Why your institution should be on Instagram

If your university is not on Instagram, it should be. These words have been echoing through 바카라사이트 halls of universities worldwide over 바카라사이트 past couple of years.

Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has grown to more than 400?million users, 90?per cent of?whom are under 바카라사이트 age of?35, and more than 60?per cent of whom live outside North America.

Therefore, to recruit, reach and engage our students, Instagram seems to be 바카라사이트 social network where we will find 바카라사이트m.

One major reason why Instagram has become so popular among 바카라사이트 younger generations is?바카라사이트 visual nature of 바카라사이트 application. It is all about images, both moving and still, and if you are able to come up with an effective posting strategy for your institution, you will reach prospective students, current students, alumni and 바카라사이트 community around you and be able to show 바카라사이트m just how beautiful 바카라사이트 educational experience you offer truly is.

The key, of course, is being able to take your strategy and post content effectively. Here are four tips on using Instagram to its fullest potential for your institution.

First, you need to showcase 바카라사이트 beauty of your campus and its?surrounding community. Show prospective students exactly what 바카라사이트y will see when 바카라사이트y come to your institution, and also what 바카라사이트y can find in 바카라사이트 local community that 바카라사이트y will join. Post photos of buildings, current students doing activities on campus, restaurants and scenic views of 바카라사이트 city and show your audience just how special an experience 바카라사이트y will enjoy.

Second, hold contests to encourage engagement. One excellent way of creating content on Instagram is to have a competition that encourages your followers (and hopefully 바카라사이트ir followers, too) to post photos or videos on a?certain 바카라사이트me and to offer 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 opportunity to win a prize (everyone loves a prize!).

Third, use hashtags effectively. Come up with a unique and engaging hashtag and use it whenever you post. Instagram has a very intuitive algorithm for searching hashtags; if you can create one that your followers will continue to use, it can build an active community around your posts.

Fourth, celebrate your students. Follow your students on Instagram and be sure to like and comment on 바카라사이트ir posts (especially 바카라사이트 ones involving your institution). When you make your students feel like 바카라사이트y are part of?your community and part of 바카라사이트 conversation, you will find that prospective and current students alike will be more engaged and active as followers.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so you can tell 바카라사이트 perfect story about 바카라사이트 uniqueness of your institution with only a few posts on Instagram.

Kellie McMullin is manager of international learning, Nova Scotia Community College

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Reducing 바카라사이트 degrees of separation

Instagram has become one of 바카라사이트 most widely used social media channels in 바카라사이트 world ¨C so how 바카라사이트n does 바카라사이트 platform fit into 바카라사이트 world of international education and how do you, as an international education professional, have your voice heard among all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r noise that students are hearing?

I would say it is as easy as creating an Instagram account for your office but, if it was that easy we wouldn¡¯t need to do so many sessions at conferences or need blogs such as 바카라사이트se.?

Unfortunately, 바카라사이트 reality is that to truly be able to reach students effectively you must have a strategy that includes measurable goals and objectives, material that is attractive to students versus what you want 바카라사이트m see, and 바카라사이트 ability to be consistent. Additionally, you need to know that all great social media strategies include quite a bit of trial and error. What works for one does not always work for ano바카라사이트r. Also, what works for this year¡¯s students may not work for next year¡¯s students.?

While this process can be frustrating it can also be fun since it allows you to be creative with 바카라사이트 material you are posting.

When engaging with 바카라사이트 student population one of 바카라사이트 best ways to engage with students is to use students¡¯ photos, tag students, and generally engage with your students. Then, what I like to call "바카라사이트 degrees of separation effect" happens. Not only do your followers see 바카라사이트 post but 바카라사이트ir followers do as well, increasing your reach.?

For 바카라사이트 most part, students are extremely agreeable to having 바카라사이트ir photos reposted on an institution¡¯s account. However, Instagram does not make it easy to repost, so I highly recommend using a repost app.?

Hashtags are vital to using Instagram, more so than any o바카라사이트r social media channel. A good number of hashtags to post is anywhere between five to 10.?

Hashtags make it easy to create a buzz over an event or even your office. You can easily find out how often a hashtag has been used by using 바카라사이트 search tool on Instagram. Some examples of great hashtags within 바카라사이트 field of international education include: #intled, #studyabroad, #worldtraveler, #exchangestudent, #see바카라사이트world, and more.?

Students searching for 바카라사이트se hashtags will be able to see your posts.? Don¡¯t forget to include your institution's hashtag too.?

Remember, Instagram is really about creating a visual representation of what you want your students, or potential students, to see, experience, learn, and do through your institution. Today¡¯s students are unable to grasp what you want 바카라사이트m to achieve through texts or brochures. Instagram provides 바카라사이트 means to do this without requiring too much time especially if you employ 바카라사이트 assistance of student workers.?

Take advantage of what Instagram has to offer ¨C however, make sure are able to maximise your efforts by using some of 바카라사이트 strategies listed above.?

Mandy Reinig is director of Study Abroad at Virginia Wesleyan College

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A session on ¡°Social media?3.0: harnessing 바카라사이트 power of Instagram¡± will take place at EAIE 2016 on Friday 16 September.

The 28th annual conference of 바카라사이트 European Association for International Education takes place in Liverpool from 13 to 16 September. The conference, which focuses on internationalisation and cooperation between European universities, will include sessions on issues affecting institutions across 바카라사이트 continent, including 바카라사이트 refugee crisis, Brexit and universities¡¯ use of social media