Executing unique Instagram campaigns is just as important as your routine daily posts. Even though the two may seem similar, there’s a distinction that many people struggle to define.
Unlike singular posts, social media campaigns have a clear goal in mind and follow a common theme to drive brand awareness. This is achieved by methods such as facilitating user-generated content, incorporating inspiring student testimonials or stories, and more!
Using the social media analytics tool Dunroe.io/education, we’ve uncovered some amazing Instagram campaigns that can help you curate your own strategy.
1. Boston College | #BCOnBreak
Boston College’s #BCOnBreak campaign highlights students on vacation wearing BC apparel. From Hawaii to Italy, students are increasing the college’s brand awareness through user-generated content, while also driving engagement to their own pages by getting tagged on the official Boston College Instagram account.
The unique hashtag #BCOnBreak also gives students an organized view of what their classmates are posting, creating an uninterrupted social media viewing session for those who want to see vacation pictures. Hashtags also expand your reach by placing your post on users’ feeds who follow or frequently search this phrase. As a result, hashtags are meant to be short and strategic, and should be used sparingly
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2. Rutgers University | #HowWeMetAtRU
Rutgers’ #HowWeMetAtRU campaign is a very unique school social trend that highlights how two students at the university met each other. This very personal campaign leverages images with extended captions that offer stories of how roommates, friends, or even married couples came together at Rutgers. This isn’t just meant to highlight current students or recent graduates, many posts contain vintage photographs of older alumni who wish to participate.
The #HowWeMetAtRU campaign requires very little effort on the content creation side. Through successful facilitation techniques of user-generated content, RU students line up to get their stories posted on Rutgers University’s official Instagram page. While users are eager to get their stories published, Rutgers ensures an efficient process by requiring them to fill out an application on the school’s Instagram bio.
3. University of Connecticut | Worth Repeating
The University of Connecticut’s “Worth Repeating” campaign showcases prominent alumni and students, as well as their insights on specific industries, professional and personal talents, or unique backgrounds. From overcoming struggles as an Indigenous Native American, to first-hand experiences at Apple, “Worth Repeating” offers in-depth life advice for its users.
The series inspires and motivates students by giving them a role model to connect with who is a current student or alumni of the university. The series highlights quotes from the interview that can be applied to users’ professional careers and urges them to watch the full interview on their YouTube page.
4. Boston University | #TerrierTuesdays
Boston University’s #TerrierTuesdays features students’ hometowns, interests, and acclimation activities to BU’s campus. The students have a chance to share their goals after college and offer advice for prospective students thinking of attending BU. After the #TerrierTuesday biography gets posted, the featured student takes over the account for the day and showcases a day in their life.
While this is fun content for current students, these features offer prospective students an opportunity to see the life of a highly active Boston University student. Some features include examples of student organizations and resources available on campus, which can offer possible ways for new students to acclimate to campus life. Others provide valuable advice for prospective students who want similar college experiences.
5. Marist College | Frankie the Fox Animated Series
Having a recognizable mascot is crucial for brand recognition. Marist, however, takes this notion one step further. Their animated mascot, “Frankie the Fox,” doesn’t just cheer on their athletic and academic teams. Frankie does everyday activities around campus such as sledding, jogging, and opening gifts. Marist’s Instagram account ensures that every notable day of the year, such as New Year's, the first day of Spring, and Thanksgiving showcases a new “Frankie the Fox” animation activity.
Every school has a mascot attached to it! This is largely because mascots drive brand awareness by bringing your school to life. While it’s fun for students to see their mascot running around the football field while their team is playing a home game, Marist’s social media team tries to take this excitement to the next level. Students who see the “Frankie the Fox” animations on Instagram can then interact with the live rendition of Frankie on campus—reinforcing their importance on campus.
6. California Baptist University | #AViewOfCBU
California Baptist University leverages user-generated content by encouraging students to take amazing campus shots and posting those pictures on the main CBU Instagram page. This weekly series is popular among their students because it gives them a chance to post on a platform that’s larger than their own account following. In addition, this content showcases CBU to prospective students during the college application process.
User-generated content can be used as a first-hand testimonial for students’ experiences and satisfaction with the school. CBU encouraging students to take campus shots, and getting an overwhelmingly positive response, is a great reflection on the overall student attitude toward the institution.
What To Do Now
These campaigns are unique, personalized, and have recurring themes that connect with the student body! We hope we’ve given you some ideas about higher education Instagram campaigns, now it’s your job to act! These schools have implemented their personality into each campaign, so find your niche and build your strategy from there.
Here’s a quick recap of what your school could be doing with its Instagram campaigns:
- Use unique hashtags to organize content for easier viewing
- Encourage and facilitate user-generated content for the college's official Instagram page
- Leverage student/alumni stories to inspire and motivate current and prospective students
- Bring your mascot “to life” by creating Instagram posts that increase brand awareness
Want more in-depth tips on what it takes to make a successful post on all social media platforms? We've got you covered! Download our "Social Media Checklist" and level up your posting game!
