Social Media Insights Lab of College Information and Communication Coordinator St Cyr Luttmer shows the University of South Carolina’s Instagram page in the Columbia Marriott Hotel on March 4, 2023. As a Mass Communications major, Luttmer learned how to grow a social media presence. “If you’re trying to grow your brand, do the research to see what the marketing or communications professionals are currently saying is working,” Luttmer said. “Then from there (you can) use free analytics tools, connect (them), and start looking at (data) and using that data to see how you can increase engagement.” Photo by Anna Shaikun
Social Media Insights Lab of College Information and Communication Coordinator at the University of South Carolina St Cyr Luttmer works on the USC’s social media and uses analytics to improve engagement.
When a high school upperclassman receives a letter from a recruiting college, their first instinct is probably to throw the letter in the trash. What entices a teenager is what’s in their hand – their smartphone.
Coordinator of the Social Media Insights Lab of the College of Information and Communication at the University of South Carolina St Cyr Luttmer works mainly as a social media analyst. Luttmer uses Brandwatch, a social media analytic tool, to monitor USC’s social media engagement with its current, former, and prospective students.
“(See) what posts are engaged with the most, what words are working, what hashtags are working, what people like, and then (make) informed decisions based on how you see that engagement (and) how to continue to post to increase engagement with your publication. I think what’s most important in making sure that (you’re) successful is looking at engagement, and looking at those numbers, and making active changes based on the data.”
— St Cyr Luttmer,
Social Media Insights Lab of College Information and Communication Coordinator
“(See) what posts are engaged with the most, what words are working, what hashtags are working, what people like, and then (make) informed decisions based on how you see that engagement (and) how to continue to post to increase engagement with your publication,” Luttmer said. “I think what’s most important in making sure that (you’re) successful is looking at engagement, and looking at those numbers, and making active changes based on the data.”
According to Luttmer, posting regularly gives USC social media more reach.
“I think the biggest (factor) is consistency and making sure that you’re putting in the effort to track your posts and make sure they’re doing well, but also that you’re posting weekly, that you’re using the same hashtag when you’re posting and just sticking (to) your brand,” Luttmer said.
The official USC Instagram page regularly participates in popular social media trends such as using campus scenes to make “album covers.” According to Luttmer, this is useful for exposure.
“Try and keep up with the trends, because you’re gonna end up seeing them anyway. (You would) rather be on top. (Though) the AI does start to suggest (different) posts, you continue to see the hot trends and the hot posts,” Luttmer said.
Having earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mass communications/media studies from USC, Luttmer enjoys contributing to the university’s growth and development.
“I love the university, so I’ve really loved working on the projects where we work with diversity in their specific campaign and (offer) informed strategic decisions on how they can improve their posting to increase awareness (for) the university,” Luttmer said. “I’m passionate about (USC) and I love it so much. So it’s awesome to be able to work on a project that’s promoting an organization that’s so important to me and that’s given so much to me.”
