🎙️ Navigating Education Marketing: Strategies that Connect and Engage
In this episode, we examine the shifting landscape of education marketing and provide actionable strategies designed to help institutions strengthen student engagement and drive enrollment.
We begin with a case study from Baldwin County Public Schools, demonstrating how targeted display and Meta advertising supported community outreach and enrollment goals. The conversation then expands to the broader student enrollment funnel, highlighting the importance of guiding prospective students from initial awareness to committed enrollment through personalized, multi-channel engagement.
Key tactics such as SEO, text messaging, and authentic storytelling are explored, along with best practices in budget allocation and campaign optimization. Finally, we outline the four foundational pillars of higher education marketing—branding, outreach, analytics, and innovation—to help institutions build more effective, sustainable marketing frameworks.
Episode Highlights:
- 00:00 | Introduction: The Challenges of Education Marketing
- 00:38 | Case Study: Baldwin County Public Schools
- 04:47 | Understanding the Enrollment Funnel
- 08:42 | The Power of Text Messaging for Retention
- 11:02 | The Four Pillars of Higher Ed Marketing
- 13:15 | SEO and Digital Strategies
- 16:26 | Budgeting and Future Trends in Education Marketing
- 17:28 | Conclusion: Key Takeaways for Education Marketers
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.
Jill (00:00):
It's a tough climate out there for education marketers,
(00:02):
isn't it?
Jack (00:03):
Oh, definitely.
Yeah.
The
Jill (00:03):
ground keeps shifting and, uh, attracting students feels
more competitive than ever.
Mm-hmm.
If you're trying to keep yourinstitution ahead, getting the
crucial insights quickly isWell, it's key.
Yeah.
That's exactly what we've setout to do today.
Jack (00:17):
Precisely.
We've, uh, distilled theessential marketing takeaways
from a bunch of recent articlesin a pretty compelling case
study.
Okay.
All with a laser focus on what'srelevant and.
You know, actionable for peoplepromoting educational
institutions like yours, right?
We wanna give you the vitalinformation without sort of over
storming you.
Jill (00:38):
Absolutely.
So we're looking at how BaldwinCounty Public Schools.
Connected with their communityusing digital tools.
That's the case study.
Jack (00:46):
Yep.
That's the one.
Yeah.
And then exploring overarchingstrategies for guiding students,
you know, from initial interestall the way to enrollment.
Jill (00:53):
Okay.
The funnel.
Jack (00:54):
Uh, exactly.
Jill (00:55):
Yeah.
Jack (00:55):
And examining the core pillars of marketing for higher
ed.
The maybe surprising impact oftext messaging on student
retention.
Jill (01:04):
Oh, interesting.
Jack (01:04):
And some important trends in reaching students through,
uh, SEO and authenticstorytelling.
Jill (01:10):
Right.
Think of this as yourstreamlined guide to what
matters most right.
Now.
Jack (01:16):
Let's maybe dive right into that concrete example then
the case study of Baldwin CountyPublic Schools in Alabama.
Jill (01:22):
Okay.
Jack (01:22):
This is a, um, a rapidly expanding district, really
focused on academic excellenceand, uh, community engagement.
Jill (01:29):
And their marketing had some very specific aims, right?
Jack (01:32):
Yeah.
To
Jill (01:33):
make sure the community knew about the great things
happening, showcase theirprograms, facilities, and, uh,
really strengthen those bondswith local families.
Jack (01:41):
Exactly.
And to achieve this, theyimplemented a digital marketing
campaign.
Jill (01:45):
Okay.
What did that involve?
Jack (01:47):
Well, one component was targeted display advertising.
So ads aim directly at parentswithin the district.
Right.
These ads got over 680,000impressions.
Wow.
Resulted in 800 clicks.
But what's particularlyinteresting here is the view
through conversions.
View through, yeah.
So more than 1400 people who sawthe ad later visited the school
(02:09):
website, even if they didn'tclick the ad itself.
Jill (02:12):
Ah, okay.
So it's about that constantvisibility, right?
Yeah.
Keeping the brand top of mind.
Jack (02:16):
Exactly.
And they also used meta adsagain.
Focusing on parents in theirdistrict.
Jill (02:20):
And how did those perform?
Jack (02:22):
Even better, actually over 1.8 million impressions and, uh,
get this 38,729 total clicks.
Whoa, which translates to a2.12% response rate.
The case study notes that reallyexceeded their initial targets.
Jill (02:39):
That's huge for meta ads in this space.
Jack (02:41):
It is.
That level of engagement goesbeyond just clicks, you know
Jill (02:45):
how so?
Jack (02:46):
Well, these ads also generated thousands of
reactions, comments, shares,even new page likes.
Jill (02:52):
Okay, so real interaction.
Jack (02:53):
Yeah.
This is just a genuineconnection.
People weren't just scrollingpast, they were actually
engaging with the content.
Jill (02:57):
And did this translate to their website traffic as well?
Jack (03:00):
It did.
Baldwin County saw significantyear over year growth, almost a
9% increase in overall traffic.
Okay.
And nearly an 8% rise in newusers.
That's solid growth.
And what's more the completionof key actions on their website,
things they really wanted peopleto do saw a substantial jump of
almost 26%.
Jill (03:18):
Mm.
26%.
So people weren't just looking,they were like signing up or
finding information.
Jack (03:23):
Exactly.
They were actively engaging withimportant content, accessing
info, completing forms, and.
The average time on site, nearlytwo minutes that suggest
visitors found the contentvaluable.
Relevant.
Jill (03:37):
So what kind of content were they pushing in these ads?
Jack (03:39):
Good question.
