This episode is designed for higher education marketers navigating the evolving communication landscape. We dig into how to better connect with students, drive enrollment, and improve retention—no matter your team size or resources.
We kick things off with text messaging: what makes it effective, common missteps to avoid, and how to use automation and metrics without losing the human touch. You’ll get clear do’s and don’ts to help you get results without sounding robotic.
Next, we explore the latest trends in content marketing and how to make meaningful progress, even if you’re working within tight institutional constraints. There’s also practical advice for small and large teams alike, including ways to overcome resistance and get buy-in from leadership.
Choosing the right Content Management System (CMS) can make or break your marketing efforts. We break down how to pick a platform that supports your goals without overcomplicating your workflow.
Email marketing still plays a crucial role in keeping students engaged after they apply or enroll. We talk about what’s working now and how to use email to support long-term retention.
You’ll also hear how AI is influencing personalized student experiences—not replacing humans, but enhancing what your team can deliver. Plus, we cover the importance of thoughtful design and brand research in shaping your overall strategy.
Episode Breakdown
- 00:00 Introduction to Higher Education Marketing
- 00:49 The Power of Text Messaging
- 01:28 Text Messaging Best Practices
- 03:58 Text Messaging Pitfalls to Avoid
- 06:10 Automation and Metrics in Text Messaging
- 06:59 Shifting to Content Marketing
- 07:54 Effective Content Marketing Trends
- 11:05 Practical Advice for Marketing Teams
- 12:21 Overcoming Institutional Resistance
- 13:15 Emerging Trends in Content
- 14:47 Choosing the Right CMS
- 19:42 Email Marketing for Student Retention
- 22:53 The Role of AI in Higher Education
- 24:55 Conversion-Driven Design
- 25:48 The Importance of Brand Research
- 27:04 Key Takeaways for Higher Education Marketers
Let me know if you’d like a social blurb, email teaser, or pull quote from this episode!
Learn more about the Higher Education Marketing Institute:
- Website: https://highereducationmarketinginstitute.com/
- X: https://x.com/HEMInstitute
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/higher-education-marketing-institute/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HigherEducationMarketing
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jack (00:00):
Welcome to this exploration, uh, specifically
(00:02):
for higher education marketers.
The landscape right now.
Well, it presents some prettysignificant opportunities,
doesn't it?
Mm-hmm.
Especially as you're navigatingenrollment challenges and trying
to connect with, you know,today's students.
Jill (00:13):
Absolutely.
It feels like we're really at apoint where, um, just relying on
the old ways isn't cutting itanymore.
Jack (00:19):
Exactly.
Jill (00:20):
The resources we've been looking at, offer some well.
Really compelling strategies tohelp cut through all that noise
and build actual connections.
Jack (00:27):
Right.
So our goal today is really toget into the core principles
behind, you know, effectiveengagement.
Mm.
Both with prospective studentsand the ones you already have.
Mm-hmm.
We'll be looking at, well, quitea range.
Text messaging, contentmarketing trends, the role of
your CMS.
Which is huge email forretention and, uh, even how AI
fits into the picture.
Sounds
Jill (00:48):
good.
Jack (00:48):
Where
Jill (00:48):
should we start?
Jack (00:49):
Let's start with something immediate, often kind of
underestimated.
I think text messaging.
Jill (00:53):
Ah, yes.
SMS it's, uh, it's fascinatingjust how powerful it can be for
that direct line ofcommunication in higher ed.
Jack (01:01):
It really is.
Jill (01:02):
One of the articles we saw mentioned UT Austin achieving a
98% engagement rate with texts,
Jack (01:07):
98%.
Jill (01:08):
I know that kind of responsiveness.
It just signals a massiveopportunity, doesn't it?
Jack (01:13):
It absolutely does.
Jill (01:13):
And what's likely driving that?
Well, they've clearly tappedinto that immediacy, that
convenience students just expectnow from their phone.
That's
Jack (01:20):
a great point.
It's not just the tech, it'sunderstanding the behavior and
the materials Emphasize that toreally make this work.
There are some essential dosthings you absolutely have to
do.
Jill (01:32):
Okay.
Jack (01:33):
First, and this is critical, get explicit consent.
Jill (01:37):
Mm-hmm.
Non-negotiable.
Jack (01:39):
Totally.
It's not just, you know, goodmanners.
It's legal TCPA for mobilestuff.
Ferpa protecting studentrecords.
Jill (01:46):
Right.
Both.
Really important here.
Jack (01:48):
So you need clear opt-in methods, online forms, event
signups, student portals.
That's key for compliance andhonestly for building trust from
the get go.
Jill (01:57):
Precisely that initial respect.
Asking permission really setsthe tone.
Jack (02:01):
Yeah.
Jill (02:01):
So building on that, the second do is about keeping it
concise.
Students are swimming ininformation, right?
So texts need to be short,punchy.
Under 160 characters is theguidance.
Jack (02:12):
Makes sense?
Mm-hmm.
I mean, think about it.
What are you more likely toactually read and act on?
Jill (02:16):
Exactly.
The resources gave a goodexample, didn't they?
Instead of some long paragraphabout a financial aid deadline,
Jack (02:22):
right?
Something like reminder,financial aid app.
Do fry 5:00 PM upload docs viaportal, ASAP to avoid delays.
Jill (02:30):
Perfect.
Get straight to the point.
Urgency.
Action.
Location, done no fluff.
Jack (02:36):
And the third do takes it up a notch.
Personalization.
Jill (02:40):
Yes.
Generic blasts so easy to ignore
Jack (02:43):
totally.
Jill (02:43):
But when you use their name reference their specific
program, suddenly it feelsrelevant.
Jack (02:49):
Like, hi Sarah Fall.
Course Registration for NursingOpens Monday.
Secure your spot via the portal.
Much better than a generalannouncement.
Jill (02:56):
So much better.
It shows you're using the datayou have to send the right
message to the right student,and importantly, at the right
time,
Jack (03:03):
which you know, leads peripherally into the fourth
due.
Strategic timing.
Jill (03:07):
Mm-hmm.
Even the best message gets lostif it lands at 3:00 AM
Jack (03:10):
Right.
So general guidelines suggestweekdays.
Maybe 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM ish.
Jill (03:16):
That seems reasonable as a starting point, but you also
have to consider urgency, right?
A reminder for a club meeting inan hour is different than a
heads up about a job fair nextweek.
Jack (03:25):
Good point.
Jill (03:26):
Yeah.
Jack (03:26):
And this is where automated scheduling tools
really become invaluable.
Hitting those key momentswithout someone having to
manually press send every time.
Jill (03:34):
Absolutely essential for efficiency.
And the final due equallyimportant.
Always, always provide a clear,easy, opt-out
Jack (03:42):
reply.
SP to unsubscribe.
Simple as that.
Jill (03:45):
Exactly.
It's not just the law.
It shows respect.
Plus it helps keep your listclean, filled with people who
actually wanna hear from you,
Jack (03:52):
builds trust, keeps the list engaged.
Makes total sense.
Jill (03:55):
So those are the core dos, foundational stuff.
Jack (03:58):
Okay, so now let's flip it.
Let's talk about the don'ts, thepitfalls you absolutely need to
avoid.
Jill (04:02):
All right.
The first don't is a big one.
Don't overload them withinformation in one text.
Jack (04:07):
Right.
It's not email.
Jill (04:08):
Exactly.
It's quick.
Direct, not the place foressays.
The example contrasting a longtuition reminder versus a short
one directing to the portal thatnails it.
Yeah.
Jack (04:19):
Give'em the essential nugget.
Tell'em where to go for thedetails.
Keep it focused
Jill (04:24):
precisely.
Grab their attention, point themin the right direction.
Jack (04:27):
Okay, don't.
Number two relates to language.
Jill (04:29):
Ah yes.
Steer clear of excessive slang,jargon, abbreviations.
Jack (04:35):
You wanna be approachable?
Sure, but you're still aninstitution.
Professionalism matters.
Clarity matters.
Jill (04:43):
Definitely.
The example for the financialaid deadline showed that, didn't
it?
Clear, straightforward languagealways wins over trying too hard
to be cool or using obscureacronyms.
Jack (04:52):
Totally agree.
Okay, the third don't.
This one's crucial for keepingtexting effective long term.
Jill (04:57):
Let me guess.
Don't send irrelevant messages.
Jack (05:00):
Spot on.
Don't send unsolicited orirrelevant stuff.
Jill (05:03):
Yeah.
