Yesterday, I shared this poll question regarding posts that are being shared in the /ApplyingToCollege subreddit.

In the end, most of y'all picked the post I expected (getting a sugar daddy) as most likely to be fake.

But it's real. And let's talk about that. [Thread] https://twitter.com/StephenApp/status/1313121736599179264

First, the post. I had to paraphrase the headline due to Twitter's character limits, but the full headline and body copy is below.

People think Reddit has too much fluff. That it's a throwaway platform and shouldn't be taken seriously. These headings contribute to that. [2/10]

But these posts should be taken seriously. Because while students may use outlandish alternatives to communicate their feelings, there is a real sense of vulnerability and honesty being shared. And it's happening on Reddit in a way that isn't replicated on other networks. [3/10]

For this student, the sugar daddy comment is a way to safely share how she's feeling about the college application process.

And how she's feeling is frustrated. Tired. Burned out. And that feeling is real, even if the headline is written to get a chuckle. [4/10]

I don't know that I personally thought about silly headlines like this seriously enough until March, when @lizgross144 talked about the importance and power of memes, and the way our target audience uses them to convey serious feelings or opinions. [5/10] http://blog.campussonar.com/blog/covid19-briefing-march-27

And yes, this is a single comment. But it's important to note that there are 343 posts and 1100 comments on this subreddit PER DAY. Imagine what you could learn about your audience if you could understand that conversation at scale, or even on an ad hoc basis? [6/10]

I understand the level of activity here is a blessing and a curse. Because while that activity provides insight into our audience, it also makes analysis (without a social listening agency) overwhelming.

But the size and growth of Reddit mean you can't ignore it anymore. [7/10]

/ApplyingToCollege has 240k+ subscribers. That's up from 151k in Jan and 9,629 in Jan 17.

Those numbers don't compare to social networks like Ig or TikTok, but unlike those platforms, this is a community dedicated to conversations about college admissions. [8/10]

And this thread doesn't even take into consideration subreddits dedicated to your college or uni. Are you monitoring those? Do you know what your students say about you? Do you know how your students are answering prospect questions there? You should. [9/10]

If you're not sure where to start, this blog post should help. It's a rundown of the common questions posted on the /ApplyingToCollege subreddit, and how/if you should respond.

Still have questions? DM me. I'll ALWAYS talk Reddit. [10/10] #hesm #casesmc https://blog.campussonar.com/blog/common-questions-students-ask-on-reddit-and-how-to-respond