“No matter what, the very first piece of social media real estate I’d start with is a blog.”
Those who work in higher education and student affairs are responsible for serving our students through sharing resources, offering advice and various opportunities for their personal and professional development. The use of technology knows no bounds as it also is now essential to how it is utilized student affairs offices, professionals and student leaders, fulfilling many of our responsibilities.
Here we go into the benefits of blogging, with examples of sites and content. Before I dig in with our top tips, I want to address a few reasons why people may avoid a platform like blogging.
When we are thinking of a different way to improve our engagement with students and the greater campus community we should consider the use of blogging.
Before I get into why, I want to address some of the misconceptions about blogs for those who may be hesitant to start one:
People don’t read blogs. It’s clear that’s not the case, otherwise you may not be reading this post right now. People read blogs for different reasons and one of the most common reasons is to obtain new information and perspectives.
Blogging is like a journal. It can be used like a journal if you decide to design or market your blog in that way. A blog does not have to be completely made up of personal stories and reflections. It also does not have to be updated everyday.
You need an established following prior to creating your blog in order for your blog to be successful. Do you really think people create blogs so they can share with people that already know them? Partly yes, however, most people create a blog with an intent that their audience will increase and reach an audience they wouldn’t have otherwise met offline.
Examples of two blogs we deem successful and are a good starting point to get ideas from include #RyersonSA and I Am Rutgers.
The #RyersonSA blog was made for the entire division of student affairs staff members at Ryerson University, however, their blog also focuses on the larger community: the content centers on development. Through the blog staff members are encouraged to engage with each other across the division and can inform each other about the roles, programs, updates, and initiatives that can impact the divisional development as a whole. Ryerson also runs a Ryerson Student Life blog primarily for student updates and sharing stories.
The I Am Rutgers blog is student-run and designed for Rutgers University students to learn about the different experiences that RU students have.
Almost every department or office in student affairs or student life divisions as one entity can benefit from having a blog. Do you already have a place online where students can connect? You have an opportunity to make into what students need, drive student engagement and build relationships among all different types of students and professionals from all over campus.
Here are some of the top ways your division can benefit from blogging:
Potential students will search for your university or college, and your campus life blog may be one of the first sites they interact with. They’ll be able to connect with current students and get an idea if they’ll fit in or find a home away from home somewhere on campus.
Giving students a platform to share their voice shows applicants that the institution puts a lot of value on student body involvement. Current students can showcase what they’re passionate about and reflect on their campus involvement.
Blogs can help students in a myriad of ways. The best blogs in student affairs or campus life answer common questions that students have in an unique way that captures their attention. These blog posts will then become a particularly handy tool for student leaders who need to refer to resources and can easily share a blog post via social media to a new student.
For example, a residence life and housing department could publish a ‘how-to’ maintenance blog post and show students step-by-step who to submit a work order, etc. etc. There are so many ways institutions can leverage a blog to reach a wide variety of students (i.e. on and off campus, international students).
Often when students think about leadership positions, they think of an Orientation Leader, Resident Assistant, or someone who needs be constantly building, forming, and connecting with others. For introverts, who gain their energy by working on their own, offering a leadership position in editing, writing, and strategizing in a different environment can offer them a way to develop on skills without draining all of their energy.
Blogging can incorporate more than just writing content.
Students can develop skills through podcasting (SoundCloud), video blogging (YouTube), and making a presentation (SlideShare). Each medium has the opportunity to reach a different audience and engage with different groups of students.
Students have the opportunity to elevate their voices and thoughts while writing or managing a blog. Blog contribution and management will also aims to improve students’ skills in technology, communication, and time management. This could be an opportunity for those students who are studying communications, marketing, public relations, or those students who are interested in pursuing a career in higher education.
When was the last time a student ‘positive googled’ their name? A side-effect from writing and creative content is having a digital identity all over the web. It’s another way for them to build their reputation in a positive way.
Here are suggestions on what type of posts both students and staff can create:
How has having a blog impacted your department and student engagement?
If you are still considering starting a blog, what features are you considering?
Is your office blog student-run?
Continue the conversation by tweeting us @themoderncampus. Happy blogging!