Jack (05:04):
If you bombard students with announcements that have
nothing to do with them,
Jill (05:07):
we'll just start ignoring all your texts.
Or worse opt out.
Jack (05:10):
Exactly.
Mm-hmm.
So segmentation is key.
The example of tailoring acareer fair alert for
engineering students versusblasting everyone smart.
Relevance drives engagement.
Jill (05:22):
Couldn't agree more.
Okay, don't.
Number four is a biggie forprivacy.
Oh,
Jack (05:28):
yeah.
Non-negotiable.
Never ever share sensitivepersonal information via text.
Jill (05:33):
PII.
Student IDs, grades, none of it.
Jack (05:37):
Nope.
Always direct them to secureplatforms like their student
portal.
Jill (05:41):
The grade availability example was perfect.
Grades are available.
Check the secure portal.
Inform, but direct, securely.
Jack (05:48):
Exactly.
And the final don't.
It's about closing the loop,
Jill (05:52):
right?
Don't send a message without afollow up plan.
Jack (05:54):
Yeah.
Texting shouldn't just be a oneway street, ideally, or at least
provide clear next steps if theyneed help.
Jill (05:59):
So if you send that registration reminder,
Jack (06:01):
make sure you include contact info for advisors or
support services.
Turn in an announcement intosupported action.
Jill (06:07):
Makes sense.
Transforms it from just.
Information pushed to actualhelp.
Jack (06:10):
And beyond these do's and don'ts, the resources also
talked about leveragingscheduling and automation,
right?
Mm-hmm.
Jill (06:16):
Pre-scheduling messages, setting up automated replies for
common questions, usingworkflows for triggered messages
based on behavior,
Jack (06:24):
and integrating with your CRM, your main student
interaction platform.
That helps tie it all together.
Jill (06:30):
Hugely important for efficiency and personalization
at scale.
And finally, you have to measureyour success,
Jack (06:36):
right?
Track those metrics.
Open rates are tricky with SMS,but response rates, if you allow
replies,
Jill (06:43):
conversion rates, are they actually doing the thing you
asked and crucially opt-outrates?
Jack (06:48):
Yeah.
A high opt-out rate is adefinite red flag.
Tells you something's wrong withyour strategy or content.
Jill (06:53):
Absolutely.
Tracking lets you adjust andimprove based on real data.
Jack (06:57):
Okay.
Great overview of texting.
Let's, uh, shift gears now to abroader strategy, content
marketing.
The whole landscape here feelslike it's really changing and
the materials we looked athighlight some, well, pretty
pivotal trends for you marketersout there.
Jill (07:11):
Yeah.
What's really striking is theevidence showing that the old
way heavily relying on, youknow.
Purchase lead funnels.
Hmm.
It's just not working like itused to.
Jack (07:20):
Seems less and less effective.
Jill (07:21):
One source pointing to a, what was it?
A 67% drop in conversion ratesfrom purchased contacts just
between 2019 and 2023.
Jack (07:29):
Wow.
67%.
That's huge.
Jill (07:31):
It is.
And you couple that with theenrollment cliff everyone's
talking about, right.
It's clear you need a shifttowards building organic
connections.
Jack (07:37):
Absolutely.
The focus has to move towardsattracting students with.
Genuinely valuable content thatspeaks to them, connects with
them, rather than just, youknow, buying lists.
Jill (07:47):
Exactly.
Fostering real connections.
Jack (07:49):
So what are some of the key content trends that are
actually working in this newreality?
Jill (07:54):
Well, one big one is multi-channel storytelling, but,
and this is important.
It's not just about beingeverywhere, right?
Jack (08:01):
Not just spraying content across platforms
Jill (08:03):
precisely.
It's about crafting cohesivestories that flow across
different touch points.
The message stays consistent,even if the format or tone
changes a bit for each channel.
Jack (08:13):
Makes sense
Jill (08:13):
as one source.
Put it the channel isn't thestrategy.
The story is how you adapt.
It effectively matters.
Jack (08:20):
So maybe they see a fun TikTok about campus life,
Jill (08:23):
which leads them to a detailed program page on the
website.
Then maybe they get personalizedemails with student testimonials
for that program.
It all connects.
Jack (08:31):
That makes perfect sense.
Okay.
What else?
Jill (08:33):
Student generated content.
This is massive
Jack (08:36):
authenticity, right?
Totally
Jill (08:37):
forget the super polished, maybe slightly sterile marketing
pieces.
Today's perspective, studentscrave seeing the real deal
content from current students.
It just resonates more strongly.
Jack (08:51):
Need some brand guidelines probably, but yeah.
Jill (08:53):
Oh, for sure.
But the stats show mostrecruiters recognize how
critical that peer-to-peerinteraction is for decision
making.
Jack (08:59):
And there was an interesting point about which
student's content is mosteffective.
Jill (09:03):
Yes.
Content from juniors and seniorsoften hits harder than from
first years.
Jack (09:08):
Why is that, do you think?
Jill (09:09):
I.
Probably because they can speakwith more experience about the
whole journey.
You know, academics, sociallife, even career outcomes.
They've seen more of it.
Jack (09:17):
That's a great nuance.
Okay, next trend video.
Always video.
Jill (09:22):
Always video, but it's evolving.
Short form, obviously huge forattention spans on TikTok,
Instagram.
Jack (09:28):
Yeah, I gotta grab'em quick.
Jill (09:29):
Longer form video still definitely has its place,
especially for say, prospectivegrad students making bigger,
more complex decisions,
Jack (09:38):
right?
Fire stakes.
Jill (09:38):
So you align the length of the decision's, complexity, and
where the student is in theirjourney.
Quick tour, short form, deepdive into research or career
stats might need longer.
Jack (09:49):
Makes sense.
Match the format to the functionand ai.
It keeps coming up.
Jill (09:55):
It does AI and personalization, but not just,
you know, mail merging a nameinto an email.
Jack (10:01):
Right.
That's superficial.
We're
Jill (10:02):
talking about using AI to deliver content based on actual
behavior demonstrated interests.
That's proving incrediblyeffective.
Jack (10:10):
There was a stat on that.
Jill (10:11):
Yeah.
One source cited a 32% jump inapplication completions using
behavioral triggers, deliveringspecific program content based
on what prospects interactedwith online.
Jack (10:21):
32% increase.
That's significant.
Okay.
And finally, good old SEO.
Jill (10:26):
Yep.
Search engine optimization.
Still fundamental, even if itsometimes gets overlooked,
Jack (10:31):
which is crazy because most students start their search
online, right?
Jill (10:34):
The vast majority, like 69% start there.
Yet something like half ofhigher ed marketing teams still
don't have a formal SEOstrategy.
Jack (10:42):
That's a huge gap.
Jill (10:43):
It is, and the key now is moving beyond just broad
keywords.
You need to target those highintent.
Program specific questionsstudents are actually typing in,
Jack (10:53):
like
Jill (10:53):
things like nursing program, clinical placement
rates, or what's the ROI on abusiness degree or transfer
credit policy for militaryexperience.
Really specific stuff.
Jack (11:04):
Got it.
Okay.
So those are the trends, but forthe marketers listening, a big
question is always.
How do we actually do this?
Especially with varying teamsizes and resources,
Jill (11:14):
right?
The resources offered somepractical advice based on team
size.
Jack (11:17):
So for a small team, maybe just one or two people,
Jill (11:20):
the focus should probably be on the foundation.
Get those SEO optimized programpages, solid.
Concentrate on maybe one or twokey social platforms where your
audience really lives.
Jack (11:29):
Makes sense.
Don't spread yourself too thin.
Jill (11:30):
Exactly.
And leverage student generatedcontent maybe.
Find a few enthusiasticambassadors.
Repurpose content across formatsto maximize efficiency.
Jack (11:39):
Okay, what about mid-size teams?
Say three to five marketers.
Jill (11:43):
They can expand a bit, maybe build out content hubs
around key program areas.
Formalize the student contentprogram more.
Jack (11:50):
Resource allocation,
Jill (11:51):
maybe aim for like 60% evergreen content, stuff that
stays relevant and 40% moretimely trending content.
Using templates and workflowscan really help scale things up
too.
Jack (12:03):
Good tips.
And for the larger teams,
Jill (12:05):
they can get more sophisticated.
Implement that.
AI driven personalized contentdelivery.
We talked about develop specificstrategies for each channel,
tailor content for differentstages of the enrollment funnel,
and
Jack (12:17):
really focus on tracking, measuring the impact on actual
enrollment outcomes.
