the high total percentGroups overlap… thus the high total percent


Is “Social Media” a marketing tool?Is “Social Media” a marketing tool?

Yes…Yes…

– But not a direct sales/recruitment toolBut not a direct sales/recruitment tool

– Social media allow potential students to listen to Social media allow potential students to listen to

people talk about their experience with youpeople talk about their experience with you

– Social media allows people to ask questions about Social media allows people to ask questions about

the value of your degree and get “experience the value of your degree and get “experience

answers” from your studentsanswers” from your students

– You can’t escape social media discussionsYou can’t escape social media discussions

– You can monitor and influence themYou can monitor and influence them


Social Media traffic… July 10, 2010Social Media traffic… July 10, 2010http://www.hitwise.com/resources/data-center.phphttp://www.hitwise.com/resources/data-center.php

1. Facebook… 1. Facebook… 55.64% 55.64%

2. YouTube… 16.80%2. YouTube… 16.80%

3. MySpace… 3. MySpace… 10.75%10.75%

4. Twitter… 1.17%4. Twitter… 1.17%

5. Yahoo! Answers… 5. Yahoo! Answers… .92% .92%

6.Tagged… .91% 6.Tagged… .91%

7. 7. myYearbook… .68%myYearbook… .68%

8. Windows Live 8. Windows Live Home… .41%Home… .41%

9. Mylife… 0.36%9. Mylife… 0.36%

10. MocoSpace… 10. MocoSpace… 0.35%0.35%

15. LinkedIn… .20%15. LinkedIn… .20%


To make social media work…To make social media work…

Clear responsibility to someone…Clear responsibility to someone…

Update frequentlyUpdate frequently

Monitor what’s happeningMonitor what’s happening

Beware of censorshipBeware of censorship

Prominent links from official websiteProminent links from official website

Monthly activity reportsMonthly activity reports– Participation rateParticipation rate– Topics of interestTopics of interest


Case Study: Case Study: University of PhoenixUniversity of Phoenix

Build online communities that allow current and Build online communities that allow current and future students to…future students to…

““interact, keep up with and explore the world of interact, keep up with and explore the world of University of Phoenix.” University of Phoenix.”


Centered on the home page…Centered on the home page…http://www.phoenix.edu/http://www.phoenix.edu/


From the home page link…From the home page link…http://www.phoenix.edu/students/online_communities.htmlhttp://www.phoenix.edu/students/online_communities.html


77 Facebook pages…77 Facebook pages…


The primary page… 47,292 liking itThe primary page… 47,292 liking it


Active “Discussions” page…Active “Discussions” page…


Complaints about faculty… OKComplaints about faculty… OK


Twitter… 3,375 followersTwitter… 3,375 followers


LinkedIn for alumni… 7,457 membersLinkedIn for alumni… 7,457 members


YouTube: 2,007 subscribers YouTube: 2,007 subscribers


Case Study: Case Study: University of TexasUniversity of Texas


School of Business… 1,877 “like” it School of Business… 1,877 “like” it http://www.facebook.com/#!/UTMcCombsSchool?ref=tshttp://www.facebook.com/#!/UTMcCombsSchool?ref=ts


Facebook Alumni site… 1,318 “like” itFacebook Alumni site… 1,318 “like” ithttp://www.facebook.com/#!/McCombsBBAAlumnihttp://www.facebook.com/#!/McCombsBBAAlumni


MBA class of 2010… not very activeMBA class of 2010… not very activehttp://bit.ly/cmjKfThttp://bit.ly/cmjKfT


““Walled garden” on Facebook?Walled garden” on Facebook?http://bit.ly/9xRUsMhttp://bit.ly/9xRUsM


School of Business… 3,346 followersSchool of Business… 3,346 followershttp://twitter.com/utexasmccombshttp://twitter.com/utexasmccombs


Business alumni… 593 followersBusiness alumni… 593 followershttps://twitter.com/UTMcCombsAlumnihttps://twitter.com/UTMcCombsAlumni


YouTube by school… silly? YouTube by school… silly? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERImtzXb5oIhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERImtzXb5oI


YouTube by school… serious?YouTube by school… serious?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeBIWydpzhohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeBIWydpzho


You can’t control…You can’t control…

What others say about you…What others say about you…


No control… 3,968 views, 205 commentsNo control… 3,968 views, 205 commentshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiqVhshLmQkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiqVhshLmQk


No control… 323 reviewsNo control… 323 reviewshttp://www.guidetoonlineschools.com/online-reviews/univerhttp://www.guidetoonlineschools.com/online-reviews/univer

sity-of-phoenixsity-of-phoenix


No one is immune… 13 NYU reviewsNo one is immune… 13 NYU reviewshttp://www.viewpoints.com/New-York-University-reviewshttp://www.viewpoints.com/New-York-University-reviews


Rate My Professor…Rate My Professor…http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/


Rate My Professor expands…Rate My Professor expands…http://twitter.com/ratemyprofessor/...... http://twitter.com/ratemyprofessor/......


Stay up to date…Stay up to date…


Groundswell blog…Groundswell blog…http://blogs.forrester.com/groundswell/http://blogs.forrester.com/groundswell/


Dave Evan’s Blog…Dave Evan’s Blog…http://www.readthis.com/http://www.readthis.com/


Pew Internet research reports…Pew Internet research reports…http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/Adults-and-Social-Network-http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/Adults-and-Social-Network-

Websites.aspxWebsites.aspx


Thank You!Thank You!

Bob Johnson, Ph.D.Bob Johnson, Ph.D.PresidentPresident

Bob Johnson Consulting, LLCBob Johnson Consulting, LLCMarshall, MI 49068Marshall, MI 49068

248.766.6425 248.766.6425

[email protected]@bobjohnsonconsulting.comCustomer Carewords Website Research Customer Carewords Website Research

www.bobjohnsonconsulting.comwww.bobjohnsonconsulting.com

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