The study highlighted thingslike, uh.
School safety, the presence ofresource officers.
Jill (03:46):
Always important for parents.
Jack (03:48):
Absolutely.
Also, deadlines for virtualschool applications.
The benefits of enrolling there.
Their one voice anonymousbullying reporting platform.
Jill (03:57):
Oh, that's good.
The
Jack (03:58):
sheer number of students they serve, showing their scale
and the advanced technologyavailable in their schools.
Jill (04:03):
Those are all really salient points, aren't they?
Safety options like virtualschool tackling, bullying
resources
Jack (04:09):
directly, addressing potential concerns and
highlighting strengths.
Builds trust.
Jill (04:14):
Yeah.
There's a quote mentioned fromDanielle Ludlow in their
communications department,right?
Jack (04:20):
Yes.
Basically saying how valuablethe partnership was in getting
their successes out there anddriving engagement for key
initiatives.
Jill (04:29):
So for anyone listening who works in school marketing,
this case study really shows howeffective a well-planned digital
strategy can be, doesn't it?
Jack (04:36):
Absolutely tangible proof that targeted online campaigns
can reach the right people,boost website traffic, and
crucially build real communityengagement.
Jill (04:45):
Okay, so that's one specific example.
Let's maybe broaden out now andtalk about that, um, that
overall student journey, theenrollment funnel concept,
Jack (04:53):
right?
This framework, it outlines thestages a potential student moves
through from just becoming awareof a school.
All the way to actuallyenrolling.
Jill (05:01):
And the article you looked at broke it down into stages.
Yeah.
Jack (05:04):
Six key phases.
Mm-hmm.
Awareness, interest,consideration, intent,
application, and enrollment.
Jill (05:10):
Makes sense.
And I guess marketers facedifferent challenges at each
stage.
Jack (05:13):
Exactly.
Like in that initial awarenessphase, the big question is just
how do you even reach potentialstudents?
It's such a crowded space.
Jill (05:21):
So what works there?
Jack (05:22):
Well, the article suggests a mix.
Digital stuff like social media,ads, blogs, good, SEO, uh, but
also traditional methods likecollege fairs, events, even
direct mail still has a place
Jill (05:33):
and personalization.
Jack (05:34):
Yeah, that comes up.
They note, uh, younger prospectsmight respond better to texts or
emails while adult learnersmaybe appreciate a phone call,
something more personal.
Jill (05:44):
Interesting.
And video seems big too, right?
And virtual tours,
Jack (05:48):
definitely.
Data shows 83% find videoshelpful.
79% like virtual tours.
Jill (05:53):
Yeah.
Jack (05:54):
And, uh, 63% clicked on digital ads.
So online advertising is stillcrucial for that initial
awareness.
Jill (06:00):
Okay, so you've got their attention, they move into the
interest stage.
Now what?
Jack (06:03):
Now the challenge is standing out.
How do you make your schoolmemorable compared to all the
others?
Jill (06:08):
This is where your uuv PS, your unique value propositions
come in, I suppose.
Jack (06:12):
Exactly.
You need to clearly state whatmakes you different better.
Plus, providing reallyinformative content.
Jill (06:18):
Like what?
Jack (06:19):
Think career-focused blogs, webinars with faculty,
tailored emails that show howyour institution helps them
reach their goals.
Jill (06:25):
Got it.
Then comes consideration.
They're weighing their options,
Jack (06:29):
right?
And here the goal is buildingtrust and credibility.
Jill (06:32):
How do you do that effectively?
Jack (06:33):
The article really emphasizes direct personalized
communication.
Jill (06:38):
Yeah.
Jack (06:38):
Admissions counselors reaching out via email, phone,
video calls,
Jill (06:43):
answering specific questions
Jack (06:44):
precisely, and connecting them with current faculty or
alumni through virtual q and as.
That offers invaluable firsthandperspective.
Builds authenticity.
Jill (06:55):
Sure.
And obviously having detailedprogram info easily available.
Jack (06:59):
Critical.
And they also made a good pointabout tailoring messages for
adult learners, addressing theirspecific concerns like work-life
balance or career advancement.
Jill (07:08):
Right.
They have different prioritiesthan, say, an 18-year-old.
Jack (07:11):
Completely different.
Okay.
So then they move into theintent stage.
They're close to deciding.
So
Jill (07:15):
you need to keep them engaged, give'em that final
nudge.
Jack (07:18):
Yep.
Consistent personalizedcommunication is still key here.
They might have very specificquestions about financial aid or
program details or theapplication itself
Jill (07:27):
and creating some urgency, deadlines, maybe incentives
Jack (07:31):
that can work, clear deadlines, maybe offering
application fee waivers toprompt action.
The article also flagged keyreasons adults might not enroll.
Jill (07:39):
Oh, like what?
Jack (07:41):
Things like cost work, conflicts, the length of the
program worries about the jobmarket.
Even remote learning concerns.
Jill (07:48):
That's useful intel for marketers.
Knowing those potential barriers
Jack (07:51):
absolutely helps you address them proactively in your
messaging.
Jill (07:55):
Okay, so they decide to apply.
The application stage, what'simportant here?
Jack (08:00):
Making it easy.
Streamline the online process asmuch as possible.
Jill (08:04):
Reduce friction.
Jack (08:05):
Exactly.
Yep.
Proactive check-ins, remindersabout documents.
Maybe a dedicated help desk withresources that can all reduce
applicant drop off.
Even just encouragement help.
Jill (08:15):
Right.
And finally enrollment.
They're in, but the job's notdone.
Jack (08:19):
Not at all.