Jill (12:21):
Exactly.
Connecting the dots from contentengagement to enrollment
Jack (12:25):
now implementing this stuff.
Mm-hmm.
It often hits roadblocks,doesn't it?
Resistance within theinstitution?
Jill (12:30):
Oh, absolutely.
It's a common challenge, but thesources had some good strategies
for navigating that.
Jack (12:35):
Like dealing with leadership resistance.
Jill (12:37):
Yeah, maybe start with the pilot program.
Clear goals, measurable results.
Show them data from competitorswho are doing it well highlight
the risks of not adapting.
Jack (12:46):
Makes sense.
What about faculty?
They can sometimes be hesitant.
Jill (12:49):
Forming a content advisory group with faculty can build
buy-in.
Show them how great contentelevates their work and attracts
top students.
Frame it as a benefit to them.
Jack (12:58):
Good approach and the perennial problem.
Budget constraints.
Jill (13:02):
Yeah.
Look for zero budget wins.
First.
Optimizing existing content,encouraging student content, and
frame content as a long-termefficiency play.
It can reduce reliance onexpensive paid ads over time.
Jack (13:15):
Smart.
Okay.
Looking ahead.
Emerging trends, what's next?
In content?
Jill (13:20):
We're seeing a move beyond static articles to more
immersive experiences
Jack (13:24):
like VR tours, interactive program explorers.
Jill (13:27):
Exactly.
Stuff that lets students reallyengage.
AI personalization is gettingeven smarter, more tailored
Jack (13:33):
social search optimization.
You mentioned that briefly.
Jill (13:35):
Yes.
TikTok Instagram, they'rebecoming search engines for Gen
Z, so optimizing captions,hashtags, even spoken words and
videos for search is becomingcrucial.
Interesting content is alsobeing seen more as a retention
tool, supporting the wholestudent journey, not just
recruitment
Jack (13:51):
and the overall theme.
Jill (13:52):
Value-driven content wins Stuff that genuinely helps,
informs or inspires, outperformspurely promotional content every
time.
Jack (14:00):
Makes sense.
Provide value first.
There was also a checklistmentioned.
For a content audit.
Jill (14:06):
Yeah, a practical checklist in one source covers
purpose planning, studentinvolvement measurement, a
really useful tool for you toself-assess where your strengths
and weaknesses are.
Jack (14:16):
Good resource and timelines.
People always wanna know howlong this takes.
Jill (14:21):
The resources gave some realistic ranges.
Engagement improvements.
Yeah.
Maybe one to three months.
Lead gen three to six impact onapplications.
Six to 12 months.
Full enrollment impact mighttake 12 to 18 months.
That's a long
Jack (14:35):
game.
Jill (14:35):
It is.
It requires sustained effort.
Yeah.
And strategic budget allocation.
Investing in SEO tools, videostudent content support,
distribution, maybepersonalization tech and having
the right staff expertise.
Jack (14:47):
Okay.
Let's pivot now.
To something absolutelyfoundational for all this
digital work.
Your content management system,your CMS
Jill (14:55):
Ah, the backbone.
Jack (14:56):
Exactly.
Choosing the right CMS is such apivotal decision, isn't it?
It affects websitefunctionality, team efficiency,
everything.
Jill (15:04):
Absolutely.
It's the central hub and theoverview we saw breaks the
market down pretty clearly.
You've got open source.
Mainly Drupal and WordPress,
Jack (15:13):
the big players,
Jill (15:14):
right?
And then proprietary solutionslike modern campus CMS Cascade,
CMS Terminal four.
Jack (15:21):
The market share is interesting.
Open source seems dominant,especially at the top
universities, but WordPress hashuge overall usage across all of
higher ed.
Jill (15:29):
That's generally the picture.
Yes.
Jack (15:31):
Okay.
Let's talk about theseplatforms.
Drupal first, the enterprisepowerhouse.
Jill (15:35):
That's the reputation I.
Used by a lot of top researchuniversities.
All the Ivys its strengths arescalability for huge sites,
flexibility for customization,strong governance features,
security, accessibility builtin, great for multi-site and
multi-language setups.
Jack (15:50):
Downsides,
Jill (15:50):
steeper learning curve for users, often needs developer
expertise for big changes.
Fewer off the shelf themescompared to WordPress.
Jack (15:58):
So best for large complex universities with tech resources
Jill (16:01):
generally.
Yes.
Jack (16:02):
Okay, then WordPress known for being user friendly.
Jill (16:05):
Very much so.
That's its big appeal,especially for smaller colleges.
Easy interface, massiveecosystem of themes and plugins.
Quick to deploy.
Cost effective can handlemultiple sites with its
multi-site feature
Jack (16:19):
challenges.
Jill (16:19):
Security can be a concern if it's not managed well.
It's a big target, reliesheavily on plugins for advanced
features.
Maybe fewer built-in enterprisefeatures than Drupal performance
needs.
Careful optimization for hightraffic.
Jack (16:31):
So maybe a better fit for smaller to mid-size places.
Limited it where marketingdrives the content
Jill (16:36):
often.
Yes.
It empowers non-technical usersreally well.
Jack (16:40):
What about modern campus CMS, the one formerly known as
Omni CMS designed for higher ed?
Jill (16:45):
Exactly.
Purpose-built modules for thingscolleges need an intuitive
editor for non-techies, strongon accessibility and governance.
Good support focused on highered, scalable for many sites,
Jack (16:57):
potential drawbacks,
Jill (16:58):
licensing and hosting costs.
Maybe less customization freedomthan open source.
Some find parts of the interfacea bit dated, though that's
subjective.
Jack (17:07):
So good for a turnkey solution.
Less it overhead needed
Jill (17:10):
could be yes if those higher ed specific features are
a priority.
Jack (17:15):
Okay.
Cascade CMS focused onstructured content and quality
control.
Jill (17:20):
That's the angle.
Higher ed templates built inaccessibility and quality
checks, strong permissions andversioning for workflows.
Drag and drop interface, vendorhandles, updates, does, can have
significant license costs, maybeless flexible for deep
customization, smaller developercommunity than say WordPress or
Drupal.
Jack (17:38):
So good for places that really prioritize governance and
quality control.
Jill (17:42):
Let's take a strong fit there.
Jack (17:43):
And finally, terminal four.
Positioned as marketing focused,
Jill (17:46):
right strong on multi-site management, integrated
personalization and digitalmarketing tools, multi-channel
support.
Built in marketing automationfeatures aimed at recruitment
Jack (17:56):
challenges there.
Jill (17:57):
Proprietary cost and support model interface can seem
complex to some smaller USpresence than others.
Maybe less scope for customdevelopment.
Jack (18:07):
So best if you really want to integrate marketing
automation tightly with your CMSand recruitment is the top
priority,
Jill (18:13):
that seems to be its sweet spot.
Jack (18:15):
Okay.
So when you're choosing,
Jill (18:17):
yeah.
Jack (18:17):
What are the key decision factors?
SEO must be high on the list.
Jill (18:21):
Absolutely critical.
All platforms can do SEO well ifconfigured right.
Drupal structure is inherentlygood for it.
WordPress relies heavily onplugins like Yost.
Proprietary ones often havebuilt-in checks.
Jack (18:33):
Accessibility, compliance, huge deal in higher ed.
Jill (18:36):
Non-negotiable.
Drupal's, a leader here built-infeatures.
WordPress depends on themes,plugins, proprietary options
often include automatedcheckers, which helps, but
managing content creators acrossany platform is still a
challenge.
Jack (18:47):
Multi-site management and scalability important for
universities with lots ofdepartments or campuses.
Jill (18:52):
Crucial.
Drupal handles it well.
WordPress has multi-site mode.
The proprietary ones like ModernCampus Terminal four, cascade
are often built.
Specifically for this.
Drupal might edge out forextremely high traffic, complex
setups,
Jack (19:07):
security and compliance.
Ferpa, GDPR.
Gotta be safe.
Jill (19:11):
Top priority.
Drupal has a strong securityrep.
WordPress is a bigger target dueto popularity needs diligence.
Proprietary vendors handle coreupdates, which can be a plus.
All can be configured forcompliance
Jack (19:23):
and just ease of use for both marketing folks and it.
Jill (19:27):
Big practical consideration.
WordPress usually wins for userfriendliness.
Easy learning curve.
Drupal is powerful but harderfor new users.
The higher ed specific CMSsreally try to cater to
non-technical marketers.
