2016

Social Media SurveyRESULTS

This report illustrates the assembled responses received from the Chancellor’s Office social media survey, which was sent to community college public information officers in the spring of 2016 in

order to find out more about their social media usage and preferences.

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

DIABLO VALLEY COLLEGE

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2016 Survey ResultsCalifornia Community Colleges Social Media Preferences

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office surveyed Public Information Officers in the spring of 2016 to measure social media management and preferences. The following results are based on 63 responses.

How important are social media platforms to your college in communicating with students?TOP ANSWER: Very Important

How many hours a week do you estimate you or members of your staff devote to managing social media?TOP ANSWER: 10-15 Hours

43%10-15 HOURS

24%0-9 HOURS

33%16+ HOURS

YES44.26%

Do you have someone exclusively dedicated to social media duties, or is the responsibility shared among staff?TOP ANSWER: No Full-Time Social Media Employee Do you have a formal

social media policy for your college accounts?

NO55.74%

9.68%one full-timeemployee

6.45%more than onefull-time employee

8.06%no one assignedto social media

75.81%no full-time employee dedicated to social media;staff with other duties assigned to social media

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8.06%

notimportant

slightlyimportant

somewhatimportant

fairlyimportant

veryimportant

1.61%

24.19%

33.87%

extremelyimportant

32.26%

0%

We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it.—ERIK QUALMAN, author of Socialnomics

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2016 Survey Results (Continued)California Community Colleges Social Media Preferences

Which of the following social media platforms does your college use?QTOP ANSWER: Facebook

Runners Up (in order of popularity): LinkedIn; 3-way tie between Google+, Pinterest, and Snapchat; Yik Yak; Vine; Storify

100%

95.45%

84.09%

75%

For each of the platforms that you use, please indicate the number of followers each has.(Results show average number of followers.)

On average, how many posts does your college make to each social media platform?

Q

QFacebook

7,691Twitter1,803

Instagram528

YouTube678

LinkedIn6,614

Google+162

Pintrest28

Vine22

Snapchat67

Social media is your opportunity to reach a massive number of peo-ple with transparency, honesty, and integrity.— BRIN E. BOYD, SR., founder

and CEO of Media Connect Partners, LLC

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percentage of respondents20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

at least 1-3posts a day

4-8posts a day

9-15posts a day

more than 15posts a day

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What types of content do you find generate the most engagement?TOP ANSWER: Content with Photographs

Q

Q Q

PHOTOS70%

VIDEO17.50%

GRAPHICS5%

Do you engage social media channels during the weekends?

NO40.48%

YES59.52%

How would you rate your social media strategy in dealing with communications in the following areas:

“

2016 Survey Results (Continued)California Community Colleges Social Media Preferences

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20%

30%

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Everything you post on social media impacts your personal brand. How do you want to be known?—LISA HORN, A.K.A. THE

PUBLICITY GAL

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Are there topics or content that you feel social media, in general, is ineffective at communicating?Q

2016 Survey Results (Continued)California Community Colleges Social Media Preferences

“We think that in general most topics and content is effective in reaching our students. Engaging students is a concern we are now evaluating and researching.”

“Anything that’s too complex to be explained in more than two sentences.”

“Students sometimes feel overwhelmed if we send them too many messages in any given day —regardless of the topic.”

“No, big fan of social media in all forms. Wish there was more time to spend on it.”

“Addressing complaints.”

“District related busi-ness operations. For instance news on the district’s budget or upcoming meetings.”

“No; social media has done well in communicating what we need to students.”

“Boring stuff. ;)”

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s OfficeSocial Media Pages

facebook.com/CACommColleges

instagram.com/CaliforniaCommunityColleges

twitter.com/CalCommColleges

youtube.com/CACommunityColleges