Now it shifts to ensuring asmooth transition, and
importantly, fostering long-termretention,
Jill (08:26):
so guidance on registration courses, support
services.
Getting them settled.
Jack (08:31):
Yes.
A positive onboardingexperience.
And then crucially analyzingyour successes and getting
feedback
Jill (08:37):
from students families,
Jack (08:39):
right about the whole journey that lets you
continuously improve yourstrategies,
Jill (08:42):
which actually connects nicely to another area you
looked at using text messagingfor retention.
Jack (08:47):
Yeah, that was interesting.
Student retention is a hugechallenge, right?
Jill (08:50):
Mm-hmm.
Jack (08:51):
And this article positions text messaging as a really
direct and frankly, effectivetool.
That stat they quoted, 98% oftexts are read.
That's pretty powerful.
Jill (09:02):
It really is.
Compared to email open rights.
Jack (09:05):
Yeah.
Jill (09:05):
Yeah.
So you can use it for timelyreminders, deadlines, schedules,
exactly.
Jack (09:09):
Assignment deadlines, schedule changes, important
announcements.
Mm-hmm.
A quick personalized text is avery effective nudge.
Keeps students on track.
Jill (09:17):
But it's not just reminders, is it?
Jack (09:19):
No.
It's utility goes furtherengaging new students info about
orientation, campus resources,even proactive support.
Jill (09:27):
Like advisors reaching out.
Jack (09:29):
Yeah.
Maybe if a student seems to bestruggling, a text can be a less
intrusive first step than aphone call sometimes.
Jill (09:34):
That makes sense.
And building community too.
Event reminders.
Jack (09:38):
Definitely informing students about campus events,
clubs, activities.
I.
That enhances their wholeexperience, which helps
retention.
Jill (09:45):
But there are potential pitfalls, right?
Compliance issues,
Jack (09:48):
huge ones.
The article, stress compliancewith regulations like the TCPA,
the Telephone ConsumerProtection Act.
You absolutely need explicitopt-in consent.
Jill (09:57):
Can't just start texting everyone.
Jack (09:59):
No way.
And managing message fatigue iskey.
You have to balance frequencyand content, make sure it's
relevant.
Jill (10:05):
Otherwise people just opt out.
Jack (10:06):
Precisely.
Jill (10:07):
Yeah.
Jack (10:08):
And technically integrating texting platforms
with your existing studentinformation systems, your SIS,
that's crucial for automationand personalization.
Jill (10:17):
So you can send the right message to the right student at
the right time.
Jack (10:21):
That's the goal.
Jill (10:21):
And how do you know if it's working?
What metrics matter?
Good
Jack (10:24):
question.
I.
The article pointed to thingslike response rates, opt-out
rates, appointments scheduledvia text.
Jill (10:31):
Okay.
And
Jack (10:31):
ultimately the impact on actual student retention rates.
Jill (10:34):
Mm-hmm.
Jack (10:35):
Gathering feedback on the texts themselves is also
important.
Jill (10:38):
Did they have examples of schools seeing success?
Jack (10:40):
They did.
Hartford Community College sawstudents getting text reminders
about events were like 53.7%more likely to persist.
Wow.
In Arkansas Tech University.
Hit 94% retention for first yearstudents in a program who got
supportive texts.
Jill (10:57):
Those are significant numbers.
Really shows the potential.
Jack (11:00):
It really does.
Okay.
Maybe we can shift gearsslightly now and uh, talk about
those foundational elements, thefour pillars Yeah.
Of higher ed marketing.
Jill (11:10):
Right.
This came from a white paper,you said?
Yeah.
One of the four pillars.
Jack (11:13):
They are branding and reputation.
Outreach and engagement,assessment and analytics.
And finally, innovation andadaptation.
Jill (11:21):
Okay, let's break those down quickly.
Branding and reputation is howyou're seen
Jack (11:26):
pretty much your image, your values, what you're known
for in the eyes of students,families, the community.
Jill (11:32):
Got it.
Outreach and engagement.
That covers all the ways youconnect.
Jack (11:35):
Yeah, all the touch points from initial awareness, right
through that whole funnel wejust talked about.
Jill (11:39):
Makes sense.
Assessment and analytics.
That's the data part.
Jack (11:42):
Exactly.
Measuring what's working, what'snot.
Understanding ROI, identifyingareas to improve crucial
Jill (11:48):
and innovation and adaptation.
Staying current.
Jack (11:51):
Yep.
Keeping up with new tech,changing student expectations,
being flexible enough to adjustyour strategies when needed.
Jill (11:58):
So these four pillars provide a kind of framework for
evaluating your whole marketingeffort.
Jack (12:04):
That's the idea.
The white paper apparently evenhas a self-evaluation checklist.
Jill (12:08):
Oh, you, to help
Jack (12:09):
marketers see where they're strong and maybe where
there are gaps in their approachacross these pillars.
It gives that holistic view.
Jill (12:16):
Okay.
And that ties into howuniversities are actually
connecting with students today,which is always evolving.
Isn't that question
Jack (12:22):
Constantly.
The final article we looked atreally hammered this home, it
stressed the growing importanceof, well, authentic student
voices,
Jill (12:30):
right?
Jack (12:30):
Data-driven approaches through the whole funnel using
texting strategically, uh, SEO,and just solid data management
Jill (12:39):
and the authentic voice part.
User generated content UGC andstorytelling.
That seems huge now,
Jack (12:44):
incredibly powerful.
When prospects see real photos,read real testimonials, hear
real stories from currentstudents, it just builds trust
and relatability in a way.
Polished marketing often can't,
Jill (12:56):
feels more credible, doesn't it?
Jack (12:58):
Totally.
