1.       Being liked isn’t everything

Measurement is going to be big for social media (SM) in 2012. 2011 was the year of, ‘what are we doing in SM?’ Therefore, with the new budgetary year looming, 2012 will be the year of, ‘what did we get for it?’

2.       Divide to conquer

Audience segmentation is de rigeur for publications teams and advertising managers, but too many social media platforms are still based on the all-in approach – hoping to drag in as many people as possible in the hope that some will find each other interesting. Establishing discreet (but linked) pages for groups with like-interests in a coordinated way appears to be delivering results for institutions that go down that path.

3.       Letting the adults take over

Yes, we all use SM now, so there’s no excuse for keeping that illiterate Gen Y with low-slung trousers and lots of ‘tude in the SM control chair. Send him/her back to spelling school and put a pro in place – young or old no longer matters, 2012 will be a year for SM strategy.

4.       Identify a goal. At least one. Please.

Don’t try and hide behind the ‘we’re building the brand’ excuse – every university marketing effort is funded with scarce resources and every one of those efforts should be measurable. Social media without a clear and measurable goal is a waste of time and precious cash.

5.       Tweet less

Twig Marketing’s 2011 Student Communications survey found Twitter was less effective than brochures or ads – and this from the generation that is supposed to hate print and see through ads. Plaster all the SM logos you like across your website, but consider the return on investment before you pay staff or students to shoot off regular missives into the ether.

6.       WIIFM?

Remember the golden rule of engagement – What’s In It For Me? Leach free stuff out at irregular intervals, segment communication and try to keep the banter headed in a direction that will mean something to your institution and your fan base.

7.       Season with care

Some institutions do an e-Advent calendar pre-Christmas, others send out showers of e-Envelopes at Chinese New Year. Remembering to observe, respect and celebrate seasons of not just local likers but also your international fanbase is an excellent way to demonstrate that you understand, you care and you want to engage.

8.       Image problem

Too few sites connect to meaningful and interesting images as a way to drive interest in courses and the brand. Sure, today’s funniest campus moment might be a crack-up if you can walk down to it, but for the rest of us it just looks a trifle in-house.

9.       Integrate or perish

Why is the guy with the low-slung trousers (see point 3 if this doesn’t make sense) still unaware that your website, brochures, even ads can be integrated into a network of useful information and opportunities that the likers just might happen to care about or, even more remarkably, act upon? Future student-consumers expect information to be integrated.

10.   Kick down the doors of your silos

Sure the central team have got their uni site up and running, but what is the connection with the faculty site? Is your branding consistent? Are there links? Do you encourage people to head from one to the other so that you can develop a virtual synergy? Do you ‘like’ each other?

11.   Think local, act global

You will know, from your own experience, that you are happiest as a consumer when you make the right purchase to suit your needs. It’s the same with education – there is nothing more important than to clearly, truthfully and engagingly exhibit the character of your institution through marketing channels in order to attract sustainable, long-term demand. But to do this effectively for international students, you need to develop a globally relevant lexicon or a segmented international market plan to hook into the needs and interests of future students, parents and other key influencers offshore.

12.   Don’t waste your time reading any more lists

We’ve all spent enough time experimenting. It’s time to stop looking over our collective shoulders and leap into the brave new world of 2012.

This coming year is the starting point for some major leaps in SM strategy development and implementation. The fan base is there. The SM platforms are there. All you need is a fresh tweak or even just a borrowed idea and most importantly, a simple call to action. And you can have the Christmas break for inspiration time!

Good luck, Merry Christmas and may you have a much-liked New Year.