International higher education is a globally competitive market, and while the applicant pool grows shallower each year, institutions can capitalize on the reach of platforms like Instagram to provide engaging content that mixes the curated and strictly informative posts with a behind the scenes look at student life. While Instagram is not a replacement for in-person recruitment, and usage varies depending on your target audience or region, it is a valuable recruiting tool and authentic way to engage with prospective students.

As of 2022, Instagram is among the top five most popular social media platforms globally with more than one billion users worldwide. According to the Pew Research Center, 76% of 18-to-24-year-olds surveyed were especially likely to report using Instagram. Initial pandemic traffic on social platforms skyrocketed and the way that students engage with social media changed. With the “return to normal” process unfolding over the last several semesters, engagement has decreased again, but students still seek information and want to feel seen and heard. By utilizing a platform students use regularly, you can demonstrate that you are interested in what they have to say and produce the content that they want to see.

Instagram is a highly visual platform which means it can help give students a more realistic, less or un-filtered look at the experiences of their peers. Gen Z appreciates authenticity and much of what’s traditionally marketed to them remains curated. Gen Zers are bombarded by thousands of marketing messages every day, but they want to know more than just what’s shared on a traditional campus tour. Often, it’s the off-the-cuff, honest messages that stand out the most and Instagram provides the perfect platform and features to achieve this messaging.

Follow along this presentation to learn tips for creating collaborative content and discover Instagram’s top features and how to best use them. By the end of the presentation, you should be contemplating your Instagram strategy and how to best leverage collaborators, influencers and features to build an authentic brand and recruit students. Please feel free to go to the reference page to see our sources and gather further information.