{"id":32021,"date":"2026-01-22T16:49:48","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T21:49:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vet.purdue.edu\/news\/?p=32021"},"modified":"2026-04-03T15:23:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T19:23:12","slug":"purdue-veterinary-medicines-tale-of-successful-digital-storytelling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vet.purdue.edu\/news\/purdue-veterinary-medicines-tale-of-successful-digital-storytelling.php","title":{"rendered":"Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Tale of Successful Digital Storytelling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 2018, the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine redefined its approach to digital communication. Today, its social media presence is a strategic medium for education, recruitment, and public engagement, demonstrating measurable growth and meaningful impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Purdue Veterinary Medicine treats social media as a goal-driven communication vehicle that supports the college\u2019s mission to educate, serve, and protect animal and public health. It\u2019s a strategy that has been in place since 2018, when the college had just over 11,000 followers.  In the years that have followed, that audience has grown to more than 227,000 (as of November 1, 2025).  For calendar year 2024, PVM content generated more than 73 million impressions across the college\u2019s digital channels. A particularly compelling example of this reality involved the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory<\/a> (ADDL) and social media posts that shared the advice and guidance of ADDL experts with the public. But more about that after some words of introduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of this growth in followers and impressions, social media has become one of the most effective ways of making the expertise of faculty and staff available to meet the needs of the public. By sharing timely and credible information, Purdue Veterinary Medicine has built an engaged digital community that advances veterinary medicine, supports public health, and facilitates expanded engagement with stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Followers:<\/strong> 227,082 as of November 1, 2025
Impressions:<\/strong> 73,792,016 in 2024
Engagement Rate:<\/strong> 7.14% in 2024<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

As the audience has grown, the quality of the college\u2019s engagement with followers has kept pace. The engagement rate \u2013 the rate at which people actively interact with likes, comments, and shares \u2013 stood at 7.14 percent for 2024, double the average engagement rate for either the education or healthcare sectors. This fact matters because higher engagement correlates with growth for the college, whether in terms of applications for admission or patient visits to the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social media enables the college to meet people where they are, whether they are using Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, or BlueSky.  The college maintains an active presence on each of those platforms, complemented by Google, Bing, and Apple Business listings for the locations of the college\u2019s various facilities. Keeping followers engaged takes regular communication that\u2019s consistently on brand to ensure that evidence-based guidance from the college reaches pet owners, students, alumni, and partners when it is most helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taken together, these practices foster a digital community that is broader, more engaged, and better equipped to act on credible information, which helps the college fulfill its mission to educate, serve, and protect animals and people alike.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The PVM Social Media Playbook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Every post begins with a purpose, whether it involves providing education about animal health, showcasing a hospital or diagnostic laboratory service, or promoting a particular program.  Messages are tailored to each social media platform in order to ensure effective communication with the people interacting there. For topics related to animal and public health or research, faculty and staff experts provide accurate, practical guidance that supports informed decisions. For topics involving student life and veterinary education, experiences are highlighted that illustrate how PVM students learn and grow. Together, these efforts communicate how the college fulfills its mission while also building lasting engagement within both local and online communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One Health for the Good for All<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Protecting animal and human health is one of Purdue Veterinary Medicine\u2019s most important commitments on social media. When seasonal or environmental risks emerge, the college\u2019s digital channels serve as important tools for public education. Educational posts reach beyond Indiana, connecting communities nationwide with accurate information that helps prevent harm to pets, livestock, and people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warning about poisonous death cap mushrooms<\/h3>\n\n\n
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In the late summer of 2025, Dr. Steve Hooser, professor of toxicology in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology<\/a> and senior veterinary toxicologist at the ADDL, issued a timely warning about the spread of Amanita phalloides, commonly known as the death cap mushroom. These toxic mushrooms had been identified in central Indiana, posing a severe risk to dogs. The message was clear and actionable, advising pet owners that if ingestion was suspected, they should contact a veterinarian immediately, because intervention is critical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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