5 Reasons why Post-secondary Administrators SHOULD Use Twitter

Twitter is a hugely effective way to reach a specific audience with not a lot of effort, and as an educational leader here are a few practical uses for this social media platform:

1. Celebrate!

There is so much negativity in today’s media, making it particularly refreshing and engaging to see some good news for a change. Why can’t you be the one to spread this positivity? Sure, there are challenges in education, but there are also wonderful success stories as our learners develop their skills and mature. Make sure these achievements do not go unnoticed!

2. Breaking News and Announcements

This probably seems like a no-brainer, but it is essential to remind students of critical dates and times. But your learners might also appreciate hearing about things that could affect their day, such as parking lot closures, severe weather warnings, or even a reminder to register to vote.

3. Promote Your Program

Twitter should not be the only way to advertise what your program has to offer, but it is a great companion to your university or department website. Sites do not get updated every time something changes, and your Twitter feed can be a great way to present your offerings to potential students in the best possible light.

4. Help Your Learners

Don’t forget that Twitter is not just for broadcasting information, and you have to monitor what your students are commenting on. If your feed shows that a student is having challenges, this is very visible to your followers, so make sure you follow up, keeping in mind that you should not post any personal details online. Privacy, you know…

5. Show That You are Human

You have many learners that you work with, and time constraints might make them feel like you are unapproachable. Try to show them that you are not a machine that just goes to meetings, works on the budget, and metes out corrective actions. You also spend a lot of time attending events where you interact with students - maybe you can take a selfie at the next one and Tweet it with a positive message. Keep it tasteful, of course.