A spring survey revealed students want to receive college information through their school email, but prefer YouTube if communication is via social media.
AACC’s Strategic Communications Department and Interact Communications, a marketing agency, collaborated on a survey of more than 500 students about media preferences. The data disclosed information about students’ habits related to social media, television and newspapers, for example.
“We didn’t have a lot of expectations going in,” Alicia Renehan, a public relations manager from Strategic Communications, said. “We’re really open to just hearing from the students and hearing what they’re interested in … and that helps us make better decisions.”
Renehan said AACC has conducted this survey since the 2020-2021 school year to discover how students like to get their information.
“We have to be speaking to students on students’ level,” said Student Government Association President Zack Buster, “using the channels that are most used. … If you’re posting 10 times a day, but you’re posting on the wrong platform, you’re not reaching as big of an audience as you should and … could.”
According to the survey, students prefer to communicate on their college email about college events and announcements, and about campus, financial or academic information. But 77% said they would rather get texts for time-sensitive messages such as school cancellations or delays.
When information is delivered on social media, students said, they prefer Instagram for communication about college programs and athletics, but YouTube is the favorite for school services information.
“I understand that people want stuff in their college inboxes instead [of private accounts] … because a lot of people like to keep their … academic life separate from their personal life,” Buster said.
Micah Walker, a second-year film studies student, said he wants to see information on social media or via text message.
“They should know how to branch out to the people of the college,” Walker said.