Jack (19:39):
Okay, that's a great breakdown of the CMS landscape.
Let's shift again now to emailmarketing, but specifically
through the lens of studentretention.
Jill (19:47):
Ah.
Really important, maybesometimes overlooked use of
email.
Jack (19:51):
Definitely.
Especially when you look atdropout rates, particularly
first year undergrads.
Jill (19:55):
Yeah.
Jack (19:55):
It's a significant issue financially and institutionally.
Jill (19:58):
Huge cost of attrition.
And it's interesting how emailmay be seen as old school by
some, can be such a powerfultool for fostering belonging and
proactively tackling reasonsstudents leave.
Jack (20:09):
So what is student retention fundamentally,
Jill (20:12):
it's really multifaceted, isn't it?
It's about academic readiness,overall wellbeing, financial
stability, feeling integratedsocially, having clarity about
their career path
Jack (20:23):
and the resources looked at why students day or leave,
and how email can actually help.
Jill (20:28):
Exactly.
If students are facing academichurdles, proactive emails about
expectations and supportresources like that, Kony fall
line technical college examplewith retention specialists and
early alerts can make a realdifference.
Jack (20:41):
Providing help before they feel lost
Jill (20:42):
precisely, or if they feel disconnected like they don't
belong
Jack (20:46):
emails, inviting them to clubs events may celebrating
student achievements like inthat A A PS newsletter example.
Jill (20:52):
Exactly.
Cultivating that sense ofcommunity financial stress is
another big one.
Jack (20:56):
So.
Timely reminders about aiddeadlines, info on scholarships,
financial counseling, like theCity Cares program in London.
Jill (21:03):
Mm-hmm.
And for students unsure abouttheir career path.
Jack (21:07):
Emails, highlighting internships, alumni stories in
their field, career developmentresources, offering guidance.
Jill (21:14):
Right.
And maybe the toughest one.
Personal or mental healthstruggles,
Jack (21:17):
compassionate emails from student services outlining
wellness resources, supportnetworks, normalizing seeking
help like the DCC contentmentioned.
Jill (21:26):
Providing those lifelines is crucial.
And email plays a role acrossthe entire journey, doesn't it?
Jack (21:31):
Yeah.
The resources mapped it outnicely year one.
Onboarding early support.
Welcome series, resource infosurveys, event invites like John
Katt University's approach,
Jill (21:42):
keeping them connected right from the start.
Then sophomore, junior years,maintaining momentum, providing
direction,
Jack (21:49):
academic milestones, career development, personal
growth.
Wellness campaigns like SMUdon't Ghost.
SMU Idea,
Jill (21:56):
keeping them engaged and on track.
Yeah.
And then senior year, focusingon graduation and what comes
next?
Jack (22:01):
Graduation guys.
Career prep, alumni stories.
Congratulations.
Similar to what New Asia offers,
Jill (22:06):
supporting them right through to the finish line and
beyond.
Jack (22:08):
So what are the best practices for making these
retention emails?
Actually work.
Jill (22:12):
Segmentation is key.
Tailoring messages by classyear.
Major demographics makes themmuch more relevant.
Jack (22:20):
Not one size fits all.
Jill (22:21):
Definitely not using automation thoughtfully
triggered by behavior ormilestones, but keeping it
personal and valuable.
Jack (22:28):
Focus on value, right?
Helpful tips, tightly reminders,inspiring stories
Jill (22:33):
like those transparent digital bulletins for parents
from ENSR, providing real valueand of course, monitor your
data.
Track engagement, see what'sworking, what's not,
Jack (22:43):
and collaborate across departments.
Jill (22:45):
Yes.
Aligning messaging fromdifferent services.
Advising career center studentlife makes a huge difference.
Presents a unified supportsystem.
Jack (22:53):
Okay, let's talk about something that's weaving its way
into all of this artificialintelligence.
Ai.
Jill (22:59):
Mm-hmm.
A topic that sparks a lot ofdiscussion and sometimes maybe a
little fear.
Jack (23:03):
Yeah.
The whole robots taking overthing, but the resources we
looked at framed it differently,especially for higher ed.
More about enhancing the humantouch.
Jill (23:11):
Exactly.
That's the critical insight.
AI isn't about replacing people,it's about empowering
institutions to connect better,more efficiently,
Jack (23:20):
freeing up teams from routine tasks,
Jill (23:22):
precisely automating the repetitive stuff.
Providing data-driven insightsso staff can focus on building
those deeper meaningfulrelationships, more time for
personalized support.
Jack (23:34):
So for enrollment teams, AI can help identify students
who are not just qualified, butlikely to actually thrive at
your specific institution.
Jill (23:43):
Yes.
Looking beyond just grades andscores to find that better fit
based on a wider range of datapoints.
Jack (23:49):
And for current students, AI can flag those who might be
struggling.
Academically, financially,personally.
Jill (23:54):
Mm-hmm.
That proactive identificationallows for timely interventions,
offering support before astudent hits a crisis point or
considers dropping out.
Jack (24:03):
It can also help tailor teaching.
And measure programeffectiveness.
Jill (24:06):
Yeah.
Providing insights into studentperformance and engagement that
can help instructors adapt theirmethods and giving institutions
data on how well programs aremeeting student needs.
Jack (24:16):
So the ultimate goal isn't automation for its own sake?
Jill (24:19):
Not at all.
It's about creating a morepersonalized, effective, and
ideally, a more compassionatelearning environment for every
single student using tech toboost human connection and
support.
Jack (24:31):
What are some concrete examples we're seeing?
Jill (24:33):
Well, AI chatbots for instant answers to common
questions are pretty widespreadnow.
Free up staff for complexissues,
Jack (24:39):
AR and VR for virtual tours.
Jill (24:41):
Definitely often using AI to personalize the tour content
based on expressed interests andAI algorithms delivering
personalized content suggestionson websites or portals based on
browsing behavior.
Makes sense.
Jack (24:55):
Okay.
Just a couple more areas.
Conversion driven design.
Why is this so important?
Jill (24:59):
Because it's critical for actually turning website
visitors into applicants orgetting current students to take
necessary actions online.
It directly impacts enrollmentand engagement,
Jack (25:09):
but there are barriers, right?
Why do institutions sometimesstruggle with this?
Jill (25:13):
Often it's lack of collaboration, marketing, IT,
design, working in silos,resistance to data-driven
decisions, not measuring websiteperformance properly.
Sometimes prioritizing justaesthetics over actual user
experiencing goals.
Or just not understanding theaudience's online behavior well
enough.
Jack (25:31):
But breakthroughs are happening,
Jill (25:32):
thankfully.
Yes.
More cross-functional teamsfocusing on optimization, a
bigger emphasis on data andanalytics, prioritizing UX using
personalization and committingto continuous testing, AB
testing, user testing toconstantly improve performance.
Jack (25:47):
Good to hear.
And finally, let's touch onbrand research.
Why is that so fundamental?
Jill (25:53):
Because choosing a college is a deeply emotional decision,
isn't
Jack (25:56):
it?
Absolutely huge life decision,
Jill (25:58):
and your brand is how you tell your story, how you connect
emotionally.
It impacts student interests,parent support, counsel
recommendations, everything.
Jack (26:06):
So you need a consistent way to understand your brand.
Like using archetypes
Jill (26:10):
frameworks like archetypes can really help define that core
personality and values.
Then you need to measure howthat brand is actually expressed
and perceived
Jack (26:18):
internally and externally.
Jill (26:20):
Both.
How do you, your faculty, staff,current students see the brand?
Workshops, surveys, focus groupscan help there and externally.
Market surveys, talking toprospective students in the
community, social listening,analyzing competitor brands,
Jack (26:36):
and you need to connect that brand research to your
audience.
Research.
Jill (26:39):
Critically important, developing personas may be based
on those archetypes thatrepresent your ideal students.
Jack (26:45):
The goal being
Jill (26:46):
to make your institution schema, you know, the mental map
people have of you, not justknown, but really individualize,
emotionally resonant, andclearly different from your
competitors.
Stand out for the right reasons.
Jack (26:57):
Okay?
Wow.
We've covered a lot of groundtexting content, CMS, email, AI
design brand.
Jill (27:04):
As we wrap up, what are the absolute key takeaways for
higher education marketerslistening to this?
Jack (27:09):
I think the biggest theme really is the absolute need for
personalized, meaningfulcommunication across every
channel you use.
