Most campus bookstores are already on social media. Far fewer are using it to build a real relationship with students. Many accounts still work like a digital bulletin board: hours, sale announcements, a reminder that rush week is coming. Students scroll right past that kind of content. The stores that stand out treat social as a place to be recognizable, useful, and a little entertaining, so that when a student needs a hoodie, a textbook, or a gift, the bookstore is already on their radar. Here are three ways to get there.
Put a Face on the Store
Students respond to people more than to logos. The Salisbury University Bookstore found this out when it began posting video, with its merchandiser appearing on camera, after learning that video drew more interaction, especially on Instagram. The team also runs a weekly “Meet Our Staff” feature built around lighthearted questions like favorite foods and recent TV binges, and has used humor to make posts worth stopping for. One small lesson came out of those videos: viewers kept asking about the sweatshirt the merchandiser was wearing rather than the topic of the video itself. The store took the hint and now works product details into everything it posts. For a bookstore manager, the takeaway is that your staff and your inventory are your best content. Show real people wearing and using what you sell, and let the personality come through. Polish isn’t required, since students tend to value spontaneity.
Make It a Conversation, Not a Broadcast
Posting is only half the job. The other half is getting students to respond, and then responding back. Salisbury’s advice is to ask questions and run polls to prompt comments, then reply to them, which also helps posts show up in feeds more often. ASU’s entrepreneurship program makes a similar case for two-way engagement with Gen Z, recommending polls, live Q&As, and campaigns that invite students to share their own content, and noting that Gen Z tends to trust smaller, more relatable voices more than polished celebrity endorsements. For a campus store, that could mean a “show us your dorm setup” hashtag, a vote on which spirit wear design to restock, or featuring student photos in your holiday promotions. Each one gives students a reason to interact and gives you free, authentic content in return.
Meet Students Where They Search, and Plan Ahead
Social platforms are increasingly where younger shoppers go to look for products and recommendations, not just to scroll. MBS’s Foreword has pointed out that students now turn to social for the kind of discovery that used to happen on a search engine, which means a bookstore’s posts need to be easy to find and clear about what’s being sold. Practical steps include using customer-friendly keywords, showing merchandise in posts, recruiting student models, and posting short how-to videos, such as a quick explainer on buyback or rental returns. Consistency matters just as much as creativity. Salisbury now builds a monthly social calendar at least four weeks in advance, leaving room for timely posts, which keeps the account active during chaotic stretches like book rush. Choosing the right platform for the right audience helps too: Salisbury found that Facebook reaches alumni and parents, who sometimes tag their students in posts, while Instagram is where current students are.
Final Thought
Connecting with students on social media doesn’t require a big budget or a full-time social team. It requires showing the people behind the store, inviting students into the conversation, and staying consistent enough to be the account they remember when it’s time to buy. Start small: pick one platform, plan a month of content, and answer every comment. Students are already scrolling. The question is whether your store gives them a reason to stop.
