ASU Online Social Posts

Giving Online Students a Place to Belong

College is more than a degree. It's the late nights in the library, the friends you make between classes, the feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself. For online students, that part of the experience doesn't come automatically. ASU Online's social channels were built to change that, creating a feed that spoke to two different people at once. For current students, it was a place to feel connected, a stream of seasonal moments, motivational content, and a little humor that made studying from home feel less isolating. For prospective students, it was a window into what was possible, with degree highlights and program stories that made going back to school feel within reach.

Working within ASU's internal branding guidelines meant the layout and visual system were largely set for us. The brand called for minimal text, so we let the visuals do the talking and focused our energy on the concepts behind each post. When content was information heavy, carousels gave it the space it needed. The constraint didn't limit the work. It sharpened it.

Building the Feed

A digital collage celebrating Arizona State University, featuring campus scenes, themed decorations, and promotional materials, including Halloween pumpkins, a birthday card, and university merchandise.

A great social feed isn't built on one type of content. It's built on variety, consistency, and an understanding of what makes people stop and come back. Every post had a job to do. Giveaways and holidays made the brand feel warm and approachable. Study tips and posture checks acknowledged the reality of life at home. Program highlights and salary stats gave prospective students something concrete to hold onto. Together they didn't just fill a feed. They built one worth following.

Short Form, Big Impact

A blurred gradient background with colors blending from yellow to purple.

Short form video gave ASU Online a way to make higher education more approachable. Each reel was built to feel native to the feed, using UGC-style footage and voiceovers to turn degree highlights from lecture into something that piques curiosity, and campus moments and milestones into videos people could actually relate to.

Team Spirit From Anywhere

A digital collage of four scenes featuring a pink plush mascot with a yellow face, red hair, and a mischievous grin. The scenes include a patio with a small mascot figure on a laptop, a dining table with food and a mascot toy, outdoor holiday decorations with a mascot in front of a Christmas tree, a snowy outdoor scene with a mascot and a desk, and a St. Patrick's Day themed display with a mascot, green shamrocks, and cookies.

Online students may not be on campus but that doesn't mean they can't feel the team spirit. By placing Sparky, ASU's beloved mascot, in the everyday settings where online students live and study, we brought a little Sun Devil energy into their world. A playful reminder that being a Sun Devil isn't about where you study. It's about who you are.

Swipe to Learn

Educational display about city planning and biology. Includes maps of Copenhagen, Brasilia, and Washington DC, with explanations of urban design, environmental frames, and creatures like spiders, bats, and octopuses.

Some content just needs more room. Carousels gave us a way to go wider without disrupting the the feed. Each one opened with a visually striking cover, minimal text, maximum curiosity, and unfolded into interesting facts and tidbits tied to a specific program. Selling higher education works better when you lead with curiosity, not a sales pitch.