Jill (27:16):
Tailor the message
Jack (27:17):
exactly whether it's a quick text, a nurturing email,
or a strategic content, andunderpinning all that.
You have to leverage data andanalytics.
Make informed decisions, measurewhat you're doing, choose the
right tech foundation.
Like your CMS
Jill (27:30):
crucial and embrace ai, not as a replacement for people,
but as a tool to enhance thathuman connection and finally
invest in building that strong,authentic brand story based on
solid research.
Jack (27:43):
That's a fantastic summary, and for you, our
listener, maybe a final thoughtto chew on, how can you take all
these insights we've discussed,the power of concise texts,
personalized emails, strategiccontent, the right tech, smart
ai, a strong brand.
And weave them together.
How can you use them to forgethose deeper, more effective
connections with both yourperspective and your current
(28:04):
students?
Ultimately driving enrollment,yes, but also fostering their
long-term success and connectionto your institution.
Jill (28:10):
Lots to think about there.
Jack (28:12):
Definitely.
Jill (28:12):
Yeah.
Jack (28:13):
We hope this exploration gives you some concrete ideas to
adapt and implement within yourown unique context.
Welcome to this exploration, uh, specifically
(00:02):
for higher education marketers.
The landscape right now.
Well, it presents some prettysignificant opportunities,
doesn't it?
Mm-hmm.
Especially as you're navigatingenrollment challenges and trying
to connect with, you know,today's students.
Jill (00:13):
Absolutely.
It feels like we're really at apoint where, um, just relying on
the old ways isn't cutting itanymore.
Jack (00:19):
Exactly.
Jill (00:20):
The resources we've been looking at, offer some well.
Really compelling strategies tohelp cut through all that noise
and build actual connections.
Jack (00:27):
Right.
So our goal today is really toget into the core principles
behind, you know, effectiveengagement.
Mm.
Both with prospective studentsand the ones you already have.
Mm-hmm.
We'll be looking at, well, quitea range.
Text messaging, contentmarketing trends, the role of
your CMS.
Which is huge email forretention and, uh, even how AI
fits into the picture.
Sounds
Jill (00:48):
good.
Jack (00:48):
Where
Jill (00:48):
should we start?
Jack (00:49):
Let's start with something immediate, often kind of
underestimated.
I think text messaging.
Jill (00:53):
Ah, yes.
SMS it's, uh, it's fascinatingjust how powerful it can be for
that direct line ofcommunication in higher ed.
Jack (01:01):
It really is.
Jill (01:02):
One of the articles we saw mentioned UT Austin achieving a
98% engagement rate with texts,
Jack (01:07):
98%.
Jill (01:08):
I know that kind of responsiveness.
It just signals a massiveopportunity, doesn't it?
Jack (01:13):
It absolutely does.
Jill (01:13):
And what's likely driving that?
Well, they've clearly tappedinto that immediacy, that
convenience students just expectnow from their phone.
That's
Jack (01:20):
a great point.
It's not just the tech, it'sunderstanding the behavior and
the materials Emphasize that toreally make this work.
There are some essential dosthings you absolutely have to
do.
Jill (01:32):
Okay.
Jack (01:33):
First, and this is critical, get explicit consent.
Jill (01:37):
Mm-hmm.
Non-negotiable.
Jack (01:39):
Totally.
It's not just, you know, goodmanners.
It's legal TCPA for mobilestuff.
Ferpa protecting studentrecords.
Jill (01:46):
Right.
Both.
Really important here.
Jack (01:48):
So you need clear opt-in methods, online forms, event
signups, student portals.
That's key for compliance andhonestly for building trust from
the get go.
Jill (01:57):
Precisely that initial respect.
Asking permission really setsthe tone.
Jack (02:01):
Yeah.
Jill (02:01):
So building on that, the second do is about keeping it
concise.
Students are swimming ininformation, right?
So texts need to be short,punchy.
Under 160 characters is theguidance.
Jack (02:12):
Makes sense?
Mm-hmm.
I mean, think about it.
What are you more likely toactually read and act on?
Jill (02:16):
Exactly.
The resources gave a goodexample, didn't they?
Instead of some long paragraphabout a financial aid deadline,
Jack (02:22):
right?
Something like reminder,financial aid app.
Do fry 5:00 PM upload docs viaportal, ASAP to avoid delays.
Jill (02:30):
Perfect.
Get straight to the point.
Urgency.
Action.
Location, done no fluff.
Jack (02:36):
And the third do takes it up a notch.
Personalization.
Jill (02:40):
Yes.
Generic blasts so easy to ignore
Jack (02:43):
totally.
Jill (02:43):
But when you use their name reference their specific
program, suddenly it feelsrelevant.
Jack (02:49):
Like, hi Sarah Fall.
Course Registration for NursingOpens Monday.
Secure your spot via the portal.
Much better than a generalannouncement.
Jill (02:56):
So much better.
It shows you're using the datayou have to send the right
message to the right student,and importantly, at the right
time,
Jack (03:03):
which you know, leads peripherally into the fourth
due.
Strategic timing.
Jill (03:07):
Mm-hmm.
Even the best message gets lostif it lands at 3:00 AM
Jack (03:10):
Right.
So general guidelines suggestweekdays.
Maybe 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM ish.
Jill (03:16):
That seems reasonable as a starting point, but you also
have to consider urgency, right?
A reminder for a club meeting inan hour is different than a
heads up about a job fair nextweek.
Jack (03:25):
Good point.
Jill (03:26):
Yeah.
Jack (03:26):
And this is where automated scheduling tools
really become invaluable.
Hitting those key momentswithout someone having to
manually press send every time.
Jill (03:34):
Absolutely essential for efficiency.
And the final due equallyimportant.
Always, always provide a clear,easy, opt-out
Jack (03:42):
reply.
SP to unsubscribe.
Simple as that.
Jill (03:45):
Exactly.
It's not just the law.
It shows respect.
Plus it helps keep your listclean, filled with people who
actually wanna hear from you,
Jack (03:52):
builds trust, keeps the list engaged.
Makes total sense.
Jill (03:55):
So those are the core dos, foundational stuff.
Jack (03:58):
Okay, so now let's flip it.
Let's talk about the don'ts, thepitfalls you absolutely need to
avoid.
Jill (04:02):
All right.
The first don't is a big one.
Don't overload them withinformation in one text.
Jack (04:07):
Right.
It's not email.
Jill (04:08):
Exactly.
It's quick.
Direct, not the place foressays.
The example contrasting a longtuition reminder versus a short
one directing to the portal thatnails it.
Yeah.
Jack (04:19):
Give'em the essential nugget.
Tell'em where to go for thedetails.
Keep it focused
Jill (04:24):
precisely.
Grab their attention, point themin the right direction.
Jack (04:27):
Okay, don't.
Number two relates to language.
Jill (04:29):
Ah yes.
Steer clear of excessive slang,jargon, abbreviations.
Jack (04:35):
You wanna be approachable?
Sure, but you're still aninstitution.
Professionalism matters.
Clarity matters.
Jill (04:43):
Definitely.
The example for the financialaid deadline showed that, didn't
it?
Clear, straightforward languagealways wins over trying too hard
to be cool or using obscureacronyms.
Jack (04:52):
Totally agree.
Okay, the third don't.
This one's crucial for keepingtexting effective long term.
Jill (04:57):
Let me guess.
Don't send irrelevant messages.
Jack (05:00):
Spot on.
Don't send unsolicited orirrelevant stuff.
Jill (05:03):
Yeah.
Jack (05:04):
If you bombard students with announcements that have
nothing to do with them,
Jill (05:07):
we'll just start ignoring all your texts.
Or worse opt out.
Jack (05:10):
Exactly.
Mm-hmm.
So segmentation is key.
The example of tailoring acareer fair alert for
engineering students versusblasting everyone smart.
Relevance drives engagement.
Jill (05:22):
Couldn't agree more.
Okay, don't.
Number four is a biggie forprivacy.
Oh,
Jack (05:28):
yeah.
Non-negotiable.
Never ever share sensitivepersonal information via text.
Jill (05:33):
PII.
Student IDs, grades, none of it.
Jack (05:37):
Nope.
Always direct them to secureplatforms like their student
portal.
Jill (05:41):
The grade availability example was perfect.
Grades are available.
Check the secure portal.
Inform, but direct, securely.
Jack (05:48):
Exactly.
And the final don't.
It's about closing the loop,
Jill (05:52):
right?
Don't send a message without afollow up plan.
Jack (05:54):
Yeah.
