Higher Ed Social Media Summit

Higher ed social media teams are often told to “drive engagement” without clear guidance on what that actually means, especially when managing small audiences, department-level accounts, or content that’s largely event- or information-driven. When likes are low and comments are scarce, it’s hard to know whether content is missing the mark or simply being measured against unrealistic expectations.

This session takes a practical look at how engagement functions in higher ed social media and how to evaluate it more accurately. We’ll walk through common scenarios - flyer-heavy feeds, commuter and graduate audiences, limited capacity, and leadership pressure - and outline concrete ways to decide when engagement should be a priority, what types of interaction matter most in different contexts, and how to assess engagement trends over time.

Attendees will leave with a clearer framework for judging engagement, specific considerations for designing content that invites appropriate interaction, and straightforward language for explaining engagement performance to supervisors and campus partners.

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How do you answer the question, “Is that good?” when explaining social achievements? Analytics can be a crucial tool for building stakeholder buy-in, supporting strategic creative decisions, and shaping long-term platform strategy. External benchmarks can be misleading, incomplete, hard to come by, or feel irrelevant (whether too high or too low). In this hands-on session, you’ll learn how to create and utilize internal benchmarks instead to help generate continuous improvement across your social media channels.

Social media is undeniably critical to the digital marketing and PR landscape, but still often treated as an afterthought or secondary consideration by many traditional organizations. Contextualization – being able to answer the question, “Is that good?” when explaining social achievements – can significantly shift the conversation about social with key stakeholders, and analytics can be a crucial tool in developing buy-in, supporting strategic creative decisions, and influencing long-term strategy. Finding relevant external benchmarks, however, can be a challenge, as many are either misleading, incomplete, hard to come by, or feel irrelevant (whether too high or too low). In this hands-on session, you’ll learn how to create and utilize your own internal benchmarks to help generate continuous improvement across your social media channels, so you can better paint a picture of the value social media provides within your organization.

Demonstrating how to access data in both Meta and Hootsuite to download and create an Excel benchmark sheet, Courtney will discuss how to calculate the most important KPIs, the most valuable formula you’ll ever use (percent change), why these metrics are important, and how to frame them with stakeholders so they can see the value of the work you’re doing on social. She will also discuss how to use these metrics to approach platform and content strategy so you can continuously improve your position against your benchmarks, find red flags, and make changes before they become an issue.

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Social media work in higher education often lives at the intersection of creativity, strategy, and institutional responsibility. While leadership and social teams may approach social media from different perspectives, successful programs are built through alignment, trust, and shared understanding.

In this panel, higher ed social media professionals and leaders come together to explore how teams can advocate for effective social strategy, communicate recommendations clearly, and collaborate productively with leadership, even when priorities don’t immediately align.

Attendees will gain practical insight into how to:

• Understand how leadership views social media, including considerations around risk, reputation, accountability, and resources
• Frame social media recommendations in institutional terms, such as enrollment, retention, reputation, and trust
• Use data and performance insights to support strategy, without overwhelming non-social stakeholders
• Navigate content requests that feel misaligned while preserving relationships and credibility
• Create productive feedback loops that build shared understanding over time
• Educate leadership on evolving platforms and norms in a way that feels informative, not reactive

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Creating strong social media content in higher education isn’t just about having good ideas — it’s about building a process that turns those ideas into consistent, meaningful results. For many teams, especially those working with limited time or staffing, content challenges stem less from creativity and more from how ideas are generated, shaped, prioritized, and evaluated.

But even the best content calendar can’t predict everything. Trends emerge. Campus moments unfold. Conversations shift quickly. The most effective teams don’t choose between structure and spontaneity — they build systems that allow for both.

In this panel, higher ed social media professionals share how they’ve developed repeatable content processes that support brainstorming, storytelling, and strategic alignment — while still leaving room to respond to timely opportunities. Panelists will walk through how they move from initial ideas to published content, how they balance recurring content with emerging trends, and how performance insights shape what they create next.

Rather than chasing perfection or reacting on the fly, this session focuses on creating adaptable frameworks that work across institution sizes, team structures, and resource levels — helping teams plan with intention while staying nimble.

Attendees will gain insight into how to:

• Run productive brainstorming sessions that lead to usable, on-brand content ideas
• Develop and maintain content pillars that align institutional priorities with audience interests
• Balance repeatable, evergreen content with timely trends and emerging conversations
• Build flexibility into content calendars without sacrificing consistency
• Apply effective storytelling principles within higher ed constraints and expectations
• Match content ideas to platforms, audiences, and goals with greater intention
• Evaluate content performance to inform future planning — not just report numbers

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On campus, uncertainty is constant. Policy shifts at the federal level. Breaking news that directly impacts students. Emerging conversations that escalate quickly online. Higher ed social media teams are often the first to spot these moments — but the most effective teams don’t rely on improvisation when the unexpected happens.

Not every challenge on social media is a crisis. But knowing how to navigate ambiguity, especially when you don’t yet know what’s coming, is a critical skill. This panel brings together higher ed social media and communications professionals to explore how teams cultivate readiness before issues arise. Through proactive listening, internal alignment, and clear escalation frameworks, panelists will share how they prepare for uncertainty in ways that aren’t topic-dependent, whether the moment involves institutional policy changes, national events, or on-campus developments.

