Houston Daily

The University of Houston has achieved its highest-ever position in the 2025 Higher Education Social Media Engagement Report by Rival IQ, securing the No. 22 spot nationally overall. The university also ranked No. 1 on X (formerly Twitter), No. 2 on Facebook, and No. 9 on Instagram.

Nick Pomes, director of social media at UH, said, “These rankings are more than just numbers, they’re a reflection of the pride, excitement and energy of the UH community.” He added, “Every post is an opportunity to tell the University’s story, whether it’s a research breakthrough, a student achievement or a big win on the field. And we know people are paying attention.”

While some viral moments for UH have come from athletics-related posts—such as responding to fans or engaging with university traditions—much of its engagement comes from academic achievements, campus news, and events involving its audience of over one million followers.

Pomes noted that stories about institutional successes and milestones generate significant engagement: “Some of our highest engagement comes from stories on institutional successes and national rankings, research breakthroughs, student success, and campus milestones and events that bring our community together,” he said. “Athletics sparks passion, but it’s just one part of the larger story. Our audiences want to see UH making an impact across the spectrum.”

Behind these results is what Pomes describes as a data-driven approach: “Social media isn’t just fun and games, it’s strategy and science,” he explained. “We measure engagement rates, monitor growth trends and understand the nuances of each platform’s algorithm. For example, Instagram has both our highest engagement rate and our fastest audience growth, while LinkedIn has our largest audience. That’s not a guess, it’s data.”

Despite not having a TikTok account—which resulted in an automatic last-place score for that platform—UH still finished ahead of peer institutions such as Baylor (No. 25), Texas A&M (No. 39), and UT Austin (No. 136). In the Big 12 Conference standings within this report, only Oklahoma State placed higher overall; Oklahoma State does have a TikTok presence.

“These results show the power of authentic engagement,” Pomes said. “We don’t rely on vanity metrics. We focus on telling real stories that resonate with our students, alumni, fans and the broader community.”

Lisa K. Holdeman, vice president for marketing and communications at UH stated: “This success is the result of strategy, creativity and consistency,” she said. “Nick and his team have built a powerful voice for UH — one that reflects the boldness of our students, the excellence of our faculty and the energy of our alumni and city we represent. UH’s digital presence is often the front door to the University, and we are proving it can stand out on the national stage.”

Pomes concluded: “It’s proof that the University of Houston can go head-to-head with anyone, anywhere.”