Texting shouldn't just be a oneway street, ideally, or at least
provide clear next steps if theyneed help.
Jill (05:59):
So if you send that registration reminder,
Jack (06:01):
make sure you include contact info for advisors or
support services.
Turn in an announcement intosupported action.
Jill (06:07):
Makes sense.
Transforms it from just.
Information pushed to actualhelp.
Jack (06:10):
And beyond these do's and don'ts, the resources also
talked about leveragingscheduling and automation,
right?
Mm-hmm.
Jill (06:16):
Pre-scheduling messages, setting up automated replies for
common questions, usingworkflows for triggered messages
based on behavior,
Jack (06:24):
and integrating with your CRM, your main student
interaction platform.
That helps tie it all together.
Jill (06:30):
Hugely important for efficiency and personalization
at scale.
And finally, you have to measureyour success,
Jack (06:36):
right?
Track those metrics.
Open rates are tricky with SMS,but response rates, if you allow
replies,
Jill (06:43):
conversion rates, are they actually doing the thing you
asked and crucially opt-outrates?
Jack (06:48):
Yeah.
A high opt-out rate is adefinite red flag.
Tells you something's wrong withyour strategy or content.
Jill (06:53):
Absolutely.
Tracking lets you adjust andimprove based on real data.
Jack (06:57):
Okay.
Great overview of texting.
Let's, uh, shift gears now to abroader strategy, content
marketing.
The whole landscape here feelslike it's really changing and
the materials we looked athighlight some, well, pretty
pivotal trends for you marketersout there.
Jill (07:11):
Yeah.
What's really striking is theevidence showing that the old
way heavily relying on, youknow.
Purchase lead funnels.
Hmm.
It's just not working like itused to.
Jack (07:20):
Seems less and less effective.
Jill (07:21):
One source pointing to a, what was it?
A 67% drop in conversion ratesfrom purchased contacts just
between 2019 and 2023.
Jack (07:29):
Wow.
67%.
That's huge.
Jill (07:31):
It is.
And you couple that with theenrollment cliff everyone's
talking about, right.
It's clear you need a shifttowards building organic
connections.
Jack (07:37):
Absolutely.
The focus has to move towardsattracting students with.
Genuinely valuable content thatspeaks to them, connects with
them, rather than just, youknow, buying lists.
Jill (07:47):
Exactly.
Fostering real connections.
Jack (07:49):
So what are some of the key content trends that are
actually working in this newreality?
Jill (07:54):
Well, one big one is multi-channel storytelling, but,
and this is important.
It's not just about beingeverywhere, right?
Jack (08:01):
Not just spraying content across platforms
Jill (08:03):
precisely.
It's about crafting cohesivestories that flow across
different touch points.
The message stays consistent,even if the format or tone
changes a bit for each channel.
Jack (08:13):
Makes sense
Jill (08:13):
as one source.
Put it the channel isn't thestrategy.
The story is how you adapt.
It effectively matters.
Jack (08:20):
So maybe they see a fun TikTok about campus life,
Jill (08:23):
which leads them to a detailed program page on the
website.
Then maybe they get personalizedemails with student testimonials
for that program.
It all connects.
Jack (08:31):
That makes perfect sense.
Okay.
What else?
Jill (08:33):
Student generated content.
This is massive
Jack (08:36):
authenticity, right?
Totally
Jill (08:37):
forget the super polished, maybe slightly sterile marketing
pieces.
Today's perspective, studentscrave seeing the real deal
content from current students.
It just resonates more strongly.
Jack (08:51):
Need some brand guidelines probably, but yeah.
Jill (08:53):
Oh, for sure.
But the stats show mostrecruiters recognize how
critical that peer-to-peerinteraction is for decision
making.
Jack (08:59):
And there was an interesting point about which
student's content is mosteffective.
Jill (09:03):
Yes.
Content from juniors and seniorsoften hits harder than from
first years.
Jack (09:08):
Why is that, do you think?
Jill (09:09):
I.
Probably because they can speakwith more experience about the
whole journey.
You know, academics, sociallife, even career outcomes.
They've seen more of it.
Jack (09:17):
That's a great nuance.
Okay, next trend video.
Always video.
Jill (09:22):
Always video, but it's evolving.
Short form, obviously huge forattention spans on TikTok,
Instagram.
Jack (09:28):
Yeah, I gotta grab'em quick.
Jill (09:29):
Longer form video still definitely has its place,
especially for say, prospectivegrad students making bigger,
more complex decisions,
Jack (09:38):
right?
Fire stakes.
Jill (09:38):
So you align the length of the decision's, complexity, and
where the student is in theirjourney.
Quick tour, short form, deepdive into research or career
stats might need longer.
Jack (09:49):
Makes sense.
Match the format to the functionand ai.
It keeps coming up.
Jill (09:55):
It does AI and personalization, but not just,
you know, mail merging a nameinto an email.
Jack (10:01):
Right.
That's superficial.
We're
Jill (10:02):
talking about using AI to deliver content based on actual
behavior demonstrated interests.
That's proving incrediblyeffective.
Jack (10:10):
There was a stat on that.
Jill (10:11):
Yeah.
One source cited a 32% jump inapplication completions using
behavioral triggers, deliveringspecific program content based
on what prospects interactedwith online.
Jack (10:21):
32% increase.
That's significant.
Okay.
And finally, good old SEO.
Jill (10:26):
Yep.
Search engine optimization.
Still fundamental, even if itsometimes gets overlooked,
Jack (10:31):
which is crazy because most students start their search
online, right?
Jill (10:34):
The vast majority, like 69% start there.
Yet something like half ofhigher ed marketing teams still
don't have a formal SEOstrategy.
Jack (10:42):
That's a huge gap.
Jill (10:43):
It is, and the key now is moving beyond just broad
keywords.
You need to target those highintent.
Program specific questionsstudents are actually typing in,
Jack (10:53):
like
Jill (10:53):
things like nursing program, clinical placement
rates, or what's the ROI on abusiness degree or transfer
credit policy for militaryexperience.
Really specific stuff.
Jack (11:04):
Got it.
Okay.
So those are the trends, but forthe marketers listening, a big
question is always.
How do we actually do this?
Especially with varying teamsizes and resources,
Jill (11:14):
right?
The resources offered somepractical advice based on team
size.
Jack (11:17):
So for a small team, maybe just one or two people,
Jill (11:20):
the focus should probably be on the foundation.
Get those SEO optimized programpages, solid.
Concentrate on maybe one or twokey social platforms where your
audience really lives.
Jack (11:29):
Makes sense.
Don't spread yourself too thin.
Jill (11:30):
Exactly.
And leverage student generatedcontent maybe.
Find a few enthusiasticambassadors.
Repurpose content across formatsto maximize efficiency.
Jack (11:39):
Okay, what about mid-size teams?
Say three to five marketers.
Jill (11:43):
They can expand a bit, maybe build out content hubs
around key program areas.
Formalize the student contentprogram more.
Jack (11:50):
Resource allocation,
Jill (11:51):
maybe aim for like 60% evergreen content, stuff that
stays relevant and 40% moretimely trending content.
Using templates and workflowscan really help scale things up
too.
Jack (12:03):
Good tips.
And for the larger teams,
Jill (12:05):
they can get more sophisticated.
Implement that.
AI driven personalized contentdelivery.
We talked about develop specificstrategies for each channel,
tailor content for differentstages of the enrollment funnel,
and
Jack (12:17):
really focus on tracking, measuring the impact on actual
enrollment outcomes.
Jill (12:21):
Exactly.
Connecting the dots from contentengagement to enrollment
Jack (12:25):
now implementing this stuff.
Mm-hmm.
It often hits roadblocks,doesn't it?
Resistance within theinstitution?
Jill (12:30):
Oh, absolutely.
It's a common challenge, but thesources had some good strategies
for navigating that.
Jack (12:35):
Like dealing with leadership resistance.
Jill (12:37):
Yeah, maybe start with the pilot program.
Clear goals, measurable results.
Show them data from competitorswho are doing it well highlight
the risks of not adapting.
Jack (12:46):
Makes sense.
What about faculty?
They can sometimes be hesitant.
Jill (12:49):
Forming a content advisory group with faculty can build
buy-in.
Show them how great contentelevates their work and attracts
top students.
Frame it as a benefit to them.
Jack (12:58):
Good approach and the perennial problem.
Budget constraints.
Jill (13:02):
Yeah.
Look for zero budget wins.
First.
Optimizing existing content,encouraging student content, and
frame content as a long-termefficiency play.
