Social Media as a Communication Strategy at a University in Cape Town

Abstract

This study investigated the role of social media as a communication strategy in a selected university in Cape Town, South Africa. It critically examined first year marketing students’ and staff’s practices and experiences towards the use of social media within the department of marketing and communication at Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town. The study was guided by students and staff use of these platforms to communicate with their peers, and staff. The study was underpinned by the adaptive structuration theory (AST) (DeSanctis & Poole1994). A qualitative research method was used with a case study design positioned within the interpretive paradigm. The data collected was analysed using critical discourse analysis. The findings of the study revealed that social media is an effective tool that helps in delivering information. The findings from the study also showed that the department could improve communication through social media platforms. The study concluded that the use of social media could enhance and attract students to engage and participate in communication among themselves, the department, and the institution. Based on this, the study recommended that guidelines should be created to attract students’ view as well as update information more often on all social media.

Keywords: Social media, communication, communication strategy, social media platforms, university