May 24, 2025 • 17 mins
🌟 Episode Overview
In this episode, we explore the fast-changing world of higher education marketing, diving deep into the latest trends, strategies, and tactics to connect with Gen Z and beyond. Leveraging insights from a wide range of recent sources, we uncover how demographic shifts, technological advancements, and economic uncertainties are reshaping the marketing playbook for universities and colleges.
We’ll cover the power of digital and social media channels, how to craft personalized campaigns, the growing influence of authentic storytelling, and how to harness SEO to reach your audience. Learn how to seamlessly integrate on-campus and digital strategies, develop targeted outreach for international students, and use data analytics to optimize your results. This episode is packed with actionable takeaways on how to stay genuine and impactful while scaling your marketing efforts to resonate with today’s diverse student populations.
📚 Key Highlights and Timestamps
- 00:00 | Welcome & Introduction
Setting the stage for the evolving world of higher education marketing. - 01:01 | The Big Picture Shift
A look at demographic, technological, and economic forces driving change. - 01:37 | Understanding Generation Z
Exploring the behaviors, preferences, and expectations of Gen Z students. - 03:23 | Digital Tactics that Work
Proven strategies for leveraging digital tools and platforms. - 03:46 | Social Media & Influencer Power
Why influencer marketing and authentic social engagement are critical. - 05:16 | Mastering SEO for Higher Ed
Techniques for improving search visibility and organic reach. - 07:29 | Crafting Compelling Calls to Action
Designing CTAs that convert and resonate with students. - 09:34 | Blending On-Campus & Digital
Strategies for integrating offline and online marketing efforts seamlessly. - 11:19 | Reaching Specific Student Segments
How to tailor messages for different audiences, including non-traditional students. - 11:42 | International Student Strategies
Tactics for attracting and supporting international student enrollment. - 15:06 | Leveraging Data for Smarter Marketing
How analytics and measurement can drive more effective campaigns. - 15:49 | Final Takeaways
Key lessons on balancing authenticity with scalable, impactful marketing.
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):
Alright, welcome back.
We're exploring a reallyfascinating topic today.
Something that's, uh, definitelykeeping higher education
marketers like you.
Busy.
You shared a whole collection ofrecent sources, articles,
research reports, all zeroing inon the fast-paced world of
higher education marketing.
So let's, yeah, the walk throughthat material together.
Our aim here is pretty simple.
(00:21):
Cut through all the noise, pullout those key insights and, um.
Maybe highlight some surprisingfacts that can genuinely help
you navigate this space and stayeffective.
Jill (00:30):
Yeah.
The sources you've gatheredreally do paint a well, a very
comprehensive picture.
It shows just how dynamic thisfield is.
Right now we're looking at, youknow, everything foundational
shifts in hired marketing,really digging into today's
students, particularly Gen Z,and then diving into the
practical stuff like digitaltactics, optimizing search
making CTAs that actually workusing social media.
(00:51):
Effectively, and there's a bigfocus on specific audiences too,
especially, um, a detailed lookat international students.
It's a lot, but there's someclear direction here.
Jack (01:00):
Okay.
Let's jump right into that bigpicture shift then.
The sources seem to agreethere's a major transformation
underway in higher ed marketing.
What's driving it?
Jill (01:10):
Well, what's striking is it's not just one single thing,
the RNL source.
Points to like a convergence offactors.
Yeah, you've got thesesignificant demographic shifts.
The pool of potential studentsis just different now.
Then layer on the incrediblyrapid tech advancements,
changing how everyonecommunicates, and on top of that
ongoing economic uncertainty, itcreates this environment where
(01:31):
institutions, well, they justhave to be more agile, more
precise in their marketing
Jack (01:35):
and understanding those demographic shifts.
Getting a handle on Generation Zseems like a huge piece of the
puzzle.
They're the main audience now,right?
Oh,
Jill (01:43):
absolutely.
The sources really hammer thishome, understanding Gen Z, those
born roughly between 97 and2012.
The HEM source calls them thefirst true digital natives.
And the stats, they really backthat up.
Think about it, almost 95% ofteens have smartphone access.
Over half say they're onlinealmost constantly.
For them, digital isn't anextra, it's just how things are.
(02:05):
It's the baseline expectation.
Jack (02:07):
So it's not just that they're online, but how
institutions should be onlinetoo.
