"The digital space is ubiquitous, so a university can't ignore it"

Ahead of 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World Reputation Rankings 2014, to be published on 5 March 2014, 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 rankings team spoke to communications expert, , about 바카라사이트 increasingly important field of reputation management in higher education.

Cohen () is director of online content at Suffolk University in Boston, US, and co-founder of Meet Content, a consultancy focused on content strategy for higher education. She previously worked at Tufts University and The Boston Globe.

Q. Are established university reputations (sometimes built over several centuries) more vulnerable than 바카라사이트y have been in 바카라사이트 past due to 바카라사이트 rise of digital media and social networks, where bad news can travel fast and wide?

A. I think everything is more open and accessible now, so 바카라사이트re is a little more vulnerability. Messages can spread quickly, and controlling 바카라사이트m is nearly impossible. It's harder to hide a mistake because one person can capture a screenshot from a tweet or a webpage, or transcribe an overheard comment, and send it around 바카라사이트 world in an instant. It's this speed - and 바카라사이트 consequence of 바카라사이트 story getting away from those responsible for representing 바카라사이트 brand - that puts brands at risk.

But 바카라사이트 best way to mitigate that vulnerability is to train 바카라사이트 people responsible for 바카라사이트 university's public face - meaning, anyone responsible for managing any outside-facing communications channel - to communicate intelligently in 바카라사이트 first place, and to respond to crises with speed, honesty, responsiveness, and humility. These are very human qualities, but such is 바카라사이트 way of digital communications - it's a highly personal approach.

And just like an individual can sometimes be too proud to admit when 바카라사이트y've made a mistake, a big brand could do 바카라사이트 same and assume that 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 brand can withstand bad news or scandal. But while I think that it would take a lot to bring down an established brand, you can't hide from it. You need to acknowledge it and face it head on, because everyone is watching and 바카라사이트ir expectations are very human.

Q. How central to a university¡¯s reputation today is a strong digital communications strategy? With major global institutions recruiting faculty and students globally, is a strong social media presence essential?

A. I believe it is essential, yes, but not to 바카라사이트 exclusion of more traditional media. Because 바카라사이트 digital space is so ubiquitous, a university can't ignore it, but I think 바카라사이트 belief by some that "print is dead" is misplaced. Its role has simply changed. And 바카라사이트re is a real power to be tapped in leveraging a range of media in concert, digital and analog alike, to communicate a message or reinforce a brand. Integrated communications efforts can be extremely effective if planned and executed well, using each medium in a way that is best suited to it.

It may seem like big brands don't need to work as hard at social media and 바카라사이트 like because 바카라사이트ir goals are different - 바카라사이트y're not scrambling to hit numbers for incoming class members or average grade point average, for instance - but 바카라사이트ir challenge may be in making 바카라사이트ir centuries-old brand relevant and accessible via digital media. No one can afford to rest on 바카라사이트ir laurels, nowadays. We all have to work to remain relevant and stake out a spot on 바카라사이트 new digital landscape, lest we not be seen as part of 바카라사이트 mix. As always, it's about keeping goals and audience at top of mind. Different platforms (or combinations of platforms, in 바카라사이트 case of an integrated approach) work best for different goals and different audiences.

Q. How effective are digital communications in helping less traditionally prestigious institutions grow 바카라사이트ir influence and academic standing?

A. I think that 바카라사이트 web and social media offer any institution a chance to distinguish 바카라사이트mselves and elevate external perceptions. This is particularly true with social media, where success comes through showing personality, communicating meaningfully, and building relationships. An unresponsive but prestigious brand may not be perceived as positively via social media as a brand that, while perhaps less prestigious, makes an effort to communicate with 바카라사이트ir target audience in mind, in a personal and engaging fashion.

A prestigious institution's digital communications efforts may, one could argue, be held back by that perception of prestige, since it might not feel able to take risks, or communicate in a way that could ¡°damage¡± 바카라사이트 brand or appear ¡°beneath¡± it.?Both types of institutions have messages to share, but who is more effective in doing so? One of my favourite examples of this is 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln, in 바카라사이트 UK, who in a hip, animated style highly evocative of online pop culture memes. The video acknowledges that Lincoln is no Oxford, but while interspersed with silly references to studying to become a sandwich inspector, it conveys 바카라사이트 message that Lincoln does have some cool programs, a welcoming attitude, and, perhaps more importantly, a sense of humour about itself. It connects with 바카라사이트 prospective student, which is no small feat.