Rather than focusing solely on worst-case scenarios, this session emphasizes building adaptable systems: monitoring the right signals, sharing insights with the right stakeholders, and establishing response pathways that can flex to the issue at hand. Attendees will learn how to move from issue awareness to intentional action — with clarity, coordination, and resilience.

Attendees will gain insight into how to:

• Build monitoring practices that surface emerging risks and audience sentiment early
• Translate social listening insights into actionable updates for leadership and campus partners
• Develop response frameworks that work regardless of the specific topic or trigger
• Differentiate between issues, moments, and true crises — and calibrate response accordingly
• Establish internal guidelines for moderation, escalation, and cross-team coordination
• Prepare leadership and stakeholders ahead of time with shared expectations and defined roles
• Support team well-being during high-pressure or emotionally charged situations

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• A clear understanding of why this moment signals growth, not decline
• A practical lens for navigating narrative collision with confidence
• Insight into how to reduce burnout by shifting from volume to focus
• A framework for building cultural relevance without chasing every trend
• A strategy for measuring trust and resonance, not just engagement

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Student involvement can be one of the most powerful - and most challenging - parts of higher ed social media. From recruiting and training to approvals and accountability, many teams find that success with student content depends on the right blend of creativity paired with clear, repeatable processes.

In this panel, higher ed social media professionals share the nuts and bolts of how they work with students day-to-day. Panelists will walk through their student workflows in practice, including how often they meet, how content is reviewed, how expectations are set, and how programs adapt when resources or participation change.

This session focuses on real-world systems, not ideal scenarios, offering attendees concrete examples they can adapt to their own campuses.

Attendees will gain insight into how to:

• Structure student roles and responsibilities, whether paid, volunteer, or ambassador-based
• Set clear expectations from day one, including communication norms and content standards
• Run efficient approval workflows that balance oversight with student autonomy
• Determine meeting rhythms that support students without creating extra workload
• Provide feedback that improves quality while keeping students engaged
• Adjust processes over time as staffing, budget, or student availability changes
  
  

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Managing social media for a school, college, or department within a larger university brand presents unique challenges. Teams must balance institutional guidelines with the need to connect authentically with specific audiences — all while navigating approvals, consistency, and expectations from multiple stakeholders.

In this panel, higher ed social media professionals who manage department- and school-level accounts share how they’ve built distinct identities that align with — rather than compete with — their university brand. Panelists will discuss how they interpret brand guidelines, collaborate with central communications teams, and develop content that serves their audience while supporting broader institutional goals.

This session offers practical insights for anyone working within a multi-account university ecosystem, with a focus on collaboration, clarity, and cohesion.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Define a clear role and voice for a department or school account within a university ecosystem
• Work within institutional brand guidelines while still creating content that feels authentic and relevant
• Collaborate productively with central communications teams, even when priorities differ
• Decide what content belongs where — and when to elevate, share, or step back
• Build trust with stakeholders while maintaining consistency across platforms
  
  

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Higher ed social media teams are often expected to “be everywhere” — even when time, staffing, and audience attention are limited. Between shifting platform features, changing student behavior, and pressure to jump on what’s new, it can be hard to make clear decisions about where to invest your energy — and how to justify those decisions to campus stakeholders.

In this session, a higher ed social media practitioner walks through a practical framework for platform strategy beyond video: how to evaluate platforms based on audience, goals, and capacity; how to define the role each channel plays (and what it doesn’t need to do); and how to recognize when a platform or account is no longer worth the effort. Attendees will leave with a decision-making rubric they can apply immediately, along with straightforward language for communicating platform focus, consolidation, or sunsetting recommendations across campus.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Match platforms to audiences and goals (undergrad, grad, adult learners, alumni, parents, faculty/staff)
• Define the job of each platform so every channel has a clear purpose (and success criteria)
• Make capacity-informed decisions when time, budget, or staffing are limited
• Evaluate whether a platform is worth maintaining, using simple signals (reach trends, engagement patterns, effort vs. return)
• Decide when to consolidate, pause, or sunset accounts — and how to communicate that decision constructively
• Create a “focus statement” you can share with stakeholders to explain where you’re prioritizing and why

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These breakout rooms are the best opportunity to meet other attendees in small, approachable groups. Like a speed networking event, we'll create small breakout rooms of 5-6 people with provided discussion topics and switch up the rooms every 20 minutes to help you connect with other higher ed pros.

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For many higher ed institutions, social media starts as a team of one — or even a partial responsibility added to an already full plate. But what happens when leadership finally asks, “What do you need?”

Whether you’ve just secured budget or you’re building the case for future investment, knowing how to grow your team strategically is critical.

In this panel, higher ed social media leaders share how they’ve approached team expansion with intention. From identifying skill gaps to deciding between full-time hires, student staff, agencies, or consultants, panelists will discuss how they prioritized roles based on institutional goals, not just workload relief.