The sources mention theirvalues, how they view marketing.
Jill (02:12):
Exactly.
That's crucial.
The hem source goes into detail.
Gen Z, values, transparency,social impact, and
personalization.
Really highly, way more thanprevious generations maybe, and
they have this like incrediblysensitive radar for anything
inauthentic.
If your message feels toopolished, too staged, or just
not genuine, they tune out.
Fast building trust iseverything, which leads to a
(02:35):
really, really key point fromthe sources traditional
advertising, that old broadcastmodel, it's just way less
effective with this group.
One study in the hemp sourcefound that 44%, nearly half make
decisions based on influencerrecommendations, not traditional
ads.
Jack (02:49):
Wow.
44% relying on influencers overactual ads.
Yeah.
That really changes the game,doesn't it?
Jill (02:55):
It's a massive shift in who holds influence.
And if you connect that back toyour strategy as a marketer, it
means the pivot isn't just aboutusing digital channels.
It's about fundamentallychanging how you communicate.
You build trust by beingrelevant, being responsive, and
being well real.
The sources all point towardsgenuine connection, often
peer-to-peer being more valuablethan slick production.
(03:16):
Now.
Jack (03:17):
Okay, so we understand the student profile better.
Digital native values,authenticity influenced by
peers.
Let's talk tactics.
Yeah.
How are institutions actuallyreaching them effectively?
It sounds like just one channelwon't cut it.
Jill (03:29):
Definitely not the hem source and others too, really
emphasize that you need amulti-channel strategy.
It's about blending your strongonline presence with, um, smart
on campus touchpoints, making itfeel cohesive.
So looking at the digital sitespecifically, a few things
really stand out as likenon-negotiable.
First social media.
No surprise there.
(03:49):
It's described as the absoluteheartbeat of student
communication and within social,short form video, TikTok,
Instagram reels, YouTube shorts,that's the dominant format.
It's that quick snackablecontent.
Gen Z prefers RNL, and he bothstress this and think about
this.
Two thirds of teenagers useTikTok.
If you're not there in somecapacity, you're missing a huge
chunk of your audience.
(04:10):
It's pretty foundational.
Now,
Jack (04:11):
any examples of this working well?
Jill (04:13):
The sources give some great ones.
Oxford University used TikTokreally effectively for their
online open days using studentambassadors to give that
authentic feel.
And Lancaster University hadthis social media campaign for a
graduate program.
It didn't just meet its leg gengoals.
It smashed them.
It exceeded them by 207%.
That's according to HM.
And advanced education, thatkind of ROI, hard to argue with.
(04:37):
Whoa,
Jack (04:37):
over 200%.
That really drives home thepotential, doesn't it?
If you do it right,
Jill (04:42):
it absolutely does, and it connects perfectly to the next
really crucial tactic.
Mention authentic influencercontent.
Because students trust theirpeers more than they trust
institutions directly.
Using current studentambassadors or maybe relevant
micro influencers isn't just anice to have it's core.
It builds credibility.
Harne and hem both stronglyrecommend this.
There's an example from JohnCabot University where their
(05:04):
student ambassador program isdeeply woven into their
recruitment efforts.
It's about giving prospects thatrelatable voice.
Jack (05:10):
Okay.
Let's shift slightly.
What about when students areactively looking for information
searching online?
That brings us to SEO.
Search engine optimization.
How big a piece is that?
Jill (05:21):
Oh, it's absolutely critical.
The EAB source has this reallypowerful statistic.
81% of students at a collegewebsite help them decide if a
school was the right fit.
81%.
So your website isn't justinformational, it's a primary
decision making tool.
But if they can't find your siteor the right info on it, when
they search, you're not even onthe running for that decision.
(05:42):
The EAB source does a reallygood job breaking down search
strategy.
It talks about the differencebetween branded keyword searches
with your institution's namelike Bear University admissions,
Jack (05:51):
people who already know you.
Jill (05:52):
Exactly.
And non-branded keywords.
These are the broader searcheslike best engineering colleges
in Georgia.
Hmm.
And understanding why bothmatter is key.
Branded terms they capture highintent users, people already
looking for you.
Optimizing for these also helpsyou control what shows up in
those.
Um, AI search summaries.
Make sure the info's right.
(06:13):
Non-branded terms though, that'show you reach new audiences.
