Explainer: The student media guide to social media

Social media advertising is one of the most popular and accessible products that student media organizations can offer, allowing advertisers to connect directly with students through a channel they are already tuned into daily.

What is social media advertising?

Social media advertising refers to sponsored content, paid promotions, and branded campaigns through various platforms such as:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook
• X (Twitter)
• LinkedIn

Social media allows advertisers to connect with students directly through the platforms they use every day, creating opportunities for both brand awareness and engagement.

Why is social media advertising important?

Every day, students discover different brands, events, products, and services through social media. Unlike traditional advertising, social media creates opportunities for interaction and conversation with measurable results. 

Social media is often the first place students turn for recommendations or information. Advertising through your student media publication allows brands to become part of students’ daily routines. 

The benefit of implementing social media as a product in your media kit is the ability to track performance and share analytics with the advertiser. You can measure metrics such as impressions, reach, engagement rates, views, clicks, and conversions. 

Social media works well when paired with other advertising channels such as website, email newsletters, or print publications, as multiple touchpoints help increase brand recall by offering a “surround sound” bundle approach. 

What you need to get started

The key to building a successful social media presence is developing a consistent strategy and growing your audience, which can take time. 

If your publication does not already have an existing social media account, start by considering which platforms make the most sense for your organization. 

Consider starting these social media platforms first:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• TikTok

These are great to start with because these platforms remain among the most widely used social media channels among college students and campus communities.  Because students are actively using these platforms, your publication’s content is likely to gather more engagement.

Once you have an idea of which platforms to launch, create your publication’s accounts. You do not need to launch every social media platform at once; in fact, it is more effective to manage one or two platforms before expanding your social media management. 

‍Establishing your brand

Before you begin posting, take some time to create a consistent brand identity across all channels. A strong brand identity helps your credibility and creates a professional experience for both your audience and potential advertisers.

It is also crucial to establish a brand voice and tone for your content and accounts. Think about how you want your publication’s social media to be perceived by all audiences. 

Ensure all of your accounts have: 

• Consistent handle names and usernames
• Recognizable profile pictures, relating to your publication
• A bio explaining your organization 
• A link to your publication’s website
• Consistent branding elements such as colors, fonts, and graphics

Assigning responsibilities

It is important to have at least one team member responsible for managing your organization’s social media. 

Responsibilities may include: 

• Content creation
• Scheduling posts
• Monitoring comments and engagements
• Tracking analytics
• Coordinating sponsored content

What if we don’t have the bandwidth?

Many student media organizations assume they need a large staff or schedule to build a successful social media presence; however, consistency is the most important takeaway. 

Start with a manageable posting schedule that fits your team’s bandwidth. It is recommended to post a few high-quality posts rather than posting sporadically. Keep in mind the content already being created elsewhere within your team, such as reporting, photography, videography, and other journalistic content. 

Consider implementing organizational and scheduling tools to plan content in advance, such as a content calendar. 

How to price social media advertising

We recommend setting your price for social media advertising based on the number of followers, audience engagement, and ad placements. 

Different placements include:

• Sponsored posts
• Story ads
• Reels
• Takeovers

As a starting point, consider setting your price based on follower count, engagement rates, and creative production costs. 

Video content usually requires higher rates as it relies on additional production time and drives higher engagement.

To learn more about pricing, please contact your account manager.

How to sell it

Once you have established the foundation of your social media presence, think about how you want to position it for local and national buyers.

Use these points in your pitch to create opportunities for advertisers to connect with your highly sought-after audience. 

• Social media is an opportunity to reach students in their everyday routine.
• Students check social media throughout the day, such as when they wake up, in between classes, and before bed. 
• Social media metrics are easy to access. This allows for fast reporting during the campaign.

When you meet with a prospective client, show them your follower counts across platforms, engagement rates like comments and likes, views, and audience demographics. You can also present screenshots of your successful social media campaigns and examples of sponsored content for their business, helping advertisers visualize what their campaign could look like when investing in your organization. 

What’s next?

The first step in implementing social media as a product for your organization is identifying the platforms that make the most sense for your audience. Remember that building a consistent strategy is the key to growing an engaged audience. 

Over time, social media can become one of the strongest and most profitable products in your media kit. 

Reach out to your account manager today to see how we can help you get started.