The article gave examples, likeusing student stuff from social
media, real testimonials on yoursite, maybe longer blog posts
about a student's journey
Jill (13:07):
behind the scenes glimpses.
Jack (13:08):
Yeah, that too.
Or even running UGC contests toencourage students to share
their experiences.
Okay.
Jill (13:15):
Now you mentioned SEO again, the article called it a
Potential Blind Spot forUniversities.
What does that mean?
Jack (13:21):
It means many might be, um, basically invisible online
to a lot of potential students.
Yeah.
Because their websites aren'toptimized for how people
actually search
Jill (13:31):
and people do search.
That's Statista number wasstriking.
89% of college bound studentssay university websites are
their most important resource.
Jack (13:39):
Exactly.
So if you're not showing up inrelevant Google searches, you're
missing a huge chunk of youraudience.
Jill (13:44):
What are the common mistakes universities make with
SEO?
Jack (13:47):
Well, one big one is focusing too much on branded
keywords terms with theuniversity's name,
Jill (13:52):
right?
Jack (13:53):
They often neglect the non-branded longer phrases, the
long tail keywords that studentsuse early on, like someone's
searching for, you know,affordable engineering programs
in Chicago.
Ah,
Jill (14:04):
okay.
Need to capture that exploratorysearch traffic
Jack (14:07):
precisely.
Also, technical issues arecommon.
Websites that aren't mobilefriendly.
Pages that load slowly.
Yeah, that kills your rankingsand frustrates users.
Google says you'll lose overhalf your mobile visitors if a
page takes more than threeseconds to load.
Ouch.
Yeah.
And outdated or poorly organizedcontent, bad internal linking.
That all hurts.
(14:28):
SEO too.
Jill (14:29):
So search is important at every stage of that funnel.
We talked about
Jack (14:32):
definitely from broad searches early on to comparing
specific programs.
To finding application detailslater,
Jill (14:39):
and it's not just other universities are competing
against in search, is it?
Jack (14:42):
Good point.
No alternative providers likeCoursera or Udemy often have
really strong SEO games.
They show up a lot,
Jill (14:50):
but some universities are doing it well.
Oh
Jack (14:51):
yeah.
The article mentioned ArizonaState using specific landing
pages for programs and CarnegieMellon having a strong
multi-channel content strategy,it can be done
Jill (15:00):
and local.
SEO is important too, right?
For attracting students nearby.
Jack (15:04):
Very much so.
Optimizing your Google businessprofile, using location
keywords, getting local reviewsthat helps you show up for
people searching in your area.
Remember, a third of mobilesearches are location related.
Jill (15:17):
Wow.
Okay.
So universities need to look forcontent gaps on their sites.
Jack (15:22):
Yes.
Are you really answering the keyquestions?
Students have?
Cost, career outcomes, campuslife.
Do you have good hubs for eachprogram?
And
Jill (15:33):
AI and Surge is changing things too.
Zero click results.
Jack (15:36):
It is more answers appearing right on the Google
Results page.
So the advice is publish reallyhigh quality, well structured
content use structured datamarkups, so Google understands
it.
Keep it fresh.
Boost your site's expertise,authorit and trustworthiness,
EAT, and maintain consistentbranding.
Jill (15:53):
It's a lot to keep track of.
What about paid search versusorganic SEO?
Jack (15:56):
The article compared them.
Paid search gets faster results,but organic SEO builds more
sustainable, long-termvisibility, and often more
trust.
Jill (16:05):
So a balanced approach is probably best.
Jack (16:07):
That's what they advocated, integrate both
strategically
Jill (16:09):
and they offered some concrete SEO actions Schools can
take.
Jack (16:13):
Yeah, things like.
Do proper keyword research forthose non-branded terms.
Build a content strategy aroundanswering student questions,
blogs, guides, FAQs, fix thetechnical website problems, and
use that student generatedcontent we talked about.
Jill (16:26):
Okay.
And briefly on the budget sideof things, marketing budgets in
higher ed.
Jack (16:31):
Well, with enrollment, fluctuating spending wisely is
more critical than ever.
Mm-hmm.
Digital marketing spend is high,often over 75% of the budget.
Jill (16:40):
So where should that money go?
Jack (16:41):
Key areas are still S-E-O-P-P-C ads, social media,
email, events, webinars, maybeinfluencer marketing, engaging
alumni, the
Jill (16:51):
usual suspects, but needing careful allocation,
right?
Jack (16:54):
Optimizing that spend means using data analytics
heavily personalizing content,looking at automation and AI for
efficiency and nurturing organiccontent and community outreach.
Jill (17:04):
It all sounds very interconnected.
Understanding the journey, usingthe right tools, managing the
budget,
Jack (17:08):
exactly.
And those future trends.
I mentioned ai, VRR for virtualtours, maybe more data
personalization.
Yeah, even ethical marketingshow where things are heading.
Jill (17:16):
Like the Georgia State chatbot example for ai or
Stanford's virtual tour.
Jack (17:22):
Yeah.
Examples like that.
Point the way forward.
Jill (17:24):
Mm-hmm.
Jack (17:24):
Staying aware of these trends is essential for staying
effective.
Jill (17:28):
So to kind of wrap things up, we've covered a lot of
ground from the student journeystages and how marketing fits in
Uhhuh to specific digital toolslike.
Targeter ads.
SEO text messaging, right?
Jack (17:42):
The practical tools, the
Jill (17:43):
huge value of authentic student stories and the need for
strategic data-driven budgetmanagement.
Jack (17:50):
Those are really the core pieces, aren't they?
Yeah.
Understanding the student usingthe right tool smartly, being
authentic and managing resourceswell.