This session goes beyond job titles. Panelists will explore the specific skill sets that elevate a social program, from content strategy and short-form video production to community management, analytics, and social listening, and how to write job descriptions that attract adaptable, digitally fluent candidates who thrive in higher ed environments.

For those without immediate budget, this session will also offer guidance on mapping future hiring priorities, building a phased growth plan, and articulating ROI to leadership — so that when the opportunity arises, you’re ready.

Rather than hiring reactively, attendees will learn how to build a thoughtful, scalable team structure that supports both daily execution and long-term strategy.

Attendees will gain insight into how to:

• Identify the highest-impact skill gaps in their current social operation
• Decide between full-time hires, student employees, consultants, or agency support
• Prioritize roles based on institutional goals, platform needs, and audience demands
• Write job descriptions that attract strategic, adaptable social media professionals
• Incorporate relevant language and competencies into hiring documents
• Build a phased hiring roadmap — even without immediate budget
• Make a compelling case to leadership for social media team investment

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For years, higher ed social media teams have felt pressure to “feed the beast”—posting daily (or more) to keep algorithms satisfied and audiences engaged. But as platforms evolve and resources remain limited, many teams are questioning whether volume is still the right metric for success.

Is posting every day actually driving impact? Or is it stretching teams thin and diluting content quality?

In this panel, higher ed social media leaders explore the shift from output-focused strategies to impact-driven content planning. Panelists will discuss how they’re reevaluating cadence expectations, prioritizing higher-quality storytelling, and creating space to produce content that truly resonates — even if that means posting less frequently.

The conversation will also address the tension between speed and thoughtfulness. In an era of AI tools and rapid production workflows, how do teams ensure efficiency doesn’t come at the expense of authenticity, brand voice, or student connection? Panelists will share real-world lessons on balancing timeliness with quality control—and how to build internal understanding of why fewer, stronger posts can outperform constant publishing.

Rather than promoting less activity, this session reframes the conversation around strategic investment: aligning time, creativity, and institutional priorities to create content that earns attention — not just fills a calendar.

Attendees will gain insight into how to:

• Evaluate whether posting frequency is driving meaningful results — or just maintaining habit
• Shift internal expectations from volume-based metrics to impact-based goals
• Determine when a piece of content is worth deeper investment — and when it’s not
• Balance timely execution with review, oversight, and authenticity
• Protect team bandwidth by prioritizing high-impact storytelling
• Communicate the value of a quality-first strategy to leadership and stakeholders

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Many university PR offices still spend time pitching faculty stories and expertise to legacy media outlets, even as those organizations continue to shrink. Meanwhile, countless YouTubers, podcasters, and content creators reach larger audiences than traditional media could ever dream of. Not only that, many of these conversations are more in-depth than a TV hit or quote in an online story — giving faculty an opportunity to go deeper on their areas of expertise. It’s time to bring university PR and media relations into the 21st century, and this session will help you do just that.

Jenna Spinelle and Bill Zimmerman, two experts on digital PR and the creator economy at Penn State, will give an overview of how to make sense of the creator landscape and identify people who can spread the word about faculty research and expertise to audiences eager to receive it.

We’ll cover how AI can help you find niche creators and craft tailored pitch emails, how to use tools like Qwoted and Help a Reporter Out to find calls for expertise, and how to prepare your faculty to succeed on an informal podcast, YouTube chat, or Substack Live. We’ll also touch on how you can repurpose content from creators on your own channels to amplify the reach of this positive press.

You’ll come away from this session ready to hit the ground running at your campus and send pitches that receive responses and media engagements that are rewarding for your faculty and enriching to the hundreds of millions of people who follow content creators.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand how to navigate the digital media landscape and find creators who align with faculty expertise.
• Learn how to craft pitch emails that will receive positive responses.
• Prepare faculty to thrive in long-form, informal conversations on podcasts, YouTube, Substack, and other outlets.
• Generate ideas for how to republish long-form interviews or short clips on your website, newsletters, and other channels.
• Identify how coverage through these channels may influence the results to queries made on AI chatbots

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Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of the social media workflow, but for higher education communicators, the challenge isn’t just adopting new tools—it’s doing so without compromising authenticity, credibility, or institutional voice. In this session, learn how AI can support your social media strategy while keeping your university’s voice and values at the center.

This session will walk through practical ways AI can enhance daily social media work—from brainstorming post ideas and drafting captions to refining messaging and analyzing performance trends. Attendees will learn how to use AI as a strategic assistant rather than a content replacement.

This session will also explore where AI works best in the social workflow—and where human judgment remains essential. Through practical examples, attendees will learn how to establish guardrails that protect originality, maintain brand integrity, and ensure that AI-supported content continues to reflect the voice and credibility expected of academic institutions.

Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to integrate AI into their social media processes to save time, improve efficiency, and support stronger storytelling—without sacrificing the authenticity that higher education audiences expect.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Use AI tools for ideation, drafting, editing, and performance insights

• Identify which social media tasks can be automated and which should remain human-driven

• Establish guardrails that maintain institutional voice and originality

• Incorporate AI into workflows in ways that increase efficiency without introducing brand risk

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