University social media marketing tips | THE Campus Learn, Share, Connect – Times Higher Education
The complex branding challenges of higher education institutions in emerging countries can seem unmanageable. First, services and degree programmes offered by universities seem to be identical, making it hard to stand out. Second, universities in emerging countries often suffer from a lack of formal communication methods to connect the value of their brand to their target audience.
But building a brand for higher education institutions in emerging countries neednt be a nightmare especially if you know how to use social media marketing to develop brand credibility and brand equity. In this research, emerging countries are considered to be countries that are on a path towards prosperity with economic development, low per capita income and high potential for growth, such as Vietnam, Thailand and Tunisia.
We examined students perceptions of marketing on social media based on two communication methods: user-generated content and institution-generated content to develop brand credibility and brand equity, using data from a survey with 936 undergraduates, from two emerging countries, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Here we present advice based on our findings.
To create and exchange information about the university brands with prospective students, social media marketing is developed in two forms: user-generated content and institution-generated content.
User-generated content refers to the media content created by students, staff, alumni and other stakeholders for the educational institution that can be shared directly or repurposed. It could be them capturing their personal journeys, the university campus, graduation ceremonies, festivals or simply sharing memories.
Institution-generated content is the media content created by university marketing team on official brand pages and social media channels.
Although these two forms of content are equally important, students are highly reliant on and follow user-generated content as it is not designed to serve a commercial purpose. Authentic and entertaining, user-generated content makes a big impact on institutions brands because it presents an authentic view of campus life.
User-generated content motivated prospective students in Sri Lanka and Vietnam to develop positive feelings towards an institution, our research showed, due to the collectivist culture in these countries.
Peer-to-peer marketing of this nature is not new, but institutions still miss opportunities to pivot their content strategies towards authentic, student voices. Here are some easy ways to encourage students to create more content and build a positive brand value for their university.
Brand equity refers to the value endowed by the institutional brand, which helps to mitigate risks, such as fewer applicants or student attrition, and differentiates a university from its competitors.
By building credibility, a university will increase its brand equity, our study shows. To make enrolment decisions, prospective students are dependent on universities providing accurate and truthful information. They want to know that the institution they apply to will deliver on its promises. As institutions increasingly use social media to share, communicate and collaborate with current and potential students, they must ensure that the information shared is trustworthy. To address these challenges, universities can:
These strategies to help develop an institutions brand equity should be used in combination in order to engage potential students and encourage an enrolment decision.
This insight is based on a recently published study: Higher education institutes brand equity in emerging markets: Impact of social media marketing and brand credibility in Q1-ranked Journal of Marketing Communications.
Charitha Harshani Perera is a lecturer in the Faculty of Business and Law at Northumbria University.
Rajkishore Nayak is an associate professor, and Long Thang Van Nguyen is a senior lecturer in the School of Communication and Design at RMIT University, Vietnam.
If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered directly to your inbox each week,sign up for the THECampus newsletter.
