Should Timetabling And Social Media Mix?

Timetabling and social media might not be a combination that automatically springs to mind. Is using Facebook to let students know of last-minute room changes a good thing? Should cancellation and changes be the subject of a tweet and should Instagram be a place where students are updated with the latest timetabling-related news?
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The use of social media to advertise and promote products and services is nothing new. Like most businesses, Escentral uses social media to update followers on news, upcoming courses and, most recently, our new venture, The Timetabling Academy.

Like most technological tools, trends come and go. Whereas at one time, posts and captions were heavily sales focussed, many companies - and universities and colleges - are using social media to create and nurture community.

The possibility of using Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or even TikTok to update students on timetabling changes may not be something you have - or will! - consider but, is this something that could be utilised to inform students? Could the world of social media be beneficial for those in the timetabling world as it is for businesses?

1 - Increase Brand Recognition

In a recent Sprout Social report, 70% of businesses that their biggest social media goal was to increase brand recognition and 59% cited sales generation as their main focus. For the timetabling team, it might not be about sales but recognition as well as a means of advertising room changes or cancellations make you more visible.

Using a cross-section of social media platforms - you need to understand where your students are ‘at’ in terms of social media - could potentially mean you are reaching your core group and ensuring that timetabling is easily accessible, a key element to helping students engage with what you are posting.

2 - Improved Brand Loyalty

From a business perspective, this is all about using social media to create consumers and followers who are loyal to you and your company.

From a timetabling perspective, the students have little choice but to be ‘loyal’ to the timetable they receive - they don’t have the choice to choose something different!

However, the emotion behind an audience becoming and remaining loyal is trust.
By increasing visibility and providing useful, interesting and even amusing information, you are helping to build a relationship that will foster trust.

3 - Community

Social media provides easy and instant opportunities for students to engage with the content you post as well as helping to spread good news stories throughout your institution quickly and efficiently. This is effectively creating and maintaining a community.

However, there are always risks with social media. And one is the control of potentially damaging or embarrassing negative feedback.

This shouldn’t be a stumbling block – do you really think that if they have timetabling issues (or others), they aren’t using social media to complain about it anyway? Would you rather not know what the complaints are and address them accordingly, ensuring your audience can also see you are proactively addressing the issues raised?

4 - Higher Conversion Rates

From a timetabling perspective, this is all about social media’s ability to turn each student into a student who trusts your institution's timetabling team. By providing timetabling information via social media you will be tapping into a resource that the vast majority of students not only know how to use but use a lot of the time. Does it therefore not make sense to get involved?

5 - Higher Brand Authority

By being on social media, you are enabling students to interact with you. The more you interact, the more students will want to interact with you – whether this is letting people know about their timetabling news by tagging you in their posts. You could interact further, thanking them for the post or asking them to talk to you further about their not-so-good experience – whether this is by calling the timetabling team, via social media or live chat, if you have this facility.

Resolve the issue and they are very likely to then let other students know via social media and word of mouth too. Step by step, you are building trust and improving the student experience of timetabling.

6 - Increased Inbound Traffic

This is probably one of the more straightforward and obvious advantages from a timetabling perspective and a core reason for institutions deciding to use social media.

One of the main battles of timetabling is actually getting the message out to students and ensuring they are looking at their timetables regularly - and social media is a great way of doing this.

Posts referring to timetable changes, cancellations, news and deadlines can all be posted on social media with links to your main website that will include more information. It’s quick, easy, and with free Wi-Fi as well as generous data packages attached to smartphones, most students will be able to check within seconds.

7 - Decreased Marketing Cost

The point of this benefit is that social media from a business perspective reduces the amount of time and money that needs to be spent on marketing. For the timetabling team, it could mean a more effective means of communication with students without expensive software and hours of time. Providing students follow or connect with your page, and you advertise this portal of information well, this method of updating your audience should take a few minutes.

8 - Better Search Engine Rankings

Probably not the greatest concern when thinking about social media and timetabling but the concept behind search engine rankings is that the higher up the rankings you are, the more relevant you are to the audience who have searched for information on a certain topic.

If a student types “institution name + timetable” into a search engine, you would want your website page to be top of the list. By being active on social media and creating links to your page you are promoting this.

9 - Richer Customer Experiences

Social media allows you to create a personal student service experience for each student that engages with you.

If a student makes a complaint, you apologise and address the issue, showing them and others that you care and want them to have a great timetabling experience.

If a student says something positive you can thank them and let them know about other good news stories or features they could benefit from, further promoting your relationship with them and other students who see this connection.

10 - Improved Student Insights

You can monitor how students interact with the content posted and see what they are talking about in reference to timetabling at your institution. You can find out which posts are proving to be the most successful and develop your social media strategy to produce similar content and posts. 

Social Media and Rose-Tinted Spectacles

A common concern is that using social media around issues with timetabling opens the floodgates to complaints.

But complaints and unhappiness with short-notice timetabling changes or related issues are already happening - it just might be that you don’t see how much of an issue they are or what the real gripes of students are. The key is to respond in a positive way but with a strong social media strategy, you’ll be able to learn from these comments.
Do you use social media alongside other forms of communication regarding timetabling? Is it something you would consider? Why not post a comments over on our LinkedIn page?

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