For the fourth consecutive year, the University of Iowa reigns atop social media engagement in higher education.
The 2022 Higher Ed Social Media Engagement Report by Rival IQ ranks Iowa first on Facebook, third on Instagram, eighth on Twitter, and 41st on TikTok, which was included in the rankings for the first time this year.
“Anyone who’s anyone in Higher Education social media knows the Hawkeyes are *the* school to beat on social. University of Iowa has dominated the overall rankings in this report for the last four years in a row and pulled off another big win this year,” the report says.
The report ranks colleges and universities on their engagement and engagement rates. Engagements include measurable interaction on social media posts, including likes, comments, favorites, retweets, shares, and reactions.
Engagement rate is defined as the total engagement divided by the number of followers. Top-ranked colleges and universities on social media have high engagement rates with average or better-than-average audience size and posting volumes.
“This yearly report is a great way for our team to measure ourselves next to our peers,” says Michael Benning, director of digital marketing at Iowa. “It is validating and encouraging to see us perform so well each year.”
The report touted Iowa’s social media posts on the Hawkeye Wave, Twitter video posts, and student-driven content. Part of Iowa’s secret recipe for social media engagement has to do with the university’s uncanny ability to dominate in the world of sports, the report says.
“Three things contribute to our success,” Benning says. “Number one, the Hawkeye community has a tremendous amount of pride. Number two, our university has a lot of very talented people. Number three, we remain focused on our strategy of providing content that our audiences value while also strengthening the brand of the university.”
You can follow the UI on social media @uiowa
Check out some of Iowa’s best posts from the past year.
Facebook
After four years, the Class of 2022 received a heartfelt message ahead of commencement week.
Twitter
Hawkeyes were excited to see that Iowa continues to be the best public university for writing across disciplines.
Instagram
UI Instagram followers took in campus from a different perspective during the 2021 Homecoming week.
TikTok
Uiowa followers on TikTok got the conversation started on which dorm they think their best friend would live in.