That's the formula fornavigating education marketing
today.
Jill (18:00):
It really does seem to come back to genuinely
understanding why students.
Make the choices.
They do, what motivates them,what their concerns are.
Jack (18:07):
Absolutely.
As some of the sourceshighlighted, getting that why
Right.
Seems foundational to everythingelse.
Mm-hmm.
If you understand theirmotivations and behaviors,
Jill (18:15):
then you can build strategies that actually
connect.
It's definitely something forlisteners to think about.
How well do they understand thewhy for their own prospective
students?
Exploring that could be key tostrengthening those connections
and ultimately boostingenrollment and retention.
It's a tough climate out there for education marketers,
(00:02):
isn't it?
Jack (00:03):
Oh, definitely.
Yeah.
The
Jill (00:03):
ground keeps shifting and, uh, attracting students feels
more competitive than ever.
Mm-hmm.
If you're trying to keep yourinstitution ahead, getting the
crucial insights quickly isWell, it's key.
Yeah.
That's exactly what we've setout to do today.
Jack (00:17):
Precisely.
We've, uh, distilled theessential marketing takeaways
from a bunch of recent articlesin a pretty compelling case
study.
Okay.
All with a laser focus on what'srelevant and.
You know, actionable for peoplepromoting educational
institutions like yours, right?
We wanna give you the vitalinformation without sort of over
storming you.
Jill (00:38):
Absolutely.
So we're looking at how BaldwinCounty Public Schools.
Connected with their communityusing digital tools.
That's the case study.
Jack (00:46):
Yep.
That's the one.
Yeah.
And then exploring overarchingstrategies for guiding students,
you know, from initial interestall the way to enrollment.
Jill (00:53):
Okay.
The funnel.
Jack (00:54):
Uh, exactly.
Jill (00:55):
Yeah.
Jack (00:55):
And examining the core pillars of marketing for higher
ed.
The maybe surprising impact oftext messaging on student
retention.
Jill (01:04):
Oh, interesting.
Jack (01:04):
And some important trends in reaching students through,
uh, SEO and authenticstorytelling.
Jill (01:10):
Right.
Think of this as yourstreamlined guide to what
matters most right.
Now.
Jack (01:16):
Let's maybe dive right into that concrete example then
the case study of Baldwin CountyPublic Schools in Alabama.
Jill (01:22):
Okay.
Jack (01:22):
This is a, um, a rapidly expanding district, really
focused on academic excellenceand, uh, community engagement.
Jill (01:29):
And their marketing had some very specific aims, right?
Jack (01:32):
Yeah.
To
Jill (01:33):
make sure the community knew about the great things
happening, showcase theirprograms, facilities, and, uh,
really strengthen those bondswith local families.
Jack (01:41):
Exactly.
And to achieve this, theyimplemented a digital marketing
campaign.
Jill (01:45):
Okay.
What did that involve?
Jack (01:47):
Well, one component was targeted display advertising.
So ads aim directly at parentswithin the district.
Right.
These ads got over 680,000impressions.
Wow.
Resulted in 800 clicks.
But what's particularlyinteresting here is the view
through conversions.
View through, yeah.
So more than 1400 people who sawthe ad later visited the school
(02:09):
website, even if they didn'tclick the ad itself.
Jill (02:12):
Ah, okay.
So it's about that constantvisibility, right?
Yeah.
Keeping the brand top of mind.
Jack (02:16):
Exactly.
And they also used meta adsagain.
Focusing on parents in theirdistrict.
Jill (02:20):
And how did those perform?
Jack (02:22):
Even better, actually over 1.8 million impressions and, uh,
get this 38,729 total clicks.
Whoa, which translates to a2.12% response rate.
The case study notes that reallyexceeded their initial targets.
Jill (02:39):
That's huge for meta ads in this space.
Jack (02:41):
It is.
That level of engagement goesbeyond just clicks, you know
Jill (02:45):
how so?
Jack (02:46):
Well, these ads also generated thousands of
reactions, comments, shares,even new page likes.
Jill (02:52):
Okay, so real interaction.
Jack (02:53):
Yeah.
This is just a genuineconnection.
People weren't just scrollingpast, they were actually
engaging with the content.
Jill (02:57):
And did this translate to their website traffic as well?
Jack (03:00):
It did.
Baldwin County saw significantyear over year growth, almost a
9% increase in overall traffic.
Okay.
And nearly an 8% rise in newusers.
That's solid growth.
And what's more the completionof key actions on their website,
things they really wanted peopleto do saw a substantial jump of
almost 26%.
Jill (03:18):
Mm.
26%.
So people weren't just looking,they were like signing up or
finding information.
Jack (03:23):
Exactly.
They were actively engaging withimportant content, accessing
info, completing forms, and.
The average time on site, nearlytwo minutes that suggest
visitors found the contentvaluable.
Relevant.
Jill (03:37):
So what kind of content were they pushing in these ads?
Jack (03:39):
Good question.
The study highlighted thingslike, uh.
School safety, the presence ofresource officers.
Jill (03:46):
Always important for parents.
Jack (03:48):
Absolutely.
Also, deadlines for virtualschool applications.
The benefits of enrolling there.
Their one voice anonymousbullying reporting platform.
Jill (03:57):
Oh, that's good.
The
Jack (03:58):
sheer number of students they serve, showing their scale
and the advanced technologyavailable in their schools.
Jill (04:03):
Those are all really salient points, aren't they?
Safety options like virtualschool tackling, bullying
resources
Jack (04:09):
directly, addressing potential concerns and
highlighting strengths.
Builds trust.
