Lana Oconnell
Marketing is essential for universities to boost student enrollment and stand out from the competition. To effectively market a university to students, it is crucial to understand the target audience, including their ambitions, challenges, interests, and concerns. Universities need to create a strong brand identity that aligns with the values and goals of prospective students. Online engagement is key, with social media and email marketing being essential tools to reach today's digitally native applicants. Universities should also leverage authentic stories and experiences of current students, professors, and alumni in their marketing materials and create engaging content such as webinars, infographics, and student-led initiatives. Events, giveaways, and contests can also help to generate excitement and encourage word-of-mouth promotion among students. By utilizing a combination of these strategies, universities can effectively market themselves to students and increase enrollment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Understanding the audience | Identify the ambitions, challenges, interests, and concerns of the target audience |
| Audience persona | Include information like demographics, age, gender, and location |
| Online engagement | Engage with prospective students early in the college search process |
| Social media presence | Meet students on their favorite social media platforms |
| Email marketing | Emails are the most popular channel for receiving messages from colleges |
| Mobile-friendly content | Ensure all digital content is mobile-friendly |
| Website design | Create a simple and welcoming website design with easy-to-navigate tabs |
| Alumni involvement | Feature alumni in blogs and newsletters to showcase their experiences and promote the university |
| Student incentives | Host giveaways or raffles to get students interested |
| Student engagement | Encourage current students to share their stories and experiences through videos, social media, and other media platforms |
| Events and community building | Organize events to bring the campus community together and promote stress-relieving fun |
| Faculty involvement | Feature interesting faculty members in promotional content |
| Competitions | Participate in competitions like advertising campaigns or best college rankings to attract new students |
| Online resources | Provide helpful information about majors and departments through direct mailers, social media, and email marketing |
| Brand consistency | Develop a strong brand identity that aligns with the values and goals of prospective students |
| Budget allocation | Identify the best areas to allocate the marketing budget and maximize the impact of the campaigns |
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What You'll Learn
Identify your audience and their interests
When marketing a university to students, identifying your audience and their interests is crucial. Today's students are digital natives who are comfortable with technology and active on social media. They are also faced with rising tuition fees and may be concerned about debt and unemployment. Understanding these challenges and interests will help you create effective marketing campaigns.
Your audience can be broadly categorised into school leavers, college students, and adult learners. However, it's important to recognise that each group has unique characteristics and interests. For example, adult learners may be more budget-conscious and place a higher value on financial aid and scholarships. They are also more likely to use Facebook and LinkedIn for educational purposes compared to younger students. By understanding these nuances, you can tailor your marketing messages and choose the right platforms to reach them effectively.
Demographics such as age, gender, and location are important factors to consider when identifying your target audience. For instance, the interests and ambitions of a potential art history student may differ significantly from those of a future pharmacist. By understanding these differences, you can create targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with each group. Additionally, interviews with current students can help you build comprehensive audience personas, allowing you to identify the characteristics and interests of your happiest and most successful students.
Alumni can be powerful advocates for your university. Featuring their success stories and experiences in blogs, newsletters, and podcasts can provide prospective students with a glimpse of their potential future. This type of content not only promotes your university but also addresses the concerns of students worried about their post-graduation prospects. It adds a sense of security and showcases the value your university can bring to their lives.
Lastly, don't forget that students often seek advice from friends, family, and college counsellors when making decisions about their education. Therefore, your marketing efforts should also target these influencers to ensure that your university stays top of mind not only with students but also with the adults who play a role in their decision-making process.
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Utilise social media and online resources
Social media and online resources are integral to marketing a university to students. Firstly, it is important to understand your audience and their ambitions, challenges, interests, and concerns. This will allow you to create an audience persona, which can be used to target each audience on your website and social media platforms.
To utilise social media effectively, consider using humour in your posts, as students appreciate a good sense of humour and are more likely to engage if they find your content funny. You can also host giveaways and raffles, which students will be interested in due to their limited budgets. Additionally, you can promote events on social media, such as open days, information sessions, and competitions, which will help to build a community and encourage students to get involved.
It is also beneficial to feature students, professors, and alumni in your social media content, as this will capture prospective students' attention with authenticity. Alumni can also be featured in blogs and newsletters, providing current and prospective students with a sense of what their future may hold after graduation. Furthermore, you can encourage students to create and share content, such as video tours of the campus, which will help to showcase your university's unique experiences and build a sense of community.
Email marketing is another essential online resource for marketing a university to students. Emails should be mobile-friendly and provide helpful information about the university's programs and departments. You can also integrate email marketing with social media by encouraging students to check out your social media pages and vice versa.
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Leverage student and alumni stories
Alumni stories are a powerful tool for marketing a university to prospective students. Alumni are some of the most trusted voices for a university as they have first-hand experience of the institution. Their stories can create an emotional connection, making the university feel more relatable and aspirational to prospective students.
To leverage alumni stories effectively, universities should aim to showcase a diverse range of student stories and experiences. This includes highlighting students from different backgrounds, such as foreign countries, target markets, or underrepresented communities. By doing so, universities can demonstrate that their institution is accessible and inclusive. Alumni stories should also be tailored to suit different media formats, such as print, digital, and social media. For example, shorter versions can be used for social media posts, while more detailed accounts can be featured in newsletters or on the university website.
To collect alumni stories, universities should reach out to their alumni network and conduct interviews. Specific questions and interesting details should be included to make the story engaging and unique. A compelling headline and a brief background sketch can also help to hook the reader. Emphasizing notable achievements, unusual experiences, or life-changing decisions can make the story more inspiring and relatable to prospective students.
