Research consistently shows that students crave connection and a genuine sense of belonging - not just with their institution, but with each other.
They want a welcoming space where they can build relationships and share experiences. That’s why, more often than not, students will be eager to join your Community with little encouragement.
Your students need to know that the Community is there for them - and that's where you come in. Plotting an effective strategy to promote your Community to your incoming students ensure they know where to go to meet classmates, roommates, and new friends wit the same hobbies.
Read on for some ideas for promotion that we've seen work really well across our university partners.
📬 Invite students more than once
Students' email inboxes are busy, and they likely receive a lot of communication from your institution - and potentially others. They might miss an invite first time, so be sure to invite them multiple ways, multiple times.
Add a “Join Your Class of 20XX Community” CTA in orientation reminders.
Send an SMS blast with the invite URL (you can shorten this with tools like Bitly).
Your unique QR code on acceptance packs, swag, and orientation signage.
Bookmarks or virtual postcards that say “Scan to meet your class.”
Share stories/reels of “Day in the Life” clips that end with “Want to connect with people like me? Join the Community.”
Add your Community link to the university’s TikTok/Instagram bios during admit / Clearing season.
💌 Your Community dashboard has its own built-in nurture invite campaign - doing the heavy lifting for you! If you use Unibuddy's Private invite tool, students who haven't yet joined will receive automated reminders 2, 4, and 8 days after their initial invite.
We are seeing our highest sign-up rates yet with this invite method.
👩🏽💻 Use your unique invite URL and QR code
Alongside using the Private invite tool for your core invites, you can cover additional bases by embedding your unique Community invite URL or downloadable QR code into any touch points you have with your incoming students.
These might include:
Posters, flyers, or pull-up banners at open events.
Webinar and presentation slides.
Email communications to your offer holders/admits.
An embedded link in your offer holder portal, or QR code in your offer holder letters/packs.
Accepted student events - registration emails, follow-up emails, and check-in desks.
💌 Position your message
A lot depends on how you frame the Community when you talk about it. Try some of the following in your comms, across your socials, and at any other touchpoints with your incoming cohort:
“Your first stop at [University Name]”: underline that the Community is the official hub for questions, advice, and connection.
Highlight exclusivity: “Be on the list for our exclusive event invites before anyone else.”
Show real value: emphasise FAQs answered by peers, tips for success, and that this is where they'll meet their housemates, classmates, and society buddies.
🌱 Engagement hooks
Community finder tools: “Find people from your country/major/course.”
First-week challenges: scavenger hunts, photo shares, Polls.
“Ask Me Anything” with student leaders or professors.
Resource drops: housing guides, move-in checklists, study tips - only available in the Community.
🤝 Build FOMO
Share stats like: “500+ of your classmates have already joined!”
Post screenshots (with permission) of fun conversations already happening.
Have Ambassadors who used Community previously say: “This is where I met my best friend before I even started classes.”
🚏 Your Community marketing pack
To make your life easier, we have created customisable marketing resources.
This means that you can add your institution's name, logo and your unique Community QR code to our template posters, postcards, and pull-up banners - promoting your Community at open events, around campus, and at key student touch-points. You can even edit the text and colour scheme, to make them even more on-brand.
🙋🏽♀️ Use your Ambassadors
Your Student Ambassadors are perfectly placed to drive awareness and engagement within your Community. Here are a few proven approaches:
Personal Recommendations via Unibuddy Chat
When offer-holders or accepted students reach out with questions, Ambassadors can signpost them directly to relevant groups in the Community - whether that’s subject-specific discussions, housing tips, or finance advice.Ambassador-Generated Content
Students respond well to authentic voices. Encourage Ambassadors to showcase the Community through “Day in the Life” videos, blog posts, or spotlights that highlight real stories and conversations happening inside.Short Explainer Videos
A quick, 60-second video featuring an Ambassador introducing the Community and explaining how and why to join can be a game-changer. Many institutions have seen sign-up rates increase significantly after adding this simple touchpoint.
📣 Spread the word among other teams and your colleagues
Which other teams and colleagues have direct touch points with your student audience?
Ensure that other teams/colleagues who have contact with your student audience know about the Community: what it is, how to direct to it, and why students should join it. You could consider:
Asking your comms team to include your Community as an item in internal memos and/or newsletters.
Offering brief training / information sessions for staff about Community.
Creating a slide for other teams to use in webinars, presentations and accepted student events, promoting your Community.
🛜 Use your social media presence
If you're already engaging with incoming students on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Reddit, etc; point to your Community across these medium. Treat social media as the teaser trailer for your Community.
Social shows the energy and highlights, while the Community is where students get the real value and connection.