Jill (04:14):
Yeah.
There's a quote mentioned fromDanielle Ludlow in their
communications department,right?
Jack (04:20):
Yes.
Basically saying how valuablethe partnership was in getting
their successes out there anddriving engagement for key
initiatives.
Jill (04:29):
So for anyone listening who works in school marketing,
this case study really shows howeffective a well-planned digital
strategy can be, doesn't it?
Jack (04:36):
Absolutely tangible proof that targeted online campaigns
can reach the right people,boost website traffic, and
crucially build real communityengagement.
Jill (04:45):
Okay, so that's one specific example.
Let's maybe broaden out now andtalk about that, um, that
overall student journey, theenrollment funnel concept,
Jack (04:53):
right?
This framework, it outlines thestages a potential student moves
through from just becoming awareof a school.
All the way to actuallyenrolling.
Jill (05:01):
And the article you looked at broke it down into stages.
Yeah.
Jack (05:04):
Six key phases.
Mm-hmm.
Awareness, interest,consideration, intent,
application, and enrollment.
Jill (05:10):
Makes sense.
And I guess marketers facedifferent challenges at each
stage.
Jack (05:13):
Exactly.
Like in that initial awarenessphase, the big question is just
how do you even reach potentialstudents?
It's such a crowded space.
Jill (05:21):
So what works there?
Jack (05:22):
Well, the article suggests a mix.
Digital stuff like social media,ads, blogs, good, SEO, uh, but
also traditional methods likecollege fairs, events, even
direct mail still has a place
Jill (05:33):
and personalization.
Jack (05:34):
Yeah, that comes up.
They note, uh, younger prospectsmight respond better to texts or
emails while adult learnersmaybe appreciate a phone call,
something more personal.
Jill (05:44):
Interesting.
And video seems big too, right?
And virtual tours,
Jack (05:48):
definitely.
Data shows 83% find videoshelpful.
79% like virtual tours.
Jill (05:53):
Yeah.
Jack (05:54):
And, uh, 63% clicked on digital ads.
So online advertising is stillcrucial for that initial
awareness.
Jill (06:00):
Okay, so you've got their attention, they move into the
interest stage.
Now what?
Jack (06:03):
Now the challenge is standing out.
How do you make your schoolmemorable compared to all the
others?
Jill (06:08):
This is where your uuv PS, your unique value propositions
come in, I suppose.
Jack (06:12):
Exactly.
You need to clearly state whatmakes you different better.
Plus, providing reallyinformative content.
Jill (06:18):
Like what?
Jack (06:19):
Think career-focused blogs, webinars with faculty,
tailored emails that show howyour institution helps them
reach their goals.
Jill (06:25):
Got it.
Then comes consideration.
They're weighing their options,
Jack (06:29):
right?
And here the goal is buildingtrust and credibility.
Jill (06:32):
How do you do that effectively?
Jack (06:33):
The article really emphasizes direct personalized
communication.
Jill (06:38):
Yeah.
Jack (06:38):
Admissions counselors reaching out via email, phone,
video calls,
Jill (06:43):
answering specific questions
Jack (06:44):
precisely, and connecting them with current faculty or
alumni through virtual q and as.
That offers invaluable firsthandperspective.
Builds authenticity.
Jill (06:55):
Sure.
And obviously having detailedprogram info easily available.
Jack (06:59):
Critical.
And they also made a good pointabout tailoring messages for
adult learners, addressing theirspecific concerns like work-life
balance or career advancement.
Jill (07:08):
Right.
They have different prioritiesthan, say, an 18-year-old.
Jack (07:11):
Completely different.
Okay.
So then they move into theintent stage.
They're close to deciding.
So
Jill (07:15):
you need to keep them engaged, give'em that final
nudge.
Jack (07:18):
Yep.
Consistent personalizedcommunication is still key here.
They might have very specificquestions about financial aid or
program details or theapplication itself
Jill (07:27):
and creating some urgency, deadlines, maybe incentives
Jack (07:31):
that can work, clear deadlines, maybe offering
application fee waivers toprompt action.
The article also flagged keyreasons adults might not enroll.
Jill (07:39):
Oh, like what?
Jack (07:41):
Things like cost work, conflicts, the length of the
program worries about the jobmarket.
Even remote learning concerns.
Jill (07:48):
That's useful intel for marketers.
Knowing those potential barriers
Jack (07:51):
absolutely helps you address them proactively in your
messaging.
Jill (07:55):
Okay, so they decide to apply.
The application stage, what'simportant here?
Jack (08:00):
Making it easy.
Streamline the online process asmuch as possible.
Jill (08:04):
Reduce friction.
Jack (08:05):
Exactly.
Yep.
Proactive check-ins, remindersabout documents.
Maybe a dedicated help desk withresources that can all reduce
applicant drop off.
Even just encouragement help.
Jill (08:15):
Right.
And finally enrollment.
They're in, but the job's notdone.
Jack (08:19):
Not at all.
Now it shifts to ensuring asmooth transition, and
importantly, fostering long-termretention,
Jill (08:26):
so guidance on registration courses, support
services.
Getting them settled.
Jack (08:31):
Yes.
A positive onboardingexperience.
And then crucially analyzingyour successes and getting
feedback
Jill (08:37):
from students families,
Jack (08:39):
right about the whole journey that lets you
continuously improve yourstrategies,
Jill (08:42):
which actually connects nicely to another area you
looked at using text messagingfor retention.
Jack (08:47):
Yeah, that was interesting.
Student retention is a hugechallenge, right?
Jill (08:50):
Mm-hmm.
Jack (08:51):
And this article positions text messaging as a really
direct and frankly, effectivetool.
