5 Ways to Improve Communication Efforts with Gen Z in Higher Education
5 ways to improve communication efforts with Gen Z in higher education - Ragan Communications
To gain Gen Z’s attention, trust and maximize communication effectiveness, communicators working in higher education should consider the following strategies.
Michelle Patrick, Manager of Strategic Communication Initiatives, DePaul University
Higher education institution (HEI) communicators generally have a standard set of strategies for sharing messages with students, faculty and staff. However, Gen Z has communicators reconsidering their tactics and platforms for this target audience.
According to “Instabrain: The New Rules for Marketing to Generation Z,”by Sarah Weise, “Gen Z has adapted to process information quicker than its predecessors, with the ability to filter and make decisions about content in eight seconds or less.”To gain Gen Z’s attention, trust and maximize communication effectiveness, HEI communicators should consider the following strategies.
Be strategically strategic
According to Weise, Gen Z treat each social media platform differently. Instagram is a platform for inspiration and edited photos. Snapchat is a space to interact with friends and access unedited content. Twitter is for news and professional announcements, and YouTube and TikTok are for learning new things.
As a result, simply posting one thing across all the institution’s social channels won’t cut it. Communicators should strategically consider what they post, when and where. They should think about how the message aligns with the platform’s purpose. Determine what’s the best way to relay the message. Is it best delivered as a graphic, video or text?
Furthermore, is the content screenshotable? Weise notes that Gen Z regularly screenshots content and saves it for future reference and HEI communicators should take advantage of this behavior. Make it easy for students to screenshot and reference content later by creating easy-to-understand branded graphics that outline important deadlines, instructions, announcements or policy changes.
