SMSU is Top D2 University for Engagement on TikTok
Published Wednesday, September 04, 2024
Southwest Minnesota State University was recognized as the top Division 2 university on TikTok by RivalIQ, a leader in social media performance analysis for higher education, nonprofits, and other industries. SMSU’s ranking was based on the engagement rate over the past year. SMSU went from 64th in 2022-23 to 1st place in 2023-24 on TikTok. The University of Minnesota Duluth was the only other Minnesota institution in the top 10 on TikTok.
Top D2 Schools on TikTok in 2023-24
|
Rank |
University |
Total Engagement |
Eng. Rate by View |
|
1 |
Southwest Minnesota State University |
257,891 |
17.17% |
|
2 |
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania |
1,655,831 |
13.38% |
|
3 |
Elizabeth City State University |
120,587 |
16.91% |
|
4 |
Southern Connecticut State University |
410,801 |
13.04% |
|
5 |
The University of Tampa |
1,184,921 |
10.51% |
|
5 |
Valdosta State University |
85,864 |
16.60% |
|
7 |
Cedarville University |
89,138 |
14.56% |
|
8 |
Pittsburg State University |
686,375 |
9.52% |
|
9 |
University of Minnesota Duluth |
97,162 |
10.48% |
|
10 |
Shepherd University |
35,671 |
14.64% |
According to RivalIQ, TikTok engagement rates by view for D2 schools stayed relatively flat at 3.69% compared to 3.86% in 2023. Many universities are posting with the same frequency as last year at around two videos per month. SMSU’s engagement rate by view was 17.17%. Additionally, the SMSU team posts videos twice a week on average during the academic year.
“We are so proud of the work our marketing team is doing on all of social media, but TikTok in particular,” said Nathan Polfliet, Associate Vice President of Advancement at SMSU. “We know that TikTok is one of the top platforms used by Gen Z— those users between the ages of 12-27. This recognition confirms that we are reaching our current and prospective students in an engaging and positive way.”
RivalIQ surveyed all D1 and D2 colleges and universities on social media between June 1, 2023 and May 31, 2024 on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Using this data and a weighted formula, they generated an overall engagement ranking for each school. The top-ranked colleges and universities on social media have high engagement rates with average or better audience size and posting volumes.
“Social media is fickle, and we know that what works today can fall flat tomorrow so having a high engagement per view in our second year on the platform is a testament to the creative minds behind our social media efforts,” said Marcy Olson, senior director of Communications and Marketing at SMSU. “I have to give credit to the [Communications & Marketing] team for the great work they do week in and week out. It’s a grind to come up with creative ideas on a regular basis and they always bring their A-game.”
The Communications and Marketing team includes: Jennifer Aguilar, graduate assistant and MBA student; Maddy Groff, graphic designer and publication coordinator; Stacie Mulso, admission publications and graphic designer; and Mitch Riibe, digital media strategist and videographer. Also contributing to the TikTok effort in 2023-24 was Juliana Villa, graduate assistant and MBA student who graduated in May 2024.
Follow SMSU on the following platforms: @SMSUOfficial on TikTok, @SMSUToday and @SMSUOfficial on Facebook, @SMSUToday and @SMSUAdmission on Instagram, @SMSUToday on Twitter/X, and @SMSUMustangs on YouTube.
For complete information on the Higher Education Social Media rankings, visit: https://www.rivaliq.com/blog/higher-ed-social-media-engagement-report/
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