That stat they quoted, 98% oftexts are read.
That's pretty powerful.
Jill (09:02):
It really is.
Compared to email open rights.
Jack (09:05):
Yeah.
Jill (09:05):
Yeah.
So you can use it for timelyreminders, deadlines, schedules,
exactly.
Jack (09:09):
Assignment deadlines, schedule changes, important
announcements.
Mm-hmm.
A quick personalized text is avery effective nudge.
Keeps students on track.
Jill (09:17):
But it's not just reminders, is it?
Jack (09:19):
No.
It's utility goes furtherengaging new students info about
orientation, campus resources,even proactive support.
Jill (09:27):
Like advisors reaching out.
Jack (09:29):
Yeah.
Maybe if a student seems to bestruggling, a text can be a less
intrusive first step than aphone call sometimes.
Jill (09:34):
That makes sense.
And building community too.
Event reminders.
Jack (09:38):
Definitely informing students about campus events,
clubs, activities.
I.
That enhances their wholeexperience, which helps
retention.
Jill (09:45):
But there are potential pitfalls, right?
Compliance issues,
Jack (09:48):
huge ones.
The article, stress compliancewith regulations like the TCPA,
the Telephone ConsumerProtection Act.
You absolutely need explicitopt-in consent.
Jill (09:57):
Can't just start texting everyone.
Jack (09:59):
No way.
And managing message fatigue iskey.
You have to balance frequencyand content, make sure it's
relevant.
Jill (10:05):
Otherwise people just opt out.
Jack (10:06):
Precisely.
Jill (10:07):
Yeah.
Jack (10:08):
And technically integrating texting platforms
with your existing studentinformation systems, your SIS,
that's crucial for automationand personalization.
Jill (10:17):
So you can send the right message to the right student at
the right time.
Jack (10:21):
That's the goal.
Jill (10:21):
And how do you know if it's working?
What metrics matter?
Good
Jack (10:24):
question.
I.
The article pointed to thingslike response rates, opt-out
rates, appointments scheduledvia text.
Jill (10:31):
Okay.
And
Jack (10:31):
ultimately the impact on actual student retention rates.
Jill (10:34):
Mm-hmm.
Jack (10:35):
Gathering feedback on the texts themselves is also
important.
Jill (10:38):
Did they have examples of schools seeing success?
Jack (10:40):
They did.
Hartford Community College sawstudents getting text reminders
about events were like 53.7%more likely to persist.
Wow.
In Arkansas Tech University.
Hit 94% retention for first yearstudents in a program who got
supportive texts.
Jill (10:57):
Those are significant numbers.
Really shows the potential.
Jack (11:00):
It really does.
Okay.
Maybe we can shift gearsslightly now and uh, talk about
those foundational elements, thefour pillars Yeah.
Of higher ed marketing.
Jill (11:10):
Right.
This came from a white paper,you said?
Yeah.
One of the four pillars.
Jack (11:13):
They are branding and reputation.
Outreach and engagement,assessment and analytics.
And finally, innovation andadaptation.
Jill (11:21):
Okay, let's break those down quickly.
Branding and reputation is howyou're seen
Jack (11:26):
pretty much your image, your values, what you're known
for in the eyes of students,families, the community.
Jill (11:32):
Got it.
Outreach and engagement.
That covers all the ways youconnect.
Jack (11:35):
Yeah, all the touch points from initial awareness, right
through that whole funnel wejust talked about.
Jill (11:39):
Makes sense.
Assessment and analytics.
That's the data part.
Jack (11:42):
Exactly.
Measuring what's working, what'snot.
Understanding ROI, identifyingareas to improve crucial
Jill (11:48):
and innovation and adaptation.
Staying current.
Jack (11:51):
Yep.
Keeping up with new tech,changing student expectations,
being flexible enough to adjustyour strategies when needed.
Jill (11:58):
So these four pillars provide a kind of framework for
evaluating your whole marketingeffort.
Jack (12:04):
That's the idea.
The white paper apparently evenhas a self-evaluation checklist.
Jill (12:08):
Oh, you, to help
Jack (12:09):
marketers see where they're strong and maybe where
there are gaps in their approachacross these pillars.
It gives that holistic view.
Jill (12:16):
Okay.
And that ties into howuniversities are actually
connecting with students today,which is always evolving.
Isn't that question
Jack (12:22):
Constantly.
The final article we looked atreally hammered this home, it
stressed the growing importanceof, well, authentic student
voices,
Jill (12:30):
right?
Jack (12:30):
Data-driven approaches through the whole funnel using
texting strategically, uh, SEO,and just solid data management
Jill (12:39):
and the authentic voice part.
User generated content UGC andstorytelling.
That seems huge now,
Jack (12:44):
incredibly powerful.
When prospects see real photos,read real testimonials, hear
real stories from currentstudents, it just builds trust
and relatability in a way.
Polished marketing often can't,
Jill (12:56):
feels more credible, doesn't it?
Jack (12:58):
Totally.
The article gave examples, likeusing student stuff from social
media, real testimonials on yoursite, maybe longer blog posts
about a student's journey
Jill (13:07):
behind the scenes glimpses.
Jack (13:08):
Yeah, that too.
Or even running UGC contests toencourage students to share
their experiences.
Okay.
Jill (13:15):
Now you mentioned SEO again, the article called it a
Potential Blind Spot forUniversities.
What does that mean?
Jack (13:21):
It means many might be, um, basically invisible online
to a lot of potential students.
Yeah.
Because their websites aren'toptimized for how people
actually search
Jill (13:31):
and people do search.
That's Statista number wasstriking.