It can reduce reliance onexpensive paid ads over time.
Jack (13:15):
Smart.
Okay.
Looking ahead.
Emerging trends, what's next?
In content?
Jill (13:20):
We're seeing a move beyond static articles to more
immersive experiences
Jack (13:24):
like VR tours, interactive program explorers.
Jill (13:27):
Exactly.
Stuff that lets students reallyengage.
AI personalization is gettingeven smarter, more tailored
Jack (13:33):
social search optimization.
You mentioned that briefly.
Jill (13:35):
Yes.
TikTok Instagram, they'rebecoming search engines for Gen
Z, so optimizing captions,hashtags, even spoken words and
videos for search is becomingcrucial.
Interesting content is alsobeing seen more as a retention
tool, supporting the wholestudent journey, not just
recruitment
Jack (13:51):
and the overall theme.
Jill (13:52):
Value-driven content wins Stuff that genuinely helps,
informs or inspires, outperformspurely promotional content every
time.
Jack (14:00):
Makes sense.
Provide value first.
There was also a checklistmentioned.
For a content audit.
Jill (14:06):
Yeah, a practical checklist in one source covers
purpose planning, studentinvolvement measurement, a
really useful tool for you toself-assess where your strengths
and weaknesses are.
Jack (14:16):
Good resource and timelines.
People always wanna know howlong this takes.
Jill (14:21):
The resources gave some realistic ranges.
Engagement improvements.
Yeah.
Maybe one to three months.
Lead gen three to six impact onapplications.
Six to 12 months.
Full enrollment impact mighttake 12 to 18 months.
That's a long
Jack (14:35):
game.
Jill (14:35):
It is.
It requires sustained effort.
Yeah.
And strategic budget allocation.
Investing in SEO tools, videostudent content support,
distribution, maybepersonalization tech and having
the right staff expertise.
Jack (14:47):
Okay.
Let's pivot now.
To something absolutelyfoundational for all this
digital work.
Your content management system,your CMS
Jill (14:55):
Ah, the backbone.
Jack (14:56):
Exactly.
Choosing the right CMS is such apivotal decision, isn't it?
It affects websitefunctionality, team efficiency,
everything.
Jill (15:04):
Absolutely.
It's the central hub and theoverview we saw breaks the
market down pretty clearly.
You've got open source.
Mainly Drupal and WordPress,
Jack (15:13):
the big players,
Jill (15:14):
right?
And then proprietary solutionslike modern campus CMS Cascade,
CMS Terminal four.
Jack (15:21):
The market share is interesting.
Open source seems dominant,especially at the top
universities, but WordPress hashuge overall usage across all of
higher ed.
Jill (15:29):
That's generally the picture.
Yes.
Jack (15:31):
Okay.
Let's talk about theseplatforms.
Drupal first, the enterprisepowerhouse.
Jill (15:35):
That's the reputation I.
Used by a lot of top researchuniversities.
All the Ivys its strengths arescalability for huge sites,
flexibility for customization,strong governance features,
security, accessibility builtin, great for multi-site and
multi-language setups.
Jack (15:50):
Downsides,
Jill (15:50):
steeper learning curve for users, often needs developer
expertise for big changes.
Fewer off the shelf themescompared to WordPress.
Jack (15:58):
So best for large complex universities with tech resources
Jill (16:01):
generally.
Yes.
Jack (16:02):
Okay, then WordPress known for being user friendly.
Jill (16:05):
Very much so.
That's its big appeal,especially for smaller colleges.
Easy interface, massiveecosystem of themes and plugins.
Quick to deploy.
Cost effective can handlemultiple sites with its
multi-site feature
Jack (16:19):
challenges.
Jill (16:19):
Security can be a concern if it's not managed well.
It's a big target, reliesheavily on plugins for advanced
features.
Maybe fewer built-in enterprisefeatures than Drupal performance
needs.
Careful optimization for hightraffic.
Jack (16:31):
So maybe a better fit for smaller to mid-size places.
Limited it where marketingdrives the content
Jill (16:36):
often.
Yes.
It empowers non-technical usersreally well.
Jack (16:40):
What about modern campus CMS, the one formerly known as
Omni CMS designed for higher ed?
Jill (16:45):
Exactly.
Purpose-built modules for thingscolleges need an intuitive
editor for non-techies, strongon accessibility and governance.
Good support focused on highered, scalable for many sites,
Jack (16:57):
potential drawbacks,
Jill (16:58):
licensing and hosting costs.
Maybe less customization freedomthan open source.
Some find parts of the interfacea bit dated, though that's
subjective.
Jack (17:07):
So good for a turnkey solution.
Less it overhead needed
Jill (17:10):
could be yes if those higher ed specific features are
a priority.
Jack (17:15):
Okay.
Cascade CMS focused onstructured content and quality
control.
Jill (17:20):
That's the angle.
Higher ed templates built inaccessibility and quality
checks, strong permissions andversioning for workflows.
Drag and drop interface, vendorhandles, updates, does, can have
significant license costs, maybeless flexible for deep
customization, smaller developercommunity than say WordPress or
Drupal.
Jack (17:38):
So good for places that really prioritize governance and
quality control.
Jill (17:42):
Let's take a strong fit there.
Jack (17:43):
And finally, terminal four.
Positioned as marketing focused,
Jill (17:46):
right strong on multi-site management, integrated
personalization and digitalmarketing tools, multi-channel
support.
Built in marketing automationfeatures aimed at recruitment
Jack (17:56):
challenges there.
Jill (17:57):
Proprietary cost and support model interface can seem
complex to some smaller USpresence than others.
Maybe less scope for customdevelopment.
Jack (18:07):
So best if you really want to integrate marketing
automation tightly with your CMSand recruitment is the top
priority,
Jill (18:13):
that seems to be its sweet spot.
Jack (18:15):
Okay.
So when you're choosing,
Jill (18:17):
yeah.
Jack (18:17):
What are the key decision factors?
SEO must be high on the list.
Jill (18:21):
Absolutely critical.
All platforms can do SEO well ifconfigured right.
Drupal structure is inherentlygood for it.
WordPress relies heavily onplugins like Yost.
Proprietary ones often havebuilt-in checks.
Jack (18:33):
Accessibility, compliance, huge deal in higher ed.
Jill (18:36):
Non-negotiable.
Drupal's, a leader here built-infeatures.
WordPress depends on themes,plugins, proprietary options
often include automatedcheckers, which helps, but
managing content creators acrossany platform is still a
challenge.
Jack (18:47):
Multi-site management and scalability important for
universities with lots ofdepartments or campuses.
Jill (18:52):
Crucial.
Drupal handles it well.
WordPress has multi-site mode.
The proprietary ones like ModernCampus Terminal four, cascade
are often built.
Specifically for this.
Drupal might edge out forextremely high traffic, complex
setups,
Jack (19:07):
security and compliance.
Ferpa, GDPR.
Gotta be safe.
Jill (19:11):
Top priority.
Drupal has a strong securityrep.
WordPress is a bigger target dueto popularity needs diligence.
Proprietary vendors handle coreupdates, which can be a plus.
All can be configured forcompliance
Jack (19:23):
and just ease of use for both marketing folks and it.
Jill (19:27):
Big practical consideration.
WordPress usually wins for userfriendliness.
Easy learning curve.
Drupal is powerful but harderfor new users.
The higher ed specific CMSsreally try to cater to
non-technical marketers.
Jack (19:39):
Okay, that's a great breakdown of the CMS landscape.
Let's shift again now to emailmarketing, but specifically
through the lens of studentretention.
Jill (19:47):
Ah.
Really important, maybesometimes overlooked use of
email.
Jack (19:51):
Definitely.
Especially when you look atdropout rates, particularly
first year undergrads.
Jill (19:55):
Yeah.
Jack (19:55):
It's a significant issue financially and institutionally.
Jill (19:58):
Huge cost of attrition.
And it's interesting how emailmay be seen as old school by
some, can be such a powerfultool for fostering belonging and
proactively tackling reasonsstudents leave.
Jack (20:09):
So what is student retention fundamentally,
Jill (20:12):
it's really multifaceted, isn't it?
It's about academic readiness,overall wellbeing, financial
stability, feeling integratedsocially, having clarity about
their career path
Jack (20:23):
and the resources looked at why students day or leave,
and how email can actually help.
Jill (20:28):
Exactly.
If students are facing academichurdles, proactive emails about
expectations and supportresources like that, Kony fall
line technical college examplewith retention specialists and
early alerts can make a realdifference.
