Submitted by: Chansone Durden, TG Account Executive Team Manager

Social media: It's not just the latest Internet buzzword that's here today and then forgotten like yesterday's Twitter blast. Social media refers to any number of ways that people use the Web or related technology to meet, chat, entertain themselves, and even learn. Chances are you've jumped on the social media bandwagon without realizing it if, like a lot of people, you're a member of Facebook or a fan of YouTube, have shared photos or videos online, have a personal blog, or even just chat via an online message client like Instant Messenger.

The key distinction about social media is that the medium creates a dialogue among participants, unlike spam or newsfeeds, which are one-way communications. In this regard, social media can be a great vehicle for engaging high school students in college outreach. Many students are already veteran users of the online tools your campus could use. The tools themselves are dynamic in nature. Depending on the medium, you can post content, invite feedback and discussion, and even spur your readers to explore college admissions and planning for themselves.

If the tools are rich in possibilities, where to start in using them for college outreach may not be immediately clear. To help you begin that process, consider a few of the suggestions below. Each idea employs a particular social medium for a specific purpose or audience. In designing an outreach campaign, it's important to focus your message for the audience and emphasize the interactive aspect of the online experience.

• First-year student blog: Invite a first-generation student to blog about his or her first year on campus, and offer a link to the blog to high schools or students you're targeting for outreach. You may be able to collaborate with an instructor for a freshman course, and even offer extra credit to students who would be willing to blog about their experiences. For many future first-generation students in high school, that first year of college can be a source of anxiety. If these high school students can read about the lives of similar students negotiating the challenges of that first year, they may be more likely to enroll in college and continue their educational pursuits.
• College admissions process by social networking site: Applying to college can seem intricate to someone just beginning that process. Enlist an admissions counselor to talk about the admissions process, and have the person document that effort through a social networking site such as Facebook or MySpace. Let photos, succinct captions, and embedded videos tell the story of what it's like to apply. You might also discuss ways that students can distinguish themselves from other candidates, provide essay-writing tips, or offer online campus tours.
• Financial aid event live-cast: Financial aid events are some of the best ways to reach prospective students and interested parents. You can podcast or live-cast your financial aid outreach event, capturing common questions from students, offering a virtual way of understanding the process for completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and inviting further interaction through your college's Web site.
• Parent outreach via webinar: If you work with local high schools, you can invite parents of prospective students to listen in on a webinar on how to plan and prepare for college. The webinar could explore any number of college-related topics, but you might focus on areas that give parents initial anxiety about college, including the application process, financing, and the separation from their children.
• Online video post for first-generation or at-risk students: Similar to the first-year blog, this idea explores the first-year student's college experience through multimedia, in this case a video that you could post to your college's Web site. The video could be a testimonial from first-generation students or students who are at-risk for dropping out of school, including low-income students. These testimonials could be handled as Q&As with a counselor prompting students with questions about their classes, campus life, and adjusting to college.

For more help
You'll find a rich assortment of information about the way colleges are already using social media through various online publications, including University Business (www.universitybusiness.com) and Campus Technology (www.campustechnology.com). Type "social media" into the search engines for either of these Web journals and you'll discover a wealth of information as well as a variety of ideas on how to use social media for your outreach efforts.