89% of college bound studentssay university websites are
their most important resource.
Jack (13:39):
Exactly.
So if you're not showing up inrelevant Google searches, you're
missing a huge chunk of youraudience.
Jill (13:44):
What are the common mistakes universities make with
SEO?
Jack (13:47):
Well, one big one is focusing too much on branded
keywords terms with theuniversity's name,
Jill (13:52):
right?
Jack (13:53):
They often neglect the non-branded longer phrases, the
long tail keywords that studentsuse early on, like someone's
searching for, you know,affordable engineering programs
in Chicago.
Ah,
Jill (14:04):
okay.
Need to capture that exploratorysearch traffic
Jack (14:07):
precisely.
Also, technical issues arecommon.
Websites that aren't mobilefriendly.
Pages that load slowly.
Yeah, that kills your rankingsand frustrates users.
Google says you'll lose overhalf your mobile visitors if a
page takes more than threeseconds to load.
Ouch.
Yeah.
And outdated or poorly organizedcontent, bad internal linking.
That all hurts.
(14:28):
SEO too.
Jill (14:29):
So search is important at every stage of that funnel.
We talked about
Jack (14:32):
definitely from broad searches early on to comparing
specific programs.
To finding application detailslater,
Jill (14:39):
and it's not just other universities are competing
against in search, is it?
Jack (14:42):
Good point.
No alternative providers likeCoursera or Udemy often have
really strong SEO games.
They show up a lot,
Jill (14:50):
but some universities are doing it well.
Oh
Jack (14:51):
yeah.
The article mentioned ArizonaState using specific landing
pages for programs and CarnegieMellon having a strong
multi-channel content strategy,it can be done
Jill (15:00):
and local.
SEO is important too, right?
For attracting students nearby.
Jack (15:04):
Very much so.
Optimizing your Google businessprofile, using location
keywords, getting local reviewsthat helps you show up for
people searching in your area.
Remember, a third of mobilesearches are location related.
Jill (15:17):
Wow.
Okay.
So universities need to look forcontent gaps on their sites.
Jack (15:22):
Yes.
Are you really answering the keyquestions?
Students have?
Cost, career outcomes, campuslife.
Do you have good hubs for eachprogram?
And
Jill (15:33):
AI and Surge is changing things too.
Zero click results.
Jack (15:36):
It is more answers appearing right on the Google
Results page.
So the advice is publish reallyhigh quality, well structured
content use structured datamarkups, so Google understands
it.
Keep it fresh.
Boost your site's expertise,authorit and trustworthiness,
EAT, and maintain consistentbranding.
Jill (15:53):
It's a lot to keep track of.
What about paid search versusorganic SEO?
Jack (15:56):
The article compared them.
Paid search gets faster results,but organic SEO builds more
sustainable, long-termvisibility, and often more
trust.
Jill (16:05):
So a balanced approach is probably best.
Jack (16:07):
That's what they advocated, integrate both
strategically
Jill (16:09):
and they offered some concrete SEO actions Schools can
take.
Jack (16:13):
Yeah, things like.
Do proper keyword research forthose non-branded terms.
Build a content strategy aroundanswering student questions,
blogs, guides, FAQs, fix thetechnical website problems, and
use that student generatedcontent we talked about.
Jill (16:26):
Okay.
And briefly on the budget sideof things, marketing budgets in
higher ed.
Jack (16:31):
Well, with enrollment, fluctuating spending wisely is
more critical than ever.
Mm-hmm.
Digital marketing spend is high,often over 75% of the budget.
Jill (16:40):
So where should that money go?
Jack (16:41):
Key areas are still S-E-O-P-P-C ads, social media,
email, events, webinars, maybeinfluencer marketing, engaging
alumni, the
Jill (16:51):
usual suspects, but needing careful allocation,
right?
Jack (16:54):
Optimizing that spend means using data analytics
heavily personalizing content,looking at automation and AI for
efficiency and nurturing organiccontent and community outreach.
Jill (17:04):
It all sounds very interconnected.
Understanding the journey, usingthe right tools, managing the
budget,
Jack (17:08):
exactly.
And those future trends.
I mentioned ai, VRR for virtualtours, maybe more data
personalization.
Yeah, even ethical marketingshow where things are heading.
Jill (17:16):
Like the Georgia State chatbot example for ai or
Stanford's virtual tour.
Jack (17:22):
Yeah.
Examples like that.
Point the way forward.
Jill (17:24):
Mm-hmm.
Jack (17:24):
Staying aware of these trends is essential for staying
effective.
Jill (17:28):
So to kind of wrap things up, we've covered a lot of
ground from the student journeystages and how marketing fits in
Uhhuh to specific digital toolslike.
Targeter ads.
SEO text messaging, right?
Jack (17:42):
The practical tools, the
Jill (17:43):
huge value of authentic student stories and the need for
strategic data-driven budgetmanagement.
Jack (17:50):
Those are really the core pieces, aren't they?
Yeah.
Understanding the student usingthe right tool smartly, being
authentic and managing resourceswell.
That's the formula fornavigating education marketing
today.
Jill (18:00):
It really does seem to come back to genuinely
understanding why students.
Make the choices.
They do, what motivates them,what their concerns are.
Jack (18:07):
Absolutely.
As some of the sourceshighlighted, getting that why
Right.
Seems foundational to everythingelse.
Mm-hmm.
If you understand theirmotivations and behaviors,
Jill (18:15):
then you can build strategies that actually
connect.
It's definitely something forlisteners to think about.
How well do they understand thewhy for their own prospective
students?
Exploring that could be key tostrengthening those connections
and ultimately boostingenrollment and retention.
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