Key Takeaways:
- Two of the most popular UK universities on the web and social media are Oxford University and Cambridge University. The University of Glasgow has also made huge developments in audience reach.
- Oxford University dominates platforms such as Facebook and Twitter for the highest follower and like count.
- Cambridge University is highly popular on social media apps Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
- Social media influences a lot of students’ decisions on choosing a UK university.
For many years, social media has been a great contributing factor in many students’ decision making for college. And higher education institutions all over the world are competing against each other in reaching as many target audiences as they want.
In the UK, in particular, students have shown how online reputation and social media engagement have attracted them to a particular university.
In a study that looked into the top UK universities and their social media presence on five social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn), researchers found that the University of Oxford and Cambridge University are the UK universities with the biggest social media following.
Oxford has the most likes and followers on Facebook and Twitter. Meanwhile, Cambridge University tops in followers on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Social media presence is fast becoming a major factor in a student’s decision-making process in choosing which university to attend in the UK. Let’s take a look at the most popular uk universities on social media and see what makes them stand out.
University of Oxford
When you think of higher education institutions in the UK, the first university that you would probably think of is Oxford. It is not a secret how its excellent reputation has greatly influenced students to follow its pages and posts on the internet.
But aside from that, Oxford has a remarkable social media presence. On Facebook, it has 4,315,522 followers and counting, while more than 744,600 users follow its account on Twitter. The university has over 988,000 followers on Instagram, 238,000 subscribers on YouTube, and more than 685,700 followers on LinkedIn.
Oxford posts a variety of social media content on its Facebook page, from announcements, story features, greetings, to news about current events. The content is also posted on Twitter, where the university makes sure good use of mentions. The university is also easy to reach out to since its social media team really takes the time to reply to questions.
Even though the University of Oxford is an institution, it does not fail to engage its audience. This engagement has made a lot of users leave a reaction to each post the university puts online.
Oxford is not only the most popular UK education provider but is also one of the most prestigious and oldest universities in the world. Oxford continues to attract students because of its excellent reputation and social media presence.
In fact, there are over 24,000 students currently attending the university. About 45 percent of the student body comprises international students, which is approximately 10,900 students. The university currently offers 250 undergraduate degree combination programs and more than 250 postgraduate programs.
University of Cambridge
What sets Cambridge University apart from the others is that it takes risks. On Nov. 9, 2016, it tweeted a “neutral face” emoji that was meaningless until the morning the next day when ex-President Trump won the U.S. elections. This tweet became viral and was retweeted more than 2,500 times.
This university is not only a top-notch university in the world, but it is also amazing in its use of social media. It extends its reach to student vloggers in producing content for the benefit of the school. One vlogger is Ibz Mo, a YouTuber who highlights his Cambridge life through his vlogs.
Here’s another proof of Cambridge University’s social media savvy: Its digital communications team won an award in 2017 for their full understanding of using social media in their engagement mix. They even brought this A-game to Snapchat as an extension to reaching more prospective students.
Although Cambridge places second on Facebook with 2,413,364 followers, and 608,900 plus on Twitter, these are undoubtedly impressive numbers. On Instagram, the university has more than 1 million followers. Meanwhile, 284,000 people subscribe to its channel on YouTube, and it has more than 700,330 followers on LinkedIn.
Home to more than 19,000 students, Cambridge University stays true to its mission of providing quality education to its students. Its acceptance rate is less than 25 percent and is considered extremely competitive like Oxford.
The University of Glasgow
One university that is slowly but steadily gaining a lot of traction on social media is the University of Glasgow. Netizens have noticed its creative approach in engaging prospective students.
The university posts videos that contain meaningful messages, useful tips, and other valuable insights. One video became a hit as it ensures students that during this unpredictable time, learning still continues and that the university will soon welcome students. This video has 36,100 plus views and counting, with lots of engagements.
The University of Glasgow also posted an Instagram video on the celebration of Pride Month, a big plus for students who want a safe and inclusive campus. This video has more than 18,500 views as of writing.
Even though Glasgow is not a top university in terms of worldwide popularity, with 283,885 followers on Facebook and 116,700 on Twitter, it continues to thrive online and gain significant reach. It’s definitely a university that others should watch out for.
Internet technology has enabled us to build connections with people, organizations, and institutions in different parts of the world. Social media continues to help higher education institutions reach students, and vice versa. Using social media well can be fruitful not only for institutions, but education specialists as well.
Read more:
- Trends in UK International Education in 2021
- International Student Recruitment: Methods and Strategies
- Top 7 Most Expensive Boarding Schools in the UK
Be prepared to use the web and social media to your advantage when you sign up as an Abcodo agent.