Read more:
University social media marketing tips | THE Campus Learn, Share, Connect - Times Higher Education
- Behind Amtraks social-first marketingthe viral Train-tacular post and whats next - Ad Age - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Olipops UGC Strategy: 5 Drops and Hotel Experiences That Drove Social Buzz - Influencer Marketing Hub - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Im a social media scientist with 3.5 million followers. Heres what Ive learned about public health communication - STAT - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Currys CEO: New generation of customers discovering the brand thanks to social strategy - Marketing Week - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- TikTok Provides an Overview of Its New Brand Consideration Ads [Infographic] - Social Media Today - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Outdated AI Drains Marketing Budgets and Wastes Team Time - MarTech Cube - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Championing Growth and Enabling Teams to Thrive: Social Elements CEOs Approach to Leadership - Little Black Book | LBBOnline - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- TikTok Launches Bulletin Boards for Broadcast Messaging From Creator and Brand Profiles - Social Media Today - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Ayrshire mentor named Social Media Marketing Specialist of the Year - The Scotsman - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- The harms of social media are largely blamed on individuals instead of tech companies - USC Annenberg - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Instacart Gains Momentum With AI and Social Media Partnerships, Says Citizens JMP - Yahoo Finance - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Tunisian girl set to be repatriated after social media love marriage ends in divorce - Geo.tv - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Snapchat Shares Trend Insights for Marketers to Tap Into This Summer [Infographic] - Social Media Today - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- The next performance marketing frontier: beyond search and social - Campaign - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- 24Social Expands Southeast Asia Reach with Over 8 Years of Proven Social Media Expertise - Yahoo Finance - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- How cheap SMM panels are revolutionizing social media marketing for small businesses - London Daily News - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Risks and Rewards: A Guide to Understanding Social Media Influencer Income for Valuation Professionals - CBIZ - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Technology to enforce teen social media ban is effective, trial says. But this is at odds with other evidence - The Conversation - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Own, a new social media app, aims to tokenize the creator economy - TechCrunch - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- I've Worked With 1,000 Brands 11 Social Media Secrets Every Business Should Be Using in 2025 - Entrepreneur - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Meta to Start Including Ads in WhatsApp - Adweek - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Gambling and social media abuse of athletes - what is going on? - BBC - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- YouTube Updates Shopping Buttons for Shorts, Expands Access to Communities - Social Media Today - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Reddit Announces New Conversation Research Tools and Updated Ad Options - Social Media Today - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Dove Wins Cannes Lions Media Grand Prix for Championing 'Real Beauty' in the Age of AI - Adweek - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- TikTok Launches New AI-Powered Ad Creation Tools, Integrations With Adobe and WPP - Social Media Today - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Creator content outperforms industry norms for brand impact, study finds - Marketing Week - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- How P.F. Changs turned a 5-second video into a viral brand moment - Marketing Brew - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Cupcake Giant Baked by Melissa on Supercharging DTC Sales and Social Media Reach to Drive Business - U.S. Chamber of Commerce - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- What to watch for during ESPNs UFC 316 coverage the Marketing & Social edition - ESPN Front Row - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Top Crypto Picks as Normalcy Returns Following the Trump and Musk Social Media War - Crypto Daily - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Meet Marketings Most Dynamic Duo: Connected TV and Social - Adweek - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Heineken uses hard numbers to foster better representation in social media ads - Digiday - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Orange 142 Releases Social Media Marketing Best Practices For Brands to Drive Stronger Social Media Campaigns and ROI - PR Newswire - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Snapchat Shares Notes on the Effectiveness of Skippable Versus Non-Skippable Ads - Social Media Today - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- The Top 5 Social Media Automation Tools to Save Time and Boost Engagement in 2025 - DesignRush - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- TikTok Shares a Range of Ad Updates at Its World Event - Social Media Today - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Get More from Your Social Strategy with YouTube - Adweek - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- LinkedIn Adds More Video Ad Options, Including First Impression Ads - Social Media Today - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Instagram Announces Latest Updates for Edits App, Including More Transition Effects - Social Media Today - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Metas Reportedly Planning to Enable Fully Automated Ad Campaigns by Next Year - Social Media Today - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Viral Nation is known for being one of the biggest digital talent agencies in the world. But it does a lot more than representation. - Tubefilter - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Musks ingratitude tweet might be the most costly social media post of all time - Sherwood News - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Social medias push for the perfect muscular body is fuelling a new form of disordered eating and young men are most at risk - The Conversation - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Social Advertising Social Media Market Size Trends and Forecast by Application, Type, and Geography - openPR.com - June 4th, 2025 [June 4th, 2025]
- RXBar scrubs corporate jargon from social feeds in battle against B.S. - Marketing Dive - June 4th, 2025 [June 4th, 2025]
- Junk food ads are flooding your teenager's social media feeds and it's influencing what they choose to eat - RNZ - June 4th, 2025 [June 4th, 2025]
- What it takes to win in social: Be a pinball wizard, storyteller, experimenter - webintravel.com - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Bungie's Marathon fans convinced game will be cancelled after paid marketing reportedly pulled - Indy100 - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- A social marketing guru shares the keys to successful campaigns - Fast Company - May 24th, 2025 [May 24th, 2025]
- SMBs rely heavily on social media for marketing and growth, study says - Marketing Dive - May 24th, 2025 [May 24th, 2025]
- Brands could start shunning AI for social media marketing and advertising, instead using their feeds to show off 'proof of reality,' consultant says -... - May 24th, 2025 [May 24th, 2025]
- Reddit Expands Dynamic Ads to All Advertisers - Social Media Today - May 24th, 2025 [May 24th, 2025]
- Junk food ads are flooding your teenager's social media feeds and it's influencing what they choose to eat - Australian Broadcasting Corporation - May 24th, 2025 [May 24th, 2025]
- Study shows importance of autonomy in social media recruitment for clinical trials - University of NebraskaLincoln - May 22nd, 2025 [May 22nd, 2025]
- Social Media Platforms Are Replacing Google: Why Brands Need to Pay Attention - Media Update - May 22nd, 2025 [May 22nd, 2025]
- Gen Z, TikTok and AI: The Future of Personalized Marketing - WWD - May 22nd, 2025 [May 22nd, 2025]
- 5 Fashion Brands That Dominated the Met Gala Social Conversation - The Business of Fashion - May 22nd, 2025 [May 22nd, 2025]
- Influencer shot dead during livestream voiced fear minutes before murder: "Maybe they were going to kill me" - CBS News - May 22nd, 2025 [May 22nd, 2025]
- Major warning if you see this on social media - News.com.au - May 22nd, 2025 [May 22nd, 2025]
- AllSaints on using actionable consumer research to overhaul its social media strategy - Marketing Week - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Social Media Is Dead. And Thats a Win for the Rest of Us. - TheStreet Pro - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- TikTok charged with breaching EU online content rules - Reuters - May 19th, 2025 [May 19th, 2025]
- Jordan Howlett On Why Brands Should Give Creators More Freedom - Adweek - May 15th, 2025 [May 15th, 2025]
- The state of social media marketing for publishers | Trends and tactics shaping paid social - Digiday - May 15th, 2025 [May 15th, 2025]
- McDonalds, Olipop, and Nissan Dish on Their Buzziest Brand Collabs - Adweek - May 15th, 2025 [May 15th, 2025]
- Forecasting the Future: Healthcare Social Media Market 2032 - openPR.com - May 15th, 2025 [May 15th, 2025]
- How Marriott Bonvoy Uses Social to Amplify its Live Event Partnerships - Adweek - May 15th, 2025 [May 15th, 2025]
- TikTok Outlines Benefits for Automotive Marketers in New White Paper - Social Media Today - May 15th, 2025 [May 15th, 2025]
- X's Head of Marketing Angela Zepeda Confirms an X Brand Campaign Is Coming Soon - Adweek - May 15th, 2025 [May 15th, 2025]
- Why Lyft and Notion Turn to LinkedIn Influencers for Brand-Building - Adweek - May 15th, 2025 [May 15th, 2025]
- Discord and Substack Say Niche Communities Are the Future of Platform Media - Adweek - May 15th, 2025 [May 15th, 2025]
- Why brand misinformation is on the rise in the AI eraand how marketers should fight it - Ad Age - May 15th, 2025 [May 15th, 2025]
- Topics - Five books and resources for people working in social media - Charity Digital - May 15th, 2025 [May 15th, 2025]
- (PDF) Social Media and Its Implications for Marketing Communications - ResearchGate - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Thais are heavily hooked on gaming: We Are Social - Nation Thailand - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- TikTok Pledges $1M in Ad Credits to US Small Businesses - Adweek - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- X Experiments With Upvotes and Downvotes on Posts - socialmediatoday.com - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- TikTok Announces a Range of SMB Support Initiatives for Small Business Month - socialmediatoday.com - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Pinterest Adds Users and Revenue in Q1 - socialmediatoday.com - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]