"Simply put, Collab Houses increase outreach, creativity and content volume by bringing influencers together into the same house to work together. By leveraging one another’s following, and sharing content ideas they are able to foster an environment of ultimate creativity."'

Collaboration is Key

As highlighted in our High School Roundtables, the importance of targeted digital outreach cannot be overstated. To develop an identity and build impressions amongst your target audience you need to be on the right channels and sharing relatable content that resonates with youth. We know, easier said than done. Unfortunately, it can be quite difficult to pinpoint exactly what peaks the interest of the most digitally active generation ever. So why not let them provide the answers for you? One of the best ways to develop organic, intriguing content is through collaboration with your own students! To prove the incredible impact of collaboration, look no further than ‘Hype House’, the most prevalent example of the popular trend amongst social media influencers known as Collab Houses. Simply put, Collab Houses increase outreach, creativity and content volume by bringing influencers together into the same house to work together. By leveraging one another’s following, and sharing content ideas they are able to foster an environment of ultimate creativity.

Collab houses like Hype House have been popping up in the LA area since 2015. After Hype House garnered over 1.5 million followers in its first week, collab houses have been gaining increased attention. When it comes to content creation, the concept is fail-proof: round up a group of talented young creators under one roof, and great content is guaranteed to follow.

What does this have to do with higher ed?

Higher Education clients are consistenly questioning how they can better leverage their own student population to improve outreach. The Hype House, and its approach to collaborative content, offers clues as to how colleges can produce engaging content on their own campus.

Colleges have been enlisting their own ambassador programs for some time by paying them, or reducing tuition in exchange for content that the college can share on its social channels. Imagine it, five students armed with college administration confidence and their smartphones. With their campus insights and experience, they will produce content that will resonate among prospective students better than almost any professional photographer/videographer at a fraction of the cost. At Glacier, we have worked with countless influencers through our College Influencer Program and the results speak for themselves. Colleges have hired us to source and liaise with their own micro and nano-influencers promoting unique initiatives, events and key dates with tremendous success. Our University of Missouri campaign even garnered national media attention (link or video?):

On-campus “hype houses” could be the next step in leveraging student-led content collaboration and creation.

Whether it’s a floor of a residence building or a house around campus, giving students the opportunity to gather and collaborate is the key step. Just think, you could have a small army of content creators. Provide content requirements and promotional goals and sit back and witness the creation.

Content creation and creativity has become a key characteristic amongst Gen Z. With the right support, these social media experts can become full-time influencers for your campus; while your campus hype house acts as an incubator for exceptional young students. Collab houses offer the opportunity for colleges to lead the way in content production.