ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING (SMM) IN HEI’S ADMISSION

Mr.M.Awais Mehmood (), Dr.Faisal Aftab () and Dr.Hafiz Mushtaq ()
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Mr.M.Awais Mehmood: PhD Scholar, Dept.of Management Sciences, Bahria University, Islamabad
Dr.Faisal Aftab: Director ORIC, Bahria University, Islamabad
Dr.Hafiz Mushtaq: Professor, Dept.of Management Sciences, Bahria University, Islamabad

IBT Journal of Business Studies (JBS), 2016, vol. 12, issue 2, 137-152

Abstract: Purpose Higher Education Institutes HEIs are shaping their operational approach in a more business oriented manner due to intensification of competition to recruit quality students.This requires adaption of various marketing communication tools to develop, sustain and improve brand image.The invent of Web 2.0 technologies have offered many such options to organizations including social media SM that is being now used by many HEIs to connect with their stakeholders especially students.The specific objective and purpose of this study is to investigate the use of SM marketing in the higher education sector in Pakistan and its perceived impact on admission of students.Methodology It is a qualitative study based on inductive approach where indepth interviews were conducted with the university’s administrators responsible to manage the SM activities.The interviews were transcribed using NVivo to determine content type placed online by the HEIs in Pakistan, benefits accrued and their perceived impact on student admission.In addition ethnography technique was used to find the type of content on SM being placed by the Pakistani HEIs.Findings The study illustrates that Facebook and Twitter are the most commonly used social media accounts by the Pakistani HEIs.The content placed on SM by the Pakistani HEIs include announcements, admissions, events, community messages, promotional messages, achievements, greetings, endorsements and job/internships opportunities.Through this content HEIs areable to better engage with their students, obtain necessary feedback, correct any misperceptions and help in career building.These benefits are consequently contributing directly and indirectly to the elements considered important by students for selection of HEIs as highlighted in students’ preference theoriesSoutar & Turner, 2000 Maringe, 2006 Mangan, Hughes, Davies, & Slack, 2010.Implications This study will help the HEIs to understand common benefits they can accrue through their SM use and its potential in facilitating their admissions process.The study will also let the managers of SM in HEIs know of ways to optimize their usage of SM that will consequently help them better gauge the identified benefits and ultimately help in achieving desired objectives pertaining to students’ recruitment.

Keywords: Social Media Marketing; Web 2.0; Facebook; Twitter; Higher Education Marketing; Students’ Admission (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aib:ibtjbs:v:12:y:2016:i:2:p:137-152

DOI: 10.46745/ilma.ibtjbs.2016.122.10

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