Attracting Law Students on Reddit

Ali Abel, senior manager of marketing and communications at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Law, saw a critical gap that needed to be filled: the online forum prospective law students had been using was moving to Reddit. She created an account for the law school and started answering questions and (softly) promoting events. With ramping up activity to 15 posts and 69 comments, 15% of the law school’s 130 incoming students in 2022 reported finding the school through Reddit.

Key Takeaways

• Meet Students Where They Are: Engage directly on the platforms students use, like Reddit, to answer questions and establish a presence in their communities.
• Be Transparent and Helpful: Avoid overtly marketing the program; instead, answer questions authentically to build trust with prospective students.
• Allocate Resources Efficiently: Ali spends just 15 minutes twice daily on Reddit, yielding significant admissions-related engagement and leads.

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Episode Summary

Why Reddit is a Valuable Tool for Higher Ed Marketers

As law school applications can be complex, Ali sought to make accurate information more accessible to prospective students through a familiar channel. She identified Reddit as a prime space where students already gathered, discussing everything from application requirements to specific program details. With over 68% of her audience accessing information exclusively online, Reddit presented an ideal platform to help students cut through application myths and misconceptions about the University of Calgary’s law programs.

Ali’s primary goal was to provide valuable information and reduce the influx of common admissions questions, giving her admissions team more bandwidth. By setting up an official university presence on Reddit under “UCalgary Law,” she was able to establish authenticity, lending credibility to her posts and comments.

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How to Implement a Presence on Reddit

Ali’s approach was simple yet strategic: rather than creating a new subreddit, she joined existing ones relevant to her audience. By participating in popular Canadian law school forums and UCalgary’s general subreddit, Ali effectively connected with prospective students without having to build an audience from scratch. Her posts addressed frequently asked questions, like admissions statistics and opportunities in the legal job market post-graduation, while always linking students back to more detailed resources.

In addition to directly addressing students' inquiries, Ali shared information about admissions events and deadlines. She obtained permissions from subreddit moderators when needed to ensure compliance with community guidelines and to avoid a “too markety” approach, remaining focused on providing helpful responses rather than promotional content.

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Results and Insights from Engaging on Reddit

The Faculty of Law at UCalgary saw remarkable results from Ali’s Reddit strategy. In 2022, 15% of the admitted class reported discovering the law school through Reddit, compared to single-digit results from other social channels. Ali’s presence on Reddit contributed significantly to engagement, as she consistently responded to student posts, boosted credibility with helpful information, and received over 100 upvotes on her posts.

Ali shares that her involvement requires just 15–30 minutes a day, making Reddit a high-ROI activity compared to the effort involved in more traditional social media marketing. By simply focusing on the questions that students are already asking, she’s able to engage potential applicants in a way that is both efficient and meaningful.

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How to Bring Reddit into Your Marketing Strategy

For those new to Reddit, Ali recommends starting by exploring relevant subreddits to understand the community's tone and interests. It’s essential to establish an account that students can recognize as authentic, even if it means foregoing Reddit’s typical anonymity. Ali emphasizes that engagement should be honest and focused on providing accurate, useful information—keeping the conversation friendly but professional.

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This Episode is Brought to You By Our Friends at Ologie

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