The document summarizes a case study conducted by Bournemouth University to evaluate social media monitoring tools for higher education marketing and communications. Three tools - Meltwater Buzz, Hootsuite, and Vocus - were tested over one month by monitoring conversations and engagement related to the university. Meltwater Buzz provided the most in-depth search functions, analysis tools, and mined the widest range of platforms. However, none of the tools searched country-specific social networks or non-English languages. The study implications include considering access, resources, languages, and developing a comprehensive social media strategy aligned with organizational goals.

1. +
Social Media
Monitoring in Higher
Education:
1st International
Corporate and
Marketing
Communication in Asia
Conference
Bangkok, Thailand 1819 Nov, 2013
A case study of
corporate marketing
communications of
Bournemouth
University and its
outreach to Asia
Ana Adi &
Nathaniel Hobby

2. +
Context

3. +
Context

Increased competition in higher education both nationally and
internationally

Bournemouth University’s Marketing and Communications
Department review of its social media monitoring tools

4. +
Literature review

Marketisation of higher education




Enrollment
After 1990s a more nuanced, strategic approach influenced by tactics
drawn from advertising, public relations, fundraising and recruiting
Social media/Internet studies are related to information
sharing/awareness
Monitoring and measurement of social media marketing
communications


Benefits of digital media; interactivity, intelligence, individualization and
integration that are highly praised benefits (Chafee et al, 2009)
Challenge: including manage costs, enhancing productivity and finding
the tools that could support their work by providing insight into the big
amount of data shared daily online (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2011)

5. +
Methodology

Listening campaigns

One month

Exploratory

Observe and discuss differences in search, reach and
engagement as resulting from the social media conversations
captured by the tools

6. +
Methodology
• Social media
analysis
• Register multiple
accounts
• Keywords search
• Directly engage with
audience
• Social media
management and
measurement
dashboard
• Set up multiple
accounts
• Keywords search
• Directly engage
with audience
• Traditional
media
monitoring tool
• Social media
monitoring
option
• Analyse and
chart searches

7. +
Data
collection
Boolean searches
Some country specific terms
Misspellings

8. +

9. +

10. +

11. +
Analysis criteria

the depth of the search function (the ability of the platform to
find posts based on entered keywords),

the type of analysis tools provided
(visualisations, charts, extraction, sentiment)

the platform’s features (multi-user and multi-account
management)

the existence or absence of data export features.

12. +
Results and discussion
Meltwater Buzz
provided the
most results and
the most results
(152) and most
nuanced analysis

13. +
Results and discussion

Meltwater also mined more platforms for content providing thus
an opportunity for wider search results

Identify trends and audience interests (i.e. scholarships)

Influencers (@beasiswaindo and @ScholarshipsUK)

14. +

15. +

16. +

17. +
Results and discussion

Hootsuite and Vocus yielded no social media results (part due
to the lack features such as backdated search, archival options,
keyword search restrictions)

None of the platforms searched country-specific social media
networks (i.e. Ren Ren or Sina Weibo)

18. +
Implications

Access

Resources (human, financial, technical)

Languages

Strategy

19. +
Social media strategy for HEIs

Social media part of a wider strategy but needs its own goals
and objectives in line with wider organizational goals

Target audience research is essential

Social media needs monitoring on a daily basis (trends
research and monitoring, content planning  human resources
implications)

Financial implications

Cultural implications and considerations

20. +
Thank you!
@ana_adi
@nathanielhobby