User-generated content (UGC) is an invaluable tool for higher ed social media marketers, helping them level up their content creation capabilities while building brand trust. Indeed, research shows that:
- 81% of consumers trust user-generated content more than professionally created brand content or influencer marketing
- 85% rely on UGC videos before making a purchase
What is User-Generated Content?
User-generated content is original content created by people rather than by brands themselves. Brands then share this content via channels like social media and email marketing.
Common UGC content types include images, videos, and reviews.
In a higher ed context, user-generated content is most likely to come from one of these sources:
- Students generate the vast majority of higher ed-related UGC because there are so many of them. Examples include campus tours and day-in-the-life videos.
- These subject-matter experts play a key role in attracting prospective students. They might discuss their expertise or offer their take on developments in their field.
- Former students are an essential source of funding. They might create content reminiscing about their college days, from their favorite lecturers to iconic campus locations.
So what does “user-generated content” look like in higher education? Read on to find out.
1. Stanford University
Instagram Reels are essential to any higher ed social media content strategy. Research from Buffer shows that Reels generate 36% more reach than carousels and 125% more than single-image posts.
There’s just one problem: capturing the necessary content to share a constant stream of Reels takes time. If, like many higher ed marketers, you’re part of a small social media team, it can be a struggle to do it all yourself.
It pays to build up a bank of user-generated video content.
Stanford University clearly recognizes this. They regularly share UGC Reels, like this clip of the aurora borealis captured from California’s Pinnacles National Park by student Naveen Ravindar:
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Not only does this help Stanford’s social team operate more efficiently, but it’s also a superb piece of content in its own right.
2. Colorado State University
Nature shots often play well on social media, and Colorado has more than its fair share of stunning scenery. Throw in a well-timed lightning strike, and you have all the ingredients for eye-catching, highly engaging social media content.
Just like this example captured by Colorado State student Catherine Jones:
And you’re far more likely to be able to share visuals like this if you have a team of student creators actively looking for opportunities to capture content for your social channels.
👉 Learn more: 10 Examples of Higher Ed Institutions Leveraging Student Content Creators
3. University of Iowa
As a social media marketer, you spend a staggering amount of time online. But the fact is, you’re (probably) not the same age as the students at your school, so it’s unrealistic to expect that you’ll spot – and understand – every single social media trend that comes along.
Again, user-generated content can help here. A lot of your UGC will inevitably come from your existing students, many of whom will have a finger on the pulse of what’s happening on social media.
For instance, the University of Iowa shared this UGC post jumping on the “holy airball” trend:
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(Don’t worry, I didn’t know about “holy airball” either because I’m an adult; I had to Google it.)
When you’ve got a bunch of student creators in your corner, you’re in a great place to capitalize on any relevant trends before they get played out.
👉 Learn more: Jumping on Trends: How Higher Ed Institutions Can Leverage Them Without Straying From Their Brand
4. Louisiana State University
So far, our user-generated content examples have come from current students. But there’s another potentially valuable source of UGC that we haven’t mentioned, namely, former students.
In our next example, Louisiana State University created a carousel post featuring images sent in by alum Kate Williams, who runs a successful plant-based ice cream brand in Portland:
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Sharing content your alumni send isn’t just supportive; it demonstrates that you’re all still part of one big, happy family, which can encourage other graduates to donate to your institution.
And there’s another benefit: when your former students are successful, it reflects well on your school by extension. So why wouldn’t you take advantage of their UGC?
5. Arizona State University
Social proof – the way other people’s behaviors influence our actions – can play a key role in college selection. Because if a prospective student sees a bunch of positive reviews, testimonials, and success stories about a specific institution, there’s a good chance it’ll affect their decision-making.
And when social proof-based content is user-generated, it’s even more effective, because it feels authentic.
For example, consider the story of Uber driver-turned-student Tiffany Holman, who qualified for free tuition at Arizona State University after completing a certain number of trips:
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This positive message paints Arizona State in a good light because it helped Tiffany achieve her dream of earning a degree in Educational Studies to work with and empower youth and young adults.
It’s the sort of inspiring message that could motivate other prospective students to follow in Tiffany’s footsteps.
6. Boston University
Graduation is a massive moment for any higher ed marketer’s content calendar.
But while you’ll definitely want to share some more professional content from the big day(s), you should also be using UGC to shine a light on individual stories. Just like Boston University did with this TikTok featuring student Hermela Haile trying on her mortar board for the first time:
@bostonu It’s all starting to feel real 🥹 #graduation #bu2025 #fyp #college#college @Hermela Haile ♬ original sound – ⭐️
Capturing these personal moments makes a huge graduation ceremony feel much more human, helping you build a more emotional connection with your audience.