People earlier in their journey.
Just exploring options.
And the potential search volumethere is huge.
Jack (06:22):
So branded for the warm leads, non-branded for discovery
makes sense.
Jill (06:26):
Precisely.
An EAB showed the impact withdata.
Sure.
Branded terms drive most of thedirect traffic consistently, but
in their study, non-brandedterms still brought in 7% of
traffic for a smaller school anda really significant 26% for a
larger one,
Jack (06:41):
26%.
That's a quarter of theirtraffic just from those broader
searches.
That's massive visibility.
Jill (06:46):
It is.
It shows the scale ofopportunity for discovery.
The takeaway is you need abalanced approach optimized for
both.
Jack (06:52):
That really connects to something from another source.
Yeah, that provocative title.
If a website launches and no onevisits it, did it even matter?
Jill (07:01):
Ah, yeah, that's the next grad source and it nails the
point, doesn't it?
Having a great website,fantastic ux, easy to navigate,
that's essential.
It's your digital front door,but.
Like that source says it's onlyhalf the battle.
You absolutely need a smartdata-driven media strategy,
including SEO to drive the righttraffic to that amazing site.
(07:21):
Otherwise, it's just sittingthere.
Jack (07:23):
Okay, so you get them there via search or social, how
do you guide them to the nextstep?
Mm-hmm.
Requesting info.
Applying.
That's where calls to actionCTAs come in, right?
Jill (07:32):
Yes.
And the Carnegie Source has areally interesting take here.
They suggest maybe thinking ofCTAs less as a call to action
and more like a.
Call to adventure.
Jack (07:41):
The call to adventure.
I like that.
Less functional, more engaging.
Jill (07:44):
Exactly.
It reframes It makes it feellike the next exciting step in
their journey with yourinstitution and the data they
share on what makes CTAseffective.
It's really eye-opening.
Get this personalized CTAsperform 202% better than generic
ones.
Yeah.
Just using a button instead of atext link that boost clicks by
45%.
(08:05):
Placement matters hugely too,above the fold, gets 73%
visibility below only 44%, andmaybe the most surprising one.
Center aligned CTAs in sometests got over 680% more clicks
than left aligned ones.
Jack (08:19):
680%.
That's, yeah, that's not a smalltweak.
That's a massive difference inperformance.
Jill (08:24):
It really is.
These aren't minor optimizationsand the source gives really
practical tips based on this.
Vary your language.
Start your journey is morecompelling than just learn more
segment CTAs.
Show different ones to prospectsversus inquiries.
Make it relevant, keep formsshort, especially at first
contact.
Place them strategically abovethe fold centered, maybe use
(08:44):
sticky navigation on landingpages, so the CTA is always
visible.
Always use buttons.
And importantly, don't be shy.
Use them across all yourmarketing, not just the website.
Social posts, emails, adseverywhere.
Jack (08:56):
So make it clear, make it compelling.
Make it easy to find and repeatthe invitation often.
Jill (09:01):
That's the essence of it.
Offer those calls to adventureregularly and make them make
sense in context.
Oh, and while we're talkingdigital channels, the ham source
also reminds us not to forgetthe basics, like email and text.
Emails still crucial for formalcomms.
Nurturing leads and text alertsif you get permission and use
them sparingly for reallytimely, valuable stuff.
(09:21):
Super effective, high openrates.
They mention UT Austin's HealthyHorns, STXT program, wellness
Tips via text shows.
It's not just for admissionsdeadlines.
Jack (09:32):
Okay.
That's a lot on the digitalfront.
But what about the physicalcampus?
Does on-campus advertising stillhave a role to play, or is it
all digital now?
Jill (09:40):
According to the ham source, definitely still
relevant, especially forpromoting campus events,
building that sense ofcommunity, reinforcing your
brand physically for visitorsand current students, the trick
is to make it feel modern andcrucially integrated with your
digital efforts.
Jack (09:54):
How does that look in practice?
Jill (09:55):
Well, examples include using digital billboards on
campus, not just static ones.
Putting QR codes prominently onprinted posters so people can
immediately scan and get info orsign up.
Tabling events still work,especially with good visuals and
maybe some giveaways.
Students always appreciate freestuff using campus media.
The student paper radio, pokingflyers in high traffic spots
(10:17):
like dorms and academicbuildings.