Universities can also leverage student stories by creating engaging content featuring interesting people on campus. This could include videos, social media posts, and collateral that showcases the unique experiences and anecdotes of students. By doing so, universities can capture the attention of prospective students with authentic and believable content.
Overall, by sharing alumni and student stories across various channels, universities can create a deeper connection with their audience and showcase the real-life impact of their education. This can ultimately help to boost student enrolment and create a positive image of the institution.
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Host events and giveaways
Events and giveaways are a great way to market a university to students, and there are several ways to go about it. Firstly, identify your target audience and their needs, ambitions, challenges, interests, and concerns. For instance, a prospective art history student will likely have different goals and challenges than a potential pharmacy student. This will help you tailor your event and giveaway offerings accordingly.
Events
When it comes to hosting events, there are several options to consider:
- Open Days and Info Sessions: These events allow prospective students to visit the campus, learn more about the university, and interact with current students and faculty. Create a separate landing page for event registration, asking for basic personal information and details such as their current school/college, course of interest, and how they heard about the event. This will help with follow-up communications.
- Career Fairs: Host events focused on specific careers or industries, providing students with information about different career paths and networking opportunities.
- Homecoming and Sporting Events: These events boost school spirit and community building among students, alumni, and faculty.
- Creative Events: Think outside the box with events like quizzes, competitions, or costume days. For example, create a fun quiz that reveals which events a student should attend based on their interests, or encourage students to dress up as their favourite Spice Girl.
- Online Events: In the digital age, online events are a great way to reach a wider audience. Utilise Facebook and Instagram stories and events to promote your offerings.
Giveaways
Now, let's talk about some exciting giveaway ideas to attract students:
- Tech Accessories: Customised USB drives, phone pop sockets, and Apple AirTag cases with the university logo are practical and stylish giveaways that students will appreciate.
- Drinkware: Reusable water bottles or tumblers with the university logo or colours are sustainable and useful for students on the go.
- Apparel: University-branded apparel, such as t-shirts, hoodies, or hats, fosters school spirit and pride.
- Bags and Accessories: From laptop sleeves to backpacks, these items are functional and help students showcase their university pride.
- Discounts and Promotions: Offer exclusive discounts for new students or back-to-school sales to create a sense of urgency and excitement.
- Quizzes and Competitions: Host a fun quiz or competition on social media with prizes, such as a creative selfie contest or a video challenge.
Remember to promote your events and giveaways through various channels, including social media platforms, email marketing, and word-of-mouth. By combining engaging events with appealing giveaways, you'll effectively market your university to prospective students.
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Develop a strong brand identity
Developing a strong brand identity is crucial for a university's marketing strategy. It helps the university stand out from the competition and allows prospective students to determine if the institution aligns with their goals and values. Here are some ways to develop a compelling brand identity:
Firstly, identify your target audience. University audiences often include school leavers, college students, parents, and undergraduates. However, it's important to remember that not all potential students are teenagers, as a significant portion of college enrollees are adults over 25 or even 30. Understanding the demographics, interests, ambitions, and challenges of your target audience is essential for tailoring your brand identity accordingly.
Next, define the unique aspects of your university's identity. For example, Stanford University's brand emphasizes curiosity, engagement, and diversity, creating a powerful image of a community of intellectually curious individuals. Emphasize the qualities that make your university distinctive and appealing to prospective students.
Consistency in branding is also key. Ensure that your brand identity is reflected across all marketing channels, including your website, social media, emails, and brochures. This helps build trust with prospective students and allows them to envision themselves attending your university.
Additionally, leverage the experiences of your current students, professors, and alumni in your branding. Share their stories, successes, and testimonials across your marketing platforms. This adds authenticity to your brand and showcases the unique opportunities and community your university offers.
Finally, consider utilizing humour in your branding and marketing materials. Students appreciate a good sense of humour, and it can help you stand out and engage a wider audience. Ensure that the humour aligns with your brand identity and is appropriate for your target audience.
By following these steps and consistently evaluating your brand identity, you can effectively market your university to prospective students and create a strong, differentiated brand.
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Frequently asked questions
Marketing is essential for smaller universities to boost enrolments. To market effectively, you must understand your audience, including their ambitions, challenges, interests, and concerns. Your digital marketing strategy must accommodate these differences while maintaining brand consistency. Brand builds trust and helps your audience understand whether your university is right for them.
Social media is a ubiquitous resource for today's digitally native applicants. According to the E-Expectations Trend Report, 78% of students have used social media for college planning. Email marketing is also essential, with 89% of upper-grade-level high schoolers opening emails from colleges and universities. Additionally, Google Search engages with people actively looking for what you offer.
Firstly, identify where your money is best spent and ensure your strategy is effective to maximise your budget. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a great strategy for less well-known institutions when well implemented and monitored. Secondly, create engaging content by featuring interesting people from your campus in videos, social media, and newsletters. Share authentic stories and showcase what your university has to offer.
Develop a strong brand identity that emphasises your unique values and community. Stanford University, for example, emphasises curiosity, engagement, and diversity. By defining these aspects, universities can make meaningful connections with prospective students. Additionally, create engaging events and competitions to bring your campus community together and attract attention.
Students appreciate a good sense of humour, so don't be afraid to use humour in your ads and social media posts. Host giveaways and raffles to generate interest and engage students. Feature alumni in your content to showcase the successes and experiences of your university community.
