In less than a decade, social media has had a tremendous impact on the world around us. Businesses of all sizes can leverage platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to build large, engaged communities, raise awareness and drive footfall. Equally, social media empowers consumers to make smarter decisions, engage with brands and demand better customer service.

Social media is also playing a significant role in the education system, with many schools and universities eager to adopt the use of these tools in the classroom. Managed correctly, these channels can be a great boon for students. But poor understanding of the medium can result in a low level of maintenance and interaction, which can be detrimental to student satisfaction and engagement rates.

Bottom line? The best practices for the use of social media are as relevant in education as they are in business or anywhere else – do it properly, or don’t do it at all.

This infographic from Online Universities takes a look at the pros and cons of social media in education. Essentially, it’s nearly all pro… as long as the school is making the necessary effort.

(Source: OnlineUniversities.com. Top image credit: balein via Shutterstock.)