TikTok can offer higher education institutions an opportunity to share trendy, authentic, fast-paced content. While it’s different from every other social platform, it has proven to be a powerful resource for engaging alumni or attracting new students, investors, and employees.
For example, this 2023 study shared how top universities are seeing an average engagement rate of 6.7%. That’s significantly higher than the average engagement rate on Instagram (2.43%) for higher education. So, as you can see, the opportunity is there—now it’s just about getting you to try it.
In this guide, we’ll dig deeper into the types of content you should create (or be creating), plus tips on how to make the most of social media for universities.
6 Post Ideas from the Top Universities on TikTok
Here are some great posts inspired by the world’s top universities and colleges that you can include in your TikTok strategy for higher education.
- Highlight Academic Programs and Clubs
TikTok is one of the best channels for showing off your university’s unique programs, courses, and clubs. A physical prospectus or list of courses on your website can only do so much to engage potential students. TikTok videos, on the other hand, give you a chance to share engaging, behind-the-scenes content that resonates emotionally with your audience.
You can share videos about new courses and programs with behind-the-scenes insights from tutors and educators. You can even show off what your students do in different classes or ask members of clubs and courses to create content for you. Here’s a great example of how Cambridge University uses TikTok to draw attention to its Improv Club:
Alt text: Cambridge University Improv club TikTok video.
Videos like these help you highlight how fun, interesting, or powerful your programs and clubs are from a unique perspective. They can help students visualize what it’s like to attend your college.
- Showcase your Students
User-generated content is one of the most valuable types of content for any educational facility.
There are various ways you can use a TikTok video feed to showcase your students and earn the trust of your target audience. For instance, you could record short-form interviews with students asking them what they like most about life on campus. You could even ask students to give viewers a tour of their campus, their favorite classrooms, or other amenities, like the on-site library.
Another excellent way to draw attention to your students is to celebrate their successes. Ask students to take part in videos for TikTok when they win awards or competitions. You could even reach out to old alumni or showcase influential people who have graduated from your school.
Louisiana State used this strategy to draw attention to the graduates from the college that went on to compete in the Super Bowl:
Alt text: Louisiana State Super Bowl TikTok Video
This is a great way to show your potential students and other community members what people who attend your university are capable of achieving.
- Advertise Life on Campus with Behind-the-Scenes Videos
Aside from boosting the credibility of your school or university by highlighting your students, behind-the-scenes videos can offer authentic insights into what life is really like at your campus.
Students don’t just want to see that they’ll have access to the best teachers and amenities when they apply to study with a specific college or university. They want to see that they’re going to enjoy the years they spend in your school. “Day in the Life” videos offer a more holistic view of life on campus than standard photos or blogs. They can offer insights into everything from comfy lounge spaces and dorm rooms to the food you offer in your school cafeteria.
Here’s a great example from High Point University, where a student introduces viewers to the kind of meals they eat each day:
Alt text: High Point University Day in the Life video
- Demonstrate What Makes You Different
Whether you’re trying to attract students or new employees to your higher education facility, drawing attention to what makes you different is crucial. Your TikTok strategy for higher education should focus on highlighting your unique selling points.
We’ve already looked at some of the ways you can use user-generated content to showcase your great food options, campus design, and dorm rooms. However, you can also use TikTok videos to showcase other things that make your facility special.
For instance, if you have amazing faculty members, use interview-style videos with these team members to help students get to know the people who are going to be teaching them. These videos are also great for attracting new educators to your team:
Alt text: Harvard University TikTok Interview
- Create Educational TikTok Videos
TikTok videos aren’t just for shining a spotlight on your campus and academic programs, they can also be an educational resource for your students. You can use videos to answer some of the common questions students might have about your school.
For instance, you could answer questions about:
- Admission processes and deadline dates.
- Average course prices and other educational costs.
- Events happening on campus.
- The graduation process and what it feels like to graduate.
- The types of amenities students will have access to.
You could even answer questions about college traditions. For instance, check out this video from Oxford University explaining what “exam flowers” mean to their students:
Alt text: Oxford University Exam flowers video
- Share Meaningful Moments
Finally, one of the best ways to optimize your TikTok strategy for higher education is to use the channel to broadcast meaningful moments. You might decide to create videos that draw attention to major events that happened at your school over the years. For instance, the University of California once posted a video on TikTok sharing a moment from a commencement speech hosted by Oprah Winfrey in 2018.
Alternatively, you might just highlight unique events that take place on campus. For instance, the University of Kentucky shares videos about its annual ping pong ball drop event – one of the facility’s most famous traditions.
Tips for Your Higher Education TikTok Strategy
We’ve shared some of the top post ideas for your TikTok strategy, and now let’s cover a few quick tips you can use to boost the ROI of your marketing campaigns.
First, remember you can expand the reach of your TikTok content, and improve your marketing ROI by adding a TikTok video feed to your website. A TikTok aggregator tool like Juicer will allow you to embed TikTok videos on a website, helping to boost your website engagement rates, and giving you more ways to educate, inspire, and delight potential students.
Some of the top universities on TikTok have their own video feed on their websites, acting as a form of social proof, and a fantastic way to capture the attention of new employees.
Other Quick Tips
Here are some other quick tips to boost your chances of success:
- Focus on authentic, human content: TikTok isn’t the best channel for stuffy, corporate content. This is a channel where your brand personality should shine through in every post. Focus on drawing attention to the human side of your institution with playful content that features real people (students, teachers, and alumni).
- Work with influencers: consider partnering with well-known influencers to draw more attention to your university. Collaborating with thought leaders, successful alumni from your school, and well-known social figures will boost the reach of your TikTok campaigns.
- Connect with your followers: connecting with followers is crucial on TikTok. Don’t just regularly post new content, respond to comments your potential students leave, and engage in conversations with your community. This will help you to build more powerful relationships with alumni, new students, and potential employees.
Additionally, make sure you’re keeping track of the latest TikTok trends. While not every trend will be relevant to your audience, getting involved in hashtag challenges and using trending music in your content can boost your chances of reaching new followers.
Unlock the Benefits of TikTok for Your University
The right TikTok strategy and distribution tactics can be powerful for higher education facilities. With authentic, eye-catching content, you can attract new talent or partnership opportunities.
Discover how you can use Juicer to upgrade your digital marketing strategy and make your educational facility stand out in today’s competitive industry. Sign up for a free trial today.