Jack (20:41):
Providing help before they feel lost
Jill (20:42):
precisely, or if they feel disconnected like they don't
belong
Jack (20:46):
emails, inviting them to clubs events may celebrating
student achievements like inthat A A PS newsletter example.
Jill (20:52):
Exactly.
Cultivating that sense ofcommunity financial stress is
another big one.
Jack (20:56):
So.
Timely reminders about aiddeadlines, info on scholarships,
financial counseling, like theCity Cares program in London.
Jill (21:03):
Mm-hmm.
And for students unsure abouttheir career path.
Jack (21:07):
Emails, highlighting internships, alumni stories in
their field, career developmentresources, offering guidance.
Jill (21:14):
Right.
And maybe the toughest one.
Personal or mental healthstruggles,
Jack (21:17):
compassionate emails from student services outlining
wellness resources, supportnetworks, normalizing seeking
help like the DCC contentmentioned.
Jill (21:26):
Providing those lifelines is crucial.
And email plays a role acrossthe entire journey, doesn't it?
Jack (21:31):
Yeah.
The resources mapped it outnicely year one.
Onboarding early support.
Welcome series, resource infosurveys, event invites like John
Katt University's approach,
Jill (21:42):
keeping them connected right from the start.
Then sophomore, junior years,maintaining momentum, providing
direction,
Jack (21:49):
academic milestones, career development, personal
growth.
Wellness campaigns like SMUdon't Ghost.
SMU Idea,
Jill (21:56):
keeping them engaged and on track.
Yeah.
And then senior year, focusingon graduation and what comes
next?
Jack (22:01):
Graduation guys.
Career prep, alumni stories.
Congratulations.
Similar to what New Asia offers,
Jill (22:06):
supporting them right through to the finish line and
beyond.
Jack (22:08):
So what are the best practices for making these
retention emails?
Actually work.
Jill (22:12):
Segmentation is key.
Tailoring messages by classyear.
Major demographics makes themmuch more relevant.
Jack (22:20):
Not one size fits all.
Jill (22:21):
Definitely not using automation thoughtfully
triggered by behavior ormilestones, but keeping it
personal and valuable.
Jack (22:28):
Focus on value, right?
Helpful tips, tightly reminders,inspiring stories
Jill (22:33):
like those transparent digital bulletins for parents
from ENSR, providing real valueand of course, monitor your
data.
Track engagement, see what'sworking, what's not,
Jack (22:43):
and collaborate across departments.
Jill (22:45):
Yes.
Aligning messaging fromdifferent services.
Advising career center studentlife makes a huge difference.
Presents a unified supportsystem.
Jack (22:53):
Okay, let's talk about something that's weaving its way
into all of this artificialintelligence.
Ai.
Jill (22:59):
Mm-hmm.
A topic that sparks a lot ofdiscussion and sometimes maybe a
little fear.
Jack (23:03):
Yeah.
The whole robots taking overthing, but the resources we
looked at framed it differently,especially for higher ed.
More about enhancing the humantouch.
Jill (23:11):
Exactly.
That's the critical insight.
AI isn't about replacing people,it's about empowering
institutions to connect better,more efficiently,
Jack (23:20):
freeing up teams from routine tasks,
Jill (23:22):
precisely automating the repetitive stuff.
Providing data-driven insightsso staff can focus on building
those deeper meaningfulrelationships, more time for
personalized support.
Jack (23:34):
So for enrollment teams, AI can help identify students
who are not just qualified, butlikely to actually thrive at
your specific institution.
Jill (23:43):
Yes.
Looking beyond just grades andscores to find that better fit
based on a wider range of datapoints.
Jack (23:49):
And for current students, AI can flag those who might be
struggling.
Academically, financially,personally.
Jill (23:54):
Mm-hmm.
That proactive identificationallows for timely interventions,
offering support before astudent hits a crisis point or
considers dropping out.
Jack (24:03):
It can also help tailor teaching.
And measure programeffectiveness.
Jill (24:06):
Yeah.
Providing insights into studentperformance and engagement that
can help instructors adapt theirmethods and giving institutions
data on how well programs aremeeting student needs.
Jack (24:16):
So the ultimate goal isn't automation for its own sake?
Jill (24:19):
Not at all.
It's about creating a morepersonalized, effective, and
ideally, a more compassionatelearning environment for every
single student using tech toboost human connection and
support.
Jack (24:31):
What are some concrete examples we're seeing?
Jill (24:33):
Well, AI chatbots for instant answers to common
questions are pretty widespreadnow.
Free up staff for complexissues,
Jack (24:39):
AR and VR for virtual tours.
Jill (24:41):
Definitely often using AI to personalize the tour content
based on expressed interests andAI algorithms delivering
personalized content suggestionson websites or portals based on
browsing behavior.
Makes sense.
Jack (24:55):
Okay.
Just a couple more areas.
Conversion driven design.
Why is this so important?
Jill (24:59):
Because it's critical for actually turning website
visitors into applicants orgetting current students to take
necessary actions online.
It directly impacts enrollmentand engagement,
Jack (25:09):
but there are barriers, right?
Why do institutions sometimesstruggle with this?
Jill (25:13):
Often it's lack of collaboration, marketing, IT,
design, working in silos,resistance to data-driven
decisions, not measuring websiteperformance properly.
Sometimes prioritizing justaesthetics over actual user
experiencing goals.
Or just not understanding theaudience's online behavior well
enough.
Jack (25:31):
But breakthroughs are happening,
Jill (25:32):
thankfully.
Yes.
More cross-functional teamsfocusing on optimization, a
bigger emphasis on data andanalytics, prioritizing UX using
personalization and committingto continuous testing, AB
testing, user testing toconstantly improve performance.
Jack (25:47):
Good to hear.
And finally, let's touch onbrand research.
Why is that so fundamental?
Jill (25:53):
Because choosing a college is a deeply emotional decision,
isn't
Jack (25:56):
it?
Absolutely huge life decision,
Jill (25:58):
and your brand is how you tell your story, how you connect
emotionally.
It impacts student interests,parent support, counsel
recommendations, everything.
Jack (26:06):
So you need a consistent way to understand your brand.
Like using archetypes
Jill (26:10):
frameworks like archetypes can really help define that core
personality and values.
Then you need to measure howthat brand is actually expressed
and perceived
Jack (26:18):
internally and externally.
Jill (26:20):
Both.
How do you, your faculty, staff,current students see the brand?
Workshops, surveys, focus groupscan help there and externally.
Market surveys, talking toprospective students in the
community, social listening,analyzing competitor brands,
Jack (26:36):
and you need to connect that brand research to your
audience.
Research.
Jill (26:39):
Critically important, developing personas may be based
on those archetypes thatrepresent your ideal students.
Jack (26:45):
The goal being
Jill (26:46):
to make your institution schema, you know, the mental map
people have of you, not justknown, but really individualize,
emotionally resonant, andclearly different from your
competitors.
Stand out for the right reasons.
Jack (26:57):
Okay?
Wow.
We've covered a lot of groundtexting content, CMS, email, AI
design brand.
Jill (27:04):
As we wrap up, what are the absolute key takeaways for
higher education marketerslistening to this?
Jack (27:09):
I think the biggest theme really is the absolute need for
personalized, meaningfulcommunication across every
channel you use.
Jill (27:16):
Tailor the message
Jack (27:17):
exactly whether it's a quick text, a nurturing email,
or a strategic content, andunderpinning all that.
You have to leverage data andanalytics.
Make informed decisions, measurewhat you're doing, choose the
right tech foundation.
Like your CMS
Jill (27:30):
crucial and embrace ai, not as a replacement for people,
but as a tool to enhance thathuman connection and finally
invest in building that strong,authentic brand story based on
solid research.
Jack (27:43):
That's a fantastic summary, and for you, our
listener, maybe a final thoughtto chew on, how can you take all
these insights we've discussed,the power of concise texts,
personalized emails, strategiccontent, the right tech, smart
ai, a strong brand.
And weave them together.
How can you use them to forgethose deeper, more effective
connections with both yourperspective and your current
(28:04):
students?
Ultimately driving enrollment,yes, but also fostering their
long-term success and connectionto your institution.
Jill (28:10):
Lots to think about there.
Jack (28:12):
Definitely.
Jill (28:12):
Yeah.
Jack (28:13):
We hope this exploration gives you some concrete ideas to
adapt and implement within yourown unique context.
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