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Get Giphy with it
For many of you, the spring semester is winding down and you are either taking a breather after commencement or gearing up for a wild week ahead. But here's your reminder that one of your summer projects — and we know, summer on campus never turns out to be as chill as we think it's going to be — should be to update your gifs in your Giphy library. And if you don't have an institution-owned Giphy account with a variety of gifs available for use, then it's time. Here's why:
Giphy stickers and gifs are a low-key way for people to use your brand in Instagram Stories and private messages without drawing the ire that Gen Zers (and many others) typically direct toward ads. Even smaller institutions using Giphy are getting millions of impressions on their stickers. And by the way, the company pronounces its name with a hard "G," but we do not mind if you prefer to say it like Jif the peanut butter.
If your institution's leaders are looking for a way to engage on social media with their students, creating gifs featuring them may be a great option.
Ideas for gifs and stickers:
Set up a video shoot with your mascot
Get your president or other leaders and campus personalities in on the fun
Create event-focused stickers: commencement, move-in weekend, each class year, decision day, alumni reunions
Campus views or iconic buildings
Terms specific to your college or university
If you'd like to know more about adding gifs into your social media strategy, let's chat: social@rwjonesagency.com
More mileage out of media coverage
Here's a best practice to pass on to thought leaders and experts at your institution: When they are mentioned or quoted in an article, blog post or podcast, they should post a link on their social media, tag the journalist, blogger or podcast host and thank them. Why? Because the fact that they chose you for their piece is worth publicly acknowledging. It also develops relationships, helps them remember you for the future and builds visibility for all involved since they are likely to share your post as well.
Interested in helping your institution's scholars learn social media best practices and optimize their platforms for more impact? We are offering a half-day session for scholars this summer or fall on your campus.
I spend a lot of time on social media. It's my job. I refuse to ever look at my phone usage statistics because I would be horrified. However, this weekend, I made sure to put my phone down more than pick it up. It was Mother's Day and I enjoyed family, brunch, planting flowers and other pretty typical "elder millennial" weekend things. In the evening on Sunday, I brought my daughter to see Taylor Swift. Of course we took some photos and I had to record a clip of her belting out her favorite song, "Look What you Made Me Do." But other than that, my eyes were on the stage. I wish I could say the same about all of the teenagers around me. I feel like I have a good grip on Gen Z's habits and very little surprises me at this point, but I just kept gaping at the amount they picked up their phones to post to Snapchat, it's a platform I've spent minimal time on myself in the past few years. Even though I often incorporate it into admissions-focused ad campaigns or purchase geofilters for higher ed events, I have decided it's time to dive back into understanding the potential there this week because soon those Swifties will be looking at colleges.
RWJ Social helps higher ed institutions shape social strategy through a variety of services, including influencer engagement, benchmarking, monitoring and more.
