A comparison of social media usage by foundation universities in Istanbul within the context of corporate communication

Universities are not only limited to the production of academic knowledge but also stand out as structures that provide social interaction and are in constant relation with their stakeholders. Therefore, social media management is a critical element for universities to effectively publicize both their academic and administrative activities and interact with their communities. This study examines the content shared on the social media accounts of five foundation universities operating in Istanbul and their interaction rates. In this study, the extent to which the universities use which social media platforms, the frequency of their posts, the level of interaction with their followers and the appropriateness of their social media strategies to their institutional identities were analyzed. The study discusses how five universities have adopted social media management in the light of their posts on X, Instagram, and Facebook accounts and whether these platforms are effective communication tools for academic institutions. The findings show that universities use social media for informational and promotional purposes, but the interaction dimension is not always consistent with institutional communication strategies. It was found that there was no one-to-one relationship between the frequency of sharing and the level of interaction in the social media accounts of universities. While some achieved high interaction rates despite low posting frequency, others had low interaction rates despite frequent posting. This indicates that the quality of social media content is more important than quantity. It was found that universities with high engagement rates shared more visual and interactive content and increased follower engagement by using elements such as surveys, videos, and student-oriented event announcements. In addition, it was concluded that universities should establish a more professional framework for social media management to strengthen their institutional identity and academic authority on digital platforms. It is emphasized that using social media only for announcements and information may reduce engagement levels, whereas a more dynamic, student and stakeholder-oriented approach can increase brand perception and loyalty.