Newsletter #77: TikTok isn’t no.1 for students; The EU just dropped a law that will change the internet; Digital cameras are the new nostalgia
✏️ From the Education Marketer desk
For all the hype, you’d expect TikTok to be the preferred social platform for students. But it really isn’t. Read
The creator economy will change education. Look
Community will be the next big marketing trend of 2023. Look
📰 HE news
What started as a few headlines about students only using the cold tap this Winter has grown into a sector-wide response to the cost-of-living crisis. According to HEPI, 17% of students have concerns with EVERY aspect of their finances. But this stuff has layers. 90% of students reported a worsening of their mental health due to the cost of living crisis too. In response, universities are tripling hardship funds, offering free meals and relaxing attendance rules so students can work from home. It goes some way to reducing the pressure, but the Government’s 2.3% increase in the student maintenance loan allowance won’t go far to relieve anxieties with inflation running hot at 10%. A few universities have shared that they are dusting off their Covid-19 plans and taking a similar “crisis management” approach. That’s where we are. Although, I think we’re a few months off from seeing a cost-of-living alert bar on a university homepage. Read
📊 Marketing and media news
Digital governance is an odd export, but nonetheless an incredibly valuable one. The EU has rolled out new laws that focus on the interoperability of digital platforms. Essentially, if you’re using WhatsApp but your friend prefers Messenger, by LAW Meta now needs to make messages between the two apps possible (LOL.) It also means that Apple would need to make its apps available on multiple platforms, not just the AppStore. Big tech doesn’t need to get around to these changes until late 2023, but this will fundamentally change the internet - maybe even for content creators. Can you imagine moving your Facebook audience to a platform like TikTok as simply as you export a mailing list? In the future, it might be possible. Read
Meta recently published research into the creator economy, highlighting the emergence of a “creator middle class” but only if it’s “championed and protected well” (not on Meta’s platforms then!) I jest - but I agree, there’s something here. Creators are often conflated with influencers, but the reality is quite different. According to Adobe, most Gen Z creators don’t want infamy, they just want to own their own businesses. Surely, with 150 million joining the creator economy in the last two years, there’s an opportunity for universities to tap into that need? Too often we panic about how young people are using social, but “the kids” are actually alright. Channel 4 reveals that 58% of Gen Z thinks older generations exaggerate the effects of social media - so it appears that while we’re worrying, a lot of young creators are actually cracking on and building careers. Social is just another day at the office. Meta content creators | Gen Z are fine with social media
Bonus: Elon Musk’s new Twitter Blue subscription revenue would be a drop in the ocean. Prepare for a much smaller Twitter. Look
🏫 What unis are doing
NYU’s Brainiacs is what you get when you cross a news report with a university research video. There are 14 editions in total and it’s good to see the steady growth of the YouTube series. The most recent post almost breaks 5000 views with production value being a key contributing factor. One criticism: NYU could be posting more - but it’s a solid series and decent foundation for research-based content. Look
Bristol University takes a subtle approach to cost-of-living content by sharing the story of a commuter student. The piece is nicely done with some strong messaging like “at university there is no normal experience” and “university is what you make of it, not what someone else or a stereotype tells you it should be.” It’s refreshing and will certainly appeal to young people agonising over studying from home or moving out. Look
University of Nottingham published tips from a PhD student on starting a masters career. 13,800 views. Seriously, LinkedIn is underrated when it comes to masters and PhD recruitment. Over 20% of masters students use LinkedIn to make decisions about where to study. For prospective PhDs, it’s even higher at 28%. The most reach you’ll get is from personal profiles, but videos from university accounts do surprisingly well. Take advantage. Look
🧑🎓 What students are saying
“It’s a reality that a very small percentage of PhD graduates will end up with a tenure-track professorship. Right now, the pay is bad, the work–life balance is bad and mental health is an issue. If any of those shift, research jobs in academia will be more appealing.” PhD students on how the role has faculty has shifted over time. Read
👾 Culture shock
Digital cameras are the new nostalgia. Look
Adjusted for inflation, Meta is spending more on VR than the US spent on the Apollo missions. Look
