Ep. 66: Remember When Social Media Was Actually Social?

Jenny Li Fowler sits down with Erica Colaianne, Director of Content Strategy and Audience Development at the University of Michigan, and Kellen Manning, Director of Digital and Social Media Content at Penn State University, for an honest conversation about how social media in higher education has evolved over the last decade. From the early days of Twitter and live tweeting to today’s algorithm-driven, entertainment-focused landscape, the trio reflects on what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what higher ed marketers need to rethink moving forward. This episode is packed with practical insights for enrollment marketers, higher education content marketing professionals, and social strategists navigating today’s increasingly fragmented digital ecosystem. The conversation explores platform evolution, social listening, audience engagement, crisis communications, and the growing role of social media in institutional strategy. Guest Names: Kellen Manning, Director of Digital and Social Media Content  Erica Colaianne, Director of Social Media, University of Michigan Guest Socials:  Kellen: LinkedIn  Erica: LinkedIn Guest Bios:   Kellen: As director of digital and social media content, Kellen builds, executes and oversees the University’s earned digital social strategy and content channels such as @penn_state, @psuresearch, @nittanylion, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. He uses digital storytelling to establish a meaningful connection between the University brand and its core audiences by highlighting research from across Penn State, serving as a sounding board and counselor for communicators across the Commonwealth, engaging with communities through social channels, and establishing strategies that are tied to key presidential priorities. Before joining Penn State, Kellen worked as the assistant director of communications for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s admissions office. In this role, he built a deep bench of student creators who developed content ranging from emails/newsletters, webtoons, animated videos, vlogs, discord servers, print pieces, social media campaigns, Spotify playlists, and various other initiatives with a strong focus on amplifying the voices and talents of the MIT community. Over the course of his career, Kellen has worked in communications for admissions, athletics, alumni, student life, and undergraduate relations. Kellen holds a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication, with a concentration on public relations from Point Park University. Erica: Erica Colaianne is the Director of Content Strategy and Audience Development at the University of Michigan where she spearheads the content strategy for the University of Michigan portfolio of digital platforms. Erica leads the university’s social media team that creates dynamic and engaging content for audiences of more than 2.9 million. She fosters a collaborative environment that demonstrates the impact of the institution and tells the stories of Wolverines’ experiences through authentic approaches. She previously worked in communications and marketing at Wayne State University and prior to joining the higher education community she led communications and marketing efforts for a range of organizations including healthcare, media companies and nonprofits. She has degrees from Wayne State University and Eastern Michigan University.   - - - -Connect With Our Host:Jenny Li Fowlerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/https://twitter.com/TheJennyLiAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.