How to promote university twitter account?

You’re trying to promote your college/university on twitter? If most of the students are active online, this task is easier to do. However, if most your institute/university students/staff aren’t much exposed to online world, getting them to participate in social media activities can be a challenge.

Below are some activities that can be done within the university, to promote twitter account. A slightly different version of these activities should help promote university blog as well.

1.       Identify students/staff who are active on twitter

2.       Follow them, ask them to promote university account

3.       Follow eminent academicians and other key people in the community

4.       Conduct a twitter workshop for those interested in knowing more about twitter

5.       Put up couple of posters indicating twitter handle

6.       Get the principal/VC and other senior staff interested in twitter. This can be achieved by a one to one training and showing them examples of how others in sr management roles are using twitter

7.       While announcing key information, try to publish it first on twitter, then via traditional medium. This can get more people interested in twitter

8.       Organize tweetups by inviting popular tweeps in the locality-even if they’re not part of university

9.       Whenever an event happens at the college, try live tweeting.  Use the event to announce twitter activities

10.   While publishing alumni books, include twitter handles of outgoing students

11.   Exhibit how twitter can help in research

12.   Set up a team of enthusiasts who can operate college/university twitter account on their mobile.

13.   Respond to queries over twitter- particularly during admission season, exam time etc

14.   Keep track of twitter followers, traffic generated to college website/blog and other stats. Using this, real value add can be shown and management can be convinced to grant some funds to conduct online contests too

15.   Try mutual  association with other college/university twitter accounts. Promote each other.

16.   Try to debate on topics of community interest on twitter

17.   Put twitter feed on blog/website

18.   Show that parents can also keep track of college happenings on twitter

Do you think above tips are useful? Would you like to add anything?

Related: Live blogging tips * Social Media talk at Tumkur University *  My Journalism Experience * My talk at LIBA * Blogging workshop at MSRIT * Social media for students *