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36 Use Cases for Gigg in Higher Education

36 Use Cases for Gigg in Higher Education

By October 15, 2020No Comments
Custom boards help display content and information in an engaging and authentic way. But there are more ways to display your boards than just on your website. For many programs and projects, outlined below, we’ve shared some ways to highlight information and attract more user-generated content from your audience.

 

Programs v Projects

 

To begin, it’s important to understand how the Board(s) will be utilized before you implement them into your marketing stack. There are two core purposes in how your use case may apply to your Boards: Programs versus Projects. Establishing the purpose will help you frame your level of engagement, investment, and use cases across your organization.

 

Project
Program
Definition
An activity or campaign designed for a distinct service with a defined and time-bound goal. 
A continuous set or group of projects designed to obtain combined benefits with no time-sensitivity.
Timeline
Short term
Long term
Outcomes
Specific
General
Success Metrics
Cost effectiveness, low-risk and low-effort quick wins, determine benchmarks for framing content and subject matter 
Process improvements including enrollment management, student engagement, alumni & fundraising services, and overall brand management 

 

 

Below, we break down our list of 36 use cases that we have seen from work with our academic partners. Use cases have been categorized by different departments of the higher educational organization.

Admissions

1. Campus / Virtual Tours

Campus Tours are an impactful way for prospective students to engage with current students, ask questions, and share their excitement about touring the campus. Capturing this content enables other prospective students to see other attendees and for admission teams to reach out.

2. Admitted Students

Getting admitted to college is a significant moment in life and one in which most Gen Z-ers will post about. Newly admitted students play a significant role in the overall excitement to a new incoming class. Most likely, their friends are still on the fence on which school they plan on attending. Seeing their friends accept and post about their excitement to attend your school only motivates them more to lean in your direction.

3. Graduate

Getting into grad school is a big deal for most students. Since grad school admissions offices operate independently of the main campus, create a board specifically for grad school acceptances.

4. Orientation

To welcome incoming students for orientations, try creating an event-style board that captures students arriving on campus, setting up dorm rooms, buying books and supplies. The visual board could also be used as a TV to provide pertinent info, as well as social posts from students.

5. Adult / Non-Traditional

These days, more adults are heading back to school than ever before. Create a board appealing to a more mature demographic, demonstrating they’re not the only ones back on a college campus.

Athletics

6. Shop & Gear

There’s something about seeing team merchandise out in the wild that makes it so much more appealing. Showcase how your fans wear shirts and apparel in the real world, helping to improve sales and increase conversion rates.

7. Giving

Create a board highlighting major donors and contributors supporting athletic programs and teams. Posting will create excitement and buzz, boosting not just your team, but your donors as well.

8. Booster Club

Most booster clubs operate independently from the athletics program, so many people don’t know the benefits of joining the club. Highlight booster club events and the benefits of being part of the club in a board specific to the booster club.

9. Sporting Events & Arenas

Want to highlight specific games, or showcase favorite fan posts? Try creating a specific board to display live content at games!

10. Special Events (Scholarship, Reunions, etc.)

Some moments call for a little extra fanfare, like a scholarship presentation or a reunion. A custom board is the perfect opportunity to showcase specific players, teams, scholar athletes, or invite fans to share their favorite moments.

11. Teams

Looking for a way to engage fans? Share a fan or player highlight reel focusing on team-specific content. Incorporate not only fan posts, but player and team posts as well.

12. Summer Camps

Hosting local youth is a major opportunity to capture great content to use to boost further programs and next year’s camps. Encouraging posts can drive greater awareness around the program.

13. General Social

Seeing peer content is a quick way to get students excited about campus events and activities. Create a board to highlight student life at your school, from athletic events to club activities and more.

14. Tickets

The fear of missing out on a big game is a key motivator for students buying tickets. Utilize fan-generated content to show what fun a football or basketball game is, and watch your ticket sales skyrocket.

Student Life

15. Student Life Center / Lounge

Give students a voice (a voice other students will listen to) by sharing their posts around campus, focusing on overall student life.

16. Activities & Events

Encourage student participation around specific events and show things that are happening around campus in real-time.

17. Student Government

Showcase student government officers and campus student-led initiatives by creating a student government-focused board.

18. Graduation

Graduation is a monumental event, and generates an abundance of UGC. Use graduation or convocation ceremonies as a way to highlight students, share information about activities, and celebrate a milestone in your students’ lives.

19. Student Section

Boost energy in your student section by creating a student-focused board, highlighting giveaways, challenges and upcoming game information.

20. Intramural Sports

Intramural sports are part of the college experience. Create excitement and boost awareness about the intramural program by showcasing an intramural board.

Giving

21. Give Now

Focused on continuous giving, create a board to display donors and shares around previous giving events.

22. Special Projects

Do you have a specific need, or have students used donations in a specific way? Create a board to bring awareness to any needs you may have, or to highlight how donation funds have been used.

23. Giving Day

A board with real time posts happening around days of giving, encourages participation and conversion rates on donations made.

Alumni Relations

24. Career Services

Choosing a career is a monumental decision of post-collegiate life. Highlight real success stories from the career services department that have helped students find job placement.

25. Graduating Classes

Create a board for each graduating class so alumni can share updates on their life and career. Encourage them to share memories on campus to help today’s students connect with the campus.

26. Awards & Events

At events have live boards that share real-time feedback and current social posts to boost engagement and social activity around your award ceremony or event.

27. Success Stories

We all enjoy a good success story, and alumni success stories are no different. Use alma mater content in a curated board, highlighting their time at school and encouraging others to post their stories as well.

28. Chapters & Associations

If you have different chapters or associations across the nation, create a board to highlight various chapters and the activities or events they are running.

29. Clubs

School clubs are often participating in activities, and these activities are optimal content to highlight on a custom board.

Academics

30. Colleges & Departments

Show your departments and colleges some extra attention by highlighting students participating specifically in individual programs.

31. Centers & Institutes

Different centers and institutes host a variety of events, such as competitions, speakers and program-specific activities. Provide pertinent information and share any social posts that may come from the event or activity.

32. Internships

Internships are an integral part of the college experience, and an exciting aspect for students to share. Encourage students to share about their internship opportunities with employers and successes they’re having.

33. Events

Use a custom board for general events around the campus that are academic-focused, like a career fair or to publicize a speaker that may be coming to the campus. Creating buzz and excitement will attract attendance and encourage sharing.

34. Study Abroad

For many students, few college experiences are more social media-worthy than a study abroad program. Highlight stories from students engaged in study abroad experiences, by showcasing specific countries, programs supported by study abroad, or general information about the program.

Arts

35. Venues

Highlight overall activities and events happening at a specific venue, like a performance hall or auditorium.

36. Events & Tickets

Focused on a specific event, an event board on your website can increase ticket sales, spur more posts and increase social activity.