For some of us, crafting content and posts that resonate with a majority Gen-Z/Alpha audience can feel daunting. It can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint what will be welcomed, and what could come across as trying too hard!
We have taken anecdotal evidence from offer holders/admits using Community, student survey results, and proven best practices from hundreds of Communities across Unibuddy, to compile some tips to guide you in boosting activity and engagement within your Community for the 2026 intake.
What counts as engagement?
During 2025, we noticed more 1-1 direct messaging between students than ever. The value of these personal connections cannot be overstated - these are friendships being formed within your community space - housemates meeting, classmates getting to know one another, students with similar interests arranging to meet for pizza, bubble tea, or at a climbing wall once they arrive on campus.
We also understand that it can be tricky to gauge uptake if a lot of messaging is happening in 1-1 chats. You can review how many pairs of students are exchanging DMs within the Analytics tab for that specific Community. You will also receive a weekly digest email every Friday, which includes an overview of private and direct messaging.
NB: If you do not receive this, this either means that you do not have the option toggled on in your University Dashboard Settings, or there have been fewer than 20 messages in your Community for that weeklong period.
Engagement: Best Practices
You likely understand and encourage the value of your offer holders or admitted students connecting and getting to know each other one on one. But how can you increase visible engagement within your Community, in the public Spaces that you have created for your cohort?
Never post for the sake of it. What value would a student find in what you are telling them? Ensure Updates, To-Do's, Polls, PDF docs, etc are impactful, action-oriented, and driven by student value.
Use your Ambassadors. They have been in your offer holder's shoes, and are well aware of the nerves, anticipation, and excitement of transitioning to university life. Encourage them to share their insights and experiences.
Maintain consistency. Post Updates fortnightly, ensure your To-Do list has everything students need to stay on track, and if you have created a Space in which to answer questions from an admin perspective, be sure to check it regularly and answer queries promptly.
Keep up the hype. Remind your offer holders at each and every touch point that the Community is where they'll meet the people they'll be living and studying with - webinars, open days, email comms, offer letters, social media, etc.
What do younger generations want from a Community in 2026?
Co-creation:
Don’t just post content, invite members of your Community to participate in the narrative. Share open questions, ask for input, and involve members in decisions, such as dates for Q&A spotlights.
Try Polls, interactive challenges - i.e. themed photo competitions - and crowdsourced decisions, such as for new Spaces (prompting the Community with: “you decide what happens next”).
Micro-communities / layers of identity:
Gen Z/Alpha increasingly value niche spaces that cater to their individual interests. Kick this off by inviting requests for new Spaces in your Updates channel.
Successful communities enable Private Groups for new friendship groups to stay in touch within the Unibuddy App.
Real-time connection:
Pop-up Community events: i.e. a limited-time AMA - “only live for 30 minutes,” or a temporary Space for webinar attendees to chat or participate in practical exercises.
Time-bound posts create urgency, and promote return visits. Run snap contests, or a Q&A session with a mystery guest.
Authenticity over aesthetic:
Unfiltered content will always be more popular than hyper-produced posts. This is why your Ambassadors are such a key resource within your Community.
If you are a Chat + Community customer, ensure your Content tab is populated with bitesize videos filmed by your Ambassadors, to showcase life on campus.
Ask your Ambassadors for the themes and topics they would have found useful before enrolment. Facilitate transparent conversations and address shared struggles, such as concerns about cost of living or fears around making new friends.
Shared purpose:
Communities tied to learning, building something, or deeper connection see longer retention. In terms of your incoming students, this means moving with them - through targeted To-Do's for each point in the cycle, sharing key resources, and providing the Spaces that your students are asking for.
Reiterate that this is their Community to meet each other, ask questions, learn about your institution, and stay on track. Members have the option to steer the narrative.
Recurring ritual:
Create fun recurring rituals, i.e. Meme Monday, or Ask Me Anything Hour.
Insider language, collaborative lore, familiar traditions - these are all well known aspects of fostering belonging. If your institution has a motto, a mascot, sports teams, or a renowned research facility - share this with your incoming cohort. This both familiarises them with their future surroundings, and makes them feel part of something bigger.
These are just a few of our ideas - and the ideas that we have seen work across institutions! If you give any of these a try, please let us know at [email protected] - we'd love to hear about it.