Brain Waves Blog

In Fundamentals of Social Media Strategy: A Guide for College Campuses, Liz Gross wrote, “The general public is not your target audience. If you aim your content and efforts at everyone, they’re perfect for no one.” Defining and targeting your audience is your first step in developing and creating content, determining your brand and messaging—pretty much everything you do.

How would your marketing team shift its content strategy if you intimately understood the differences in how prospective, admitted, and current students talked about your campus? That’s the question Tony Dobies, Senior Director of Marketing at West Virginia University (WVU), found himself asking in the fall of 2020.

We see you. Yeah you, on campus. You've been following Campus Sonar since our founding in 2017. Maybe you saw Liz speak at a conference; maybe you listened to a podcast episode that featured a Sonarian. Or maybe a friend or colleague of yours told you to check out this new agency called Campus Sonar. 

If part one left you wanting more, I’m back for part two of the best higher ed resources to keep you informed and connected. One of the things I love about this industry is the contributions from the community. We learn together, and it's never too early for you to contribute your expertise. To that end, I’ve also included suggestions for ways to share your work and knowledge with others. 

As part of ongoing professional development, it's important to keep up to date and learn from the successes and failures of colleagues in higher education and other industries. I've gathered lists of communities, podcasts, blogs, and conferences I regularly recommend to social media professionals, ranging from free and on-demand, to annual fee-based events. And there are so many fantastic resources, I’ve broken them into two posts so I don’t overwhelm you. First, I’m covering communities and podcasts, then stay tuned for part two: blogs, newsletters, and conferences.

Harvard and Yale. Ohio State and Michigan. UNC and Duke. Competition within higher ed exists on several different playing fields. Some campuses compete for a coveted top spot in academic rankings. Others exist in close geographical proximity, competing with each other for local and regional students. Others compete primarily on the turf or hardwood, but substantially differ academically.