Breaking the Higher Ed Social Media Mold - A Conversation with Brianna Blackburn
This week on Education Marketing Leader, I spoke with Brianna Blackburn, Assistant Director of Social Media Brand Strategy at Bowling Green State University (BGSU).
BGSU's social media efforts ranked #6 nationwide (and #1 in Ohio) โ outperforming much larger institutions like OSU.
Here's how they're doing it. ๐
๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ & ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Brianna's team excels at creating content that feels real. Rather than just highlighting achievements, they dive into stories that connect with audiences on an emotional levelโbe it humor, nostalgia, or campus pride.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ
As a former student intern herself, Brianna believes in the power of student-driven social media. Her team includes Gen Z interns who know what resonates with their peers, bringing authenticity and insider knowledge to the brand.
๐๐ข๐ฑ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐, ๐๐ง-๐ญ๐ก๐-๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ
BGSU balances professional video content with timely, in-the-moment updates (think iPhone photos of game days). This approach keeps the content dynamic and relevant, giving followers the best of both worlds.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ
From new album drops to pop culture moments, BGSU plans content around trending events to expand its reach. By posting at the right moment, the team keeps BGSU in the social media conversation, extending beyond the typical campus bubble.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ & ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐
Social media is a two-way street at BGSU. Brianna's team engages with commenters, sends out BGSU swag to loyal followers, and works to build a strong online community. It's more than contentโit's connection.
Higher Ed Takeaway: Authenticity, emotional connection, and leveraging student talent are the keys to real engagement.
Don't miss this episode!
Subscribe to the Education Marketing Leader podcast for more insights, and connect with Brianna Blackburn to stay up-to-date on social media strategies that make a real impact.
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