7. University of Tennessee, Knoxville
We’re sticking with the graduation theme for our next example. Because, as we’ve already noted, it’s a pretty big deal for any higher ed institution.
In this example, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) shares a Reel captured by food science major Bryce McKenzie, who shows us what it’s like to be a senior about to graduate from the school’s Herbert College of Agriculture:
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It’s an interesting twist on capturing user-generated content around graduation day itself, giving audiences a closer look at life for a senior at UTK.
👉 Learn more: Like UTK’s content? Check out our article on Infusing Your Higher Ed Brand Into Social Media, featuring insights from the school’s Social Media Manager Carrie Mills.
8. Texas A&M University
As a higher ed social media marketer, you’re creating content for prospective and current students and trying to reach and engage their parents.
So it makes sense to celebrate occasions like Mother’s Day. And how better than to share user-generated content featuring students and their moms? That’s exactly what Texas A&M did with this carousel post:
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Once again, producing this sort of content yourself would be tough. But it’s a lot simpler if you have students sharing their favorite family photos with you.
9. New York University
What’s even better than sharing a day in a student’s life at your institution?
That’s right – sharing a week in their life, just like New York University does in this UGC example:
What’s slightly unusual about this example is that it takes static images and turns them into a TikTok post.
TikTok is obviously (much) better known for video than images. Yet this carousel post is super effective at taking us on a journey with student McBride Juin as he sprints from classes to study sessions to fashion week events as part of his internship with PR and communications firm Lindsey Media.
👉 Learn more: 19 Great Examples of TikTok Content for Higher Education
10. UC Berkeley
User-generated content has a longer shelf life than you might imagine.
Sure, you could share it once, then forget all about it. Or you could file it away somewhere safe so you can use it again down the line as part of a roundup of your favorite UGC, just like UC Berkeley does in this example:
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This is a smart move because it’s a super low-effort way to create something new and engaging. And the more time you can save on developing content ideas, the more you can spend on high-value strategic actions.
11. Harvey Mudd College
What better place to start than the classic student day-in-the-life (DITL) video? This format – probably the most common form of higher ed UGC – involves a current student showing what it’s like to live and study at a college.
Harvey Mudd College enlisted one of its sophomore engineering students to create this video, which the institution shared on Instagram and TikTok:
@hmcadmission A day in the life of an HMC sophomore! #harveymuddcollege #harveymudd #claremontcolleges #college #collegelife #stem #engineering ♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim
This post is the perfect DITL example because it shows a variety of activities and settings. The student in question spends plenty of time with friends, but they’re also hard at work, against a series of aspirational-looking on-campus locations.
12. Baylor University Athletics
If you’re fortunate enough to have some high-profile former alums, featuring them in your social media content can be a highly effective way to drive reach and engagement (especially if they’re prepared to share the content themselves).
But, as we already know, audiences often find branded content inauthentic and untrustworthy.
User-generated content is the perfect solution. In our following example, Baylor University Athletics shared an interview between Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter and Baylor alum Michael Johnson and former Baylor student high jumper Moorea Long:
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Combining a famous alum and a student makes this video feel natural and engaging rather than overly promotional, making it a more valuable marketing tool for Baylor’s athletics program.
13. UC San Diego
Sure, user-generated content is seen as trustworthy and credible. But that’s not the only marketing benefit it provides. On a practical level, it also allows marketers to share content they’d otherwise have missed out on, which is particularly helpful when covering timely events.
For instance, UC San Diego leveraged UGC to show off a twice-yearly phenomenon that’s become known as Scrippshenge, when the sunset perfectly aligns with the pier columns at the university’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography:
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Without UGC, the institution’s marketing team would have had to send someone to the pier to capture the perfect shot. Instead, they got to share someone else’s work – while still enjoying all the other benefits that UGC provides. It’s a no-brainer!
14. Harvard Graduate School of Education
An alternative to the ever-popular day-in-the-life video is combining user-generated clips captured over an extended period. That way, viewers get an insight into your campus’s appearance throughout the year.
Again, user-generated content is the perfect format for this content type. Branded videos can often look over-produced and too salesy, whereas videos recorded by students come across as far more natural – making for a more engaging piece of content.
Here’s an excellent example courtesy of Harvard Graduate School of Education and student Deepak Ramola:
@harvardeducation Deepak Ramola shares a few memories made so far – here’s to even more fun in 2023! ✨ | Audio courtesy of Extreme Music #harvard #hgse #harvarduniversity #ivyleague #gradschool #harvardlife #college #harvardstudent #yearontiktok #yearinreview #fallsemester #2022recap #recap ♬ original sound – HGSE
There’s something extremely wholesome about this video, which would be hard for the university to recreate itself.
15. Michigan State University
Another popular UGC format for higher ed is the campus tour video. As you can probably guess, this content type is about highlighting popular spots around your university, giving prospective students a feel for what it’s like to live and study there.
Michigan State University consistently uses this format to show off some of its best on-campus attractions, such as this video featuring the school’s dining hall:
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Admittedly, a dining hall might not seem like the most thrilling setting for your next TikTok video or Instagram Reel.
But put yourself in the shoes of future students: they will be interested in learning about some of the more mundane elements of university life. They won’t get much insight into the student experience if all you post is aspirational, professionally captured shots of sunsets over your campus buildings.
16. Carnegie Mellon University
No breaking news to share, no upcoming announcements to tease, and nothing in your content calendar; all higher ed social media marketers have days when they’re scratching around for content ideas.
On the (hopefully rare) occasions when that happens, user-generated content can be an invaluable source of evergreen content – the type of stuff you can post whenever you need it. Carnegie Mellon University shows us the value of having a bank of UGC you can rely on at these times:
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Of course, this isn’t just about posting for the sake of it. Sharing user-generated images and videos taken around your campus is always a valuable tactic for higher ed marketers, helping prospective students get a closer look at your university and imbuing alums with nostalgia that might ultimately prompt them to donate.
17. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
It’s easy to forget that current students aren’t your only source of UGC. Getting faculty members and leadership involved in the content creation process has plenty of benefits.
For one thing, audiences like it when senior leaders are engaged in social media. One study discovered that 70% of consumers feel more connected to brands when the CEO has an active social presence. It’s also extremely valuable from a higher ed perspective, given that “quality of academics” is consistently named as one of the top factors for students choosing a school.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology clearly understands all this. It recently launched a podcast in which the school’s president speaks to newly tenured faculty members on critical challenges facing their areas of expertise (and the world at large).
This podcast is a fantastic example of how user-generated content can help position your faculty members and senior leaders as thought leaders, enhancing the school’s reputation.
18. Columbia University
Between reaching out to alums and persuading future students to choose their schools, it can be easy for higher ed marketers to forget that current students are also a key audience.
After all, they’re your biggest advocates. If they love attending your institution, they’ll tell the whole world about it. And there’s nothing more valuable than word of mouth spreading your message. So it’s clearly in your best interests to help students have the best possible time.
One useful approach is to share tips about what to do on campus. For instance, with finals approaching, Columbia University shared a bunch of UGC imagery highlighting some of the best spots to study on campus:
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19. Brandeis University
Brand-created content can only ever give a superficial view of what it’s like to study at your school, whereas UGC gives your audience a behind-the-scenes look that can be far more informative.
For instance, Brandeis University challenged current students to participate in a dorm decorating competition. In this video, winner Rubaiya Nasim gives the school’s TikTok followers a guided tour around her room:
@brandeisuniversity Rubaiya Nasim ’23 is the winner of the Room Decorating Competition 2022, and got to give us a tour of her comfy, relaxing, & reenergizing space. #brandeis #brandeisuniversity #campus #collegelife #residencehall #room #studentlife #student #fyp ♬ Vibes – ZHRMusic
Showing your audience behind the doors of a real dorm helps them get a more realistic and meaningful impression of your school (even if Rubaiya decorated her room far more beautifully than your average college living space).
20. Stony Brook University
Of course, you want to be honest about student life at your institution. But you also want to demonstrate that your school is an enjoyable place to spend time.
Again, user-generated content is the perfect solution. Stony Brook University regularly shares video compilations showcasing the various events and activities taking place on campus:
@stonybrookuniversityLast Campus Lifetime of the (pre-finals) semester: Smashed. Car Smash hosted by Fraternity & Sorority Life, Center for Prevention and Outreadh & TKE. Diversity Day x Strawberry Fest hosted by FSA, USG, & Office of Multicultural Affairs.♬ So Much Happiness – Lux-Inspira
These videos make it feel like there’s always something going on at the university, positioning Stony Brook as a fun and friendly place to study.
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