San Diego State gets a mentionfor doing this well,
Jack (10:22):
so it's about being visible.
Physically, but always linkingback to the digital action.
Jill (10:27):
Exactly.
And the source even floats.
Ideas like gorilla campaigns.
Think like temporary chalk artpromoting an event, or maybe
even a flash mob.
Things that create buzz.
Jack (10:37):
Huh?
A flash mob for admissions.
I'd get attention.
Jill (10:40):
It would, yeah.
And more importantly, it getsstudents talking and posting
about it online, so it amplifiesitself.
The main point is.
On campus, stuff isn't separate.
It boosts your digitalcampaigns.
Reinforces the message, providestangible touch points, drives
traffic online.
And for promoting specificevents on campus, they suggest a
multi-channel push.
Start with a strong hook.
(11:00):
What's the value for thestudent?
Tap into peer networks.
Use hashtags.
Ask professors to announce it.
Use the official school app andmake signups dead Simple.
QR codes everywhere.
Easy online.
RSVP buttons.
Reduce friction.
Jack (11:14):
Okay, that makes sense.
Shifting gears again, but stillthinking about reaching the
right people.
The sources really stress movingbeyond just broad marketing, the
need to target specificaudiences.
Jill (11:24):
Yes, this is absolutely critical.
The student population is morediverse than ever.
The RNL source points out thatyou really need tailored
strategies for different groups,Hispanic students, African
American students, firstgeneration students.
They even highlight simplethings like not having materials
available in Spanish as a majormissed opportunity to connect
effectively.
Jack (11:42):
And another huge segment needing a very specific approach
is international students,right?
The Manara source.
Seem to dive deep into that,
Jill (11:49):
extremely deep and for good reason.
Generic marketing just fallsflat when you're competing for
what?
1.1 million internationalstudents considering the us.
That's the figure for ManaFarrah.
You have to be specific.
One of the most valuable thingsin that source is the breakdown
of the international studentjourney.
It's long and complex.
Starts with exploration like.
12 to 24 months out, thenconsideration eight 14 months
(12:13):
evaluation, five and nine monthsapplication, three through eight
months, and finally the decisionphase one to four months before
they actually enroll.
Understanding that timeline isabsolutely non-negotiable.
You need to hit them with theright info at the right stage.
Jack (12:25):
That is a much longer runway than many domestic
students are, and the phases arequite distinct.
Jill (12:30):
They are, and it demands very specific tactic.
Man, FARA lays out a whole suiteof them.
Things like audience segmenteddigital campaigns that go way
beyond just country thinksegmenting by region within a
country program, interest STEMversus business, for example,
maybe even financial capacity.
Tailoring your ads and messagefor, say Indian students looking
(12:51):
at engineering is far morepowerful than a generic
international student ad.
Jack (12:55):
So hyper-personalization.
Yeah.
But on a global scale
Jill (12:57):
kind of.
Yeah.
Then there's international SEO.
That means technical stuff likeRay flying tags for different
language versions of your site,optimizing for local search
engines, buy you in China, Navrin South Korea, and crucially
creating localized content thatanswers market specific
questions and matches theirstage in the journey.
Not just translating your USsite, that often misses the mark
(13:19):
culturally, just like domesticstudents.
Trust is huge for internationalprospects, so influencer and
alumni ambassador programs areincredibly powerful using
current international studentsor alumni from specific target
regions that providesauthenticity, that families
really trust way more thanmarketing copy.
A global ambassador program ismentioned as a concrete example,
Jack (13:39):
that peer validation again.
Jill (13:40):
Exactly and because of distance, virtual experiences
are obviously key, but they needto be optimized, scheduled for
different time zones, providerecordings, tailor the content.
Don't just do a generic virtualtour.
Offer program sessions withfaculty, regional student panels
also.
Culturally, adaptivecommunication channel
preferences vary wildly.
Email might be standard here,but maybe WeChat is dominant in
(14:03):
China, WhatsApp and India orLatin America.
You need to know and use theright channels and often you
need a plan for communicatingwith parents too.
Jack (14:11):
Can't just rely on email then
Jill (14:12):
definitely not.
Then there's personalizeddigital advertising with
progressive messaging.
This means.
Phased campaigns awareness, thenconsideration, then conversion.
Use targeting and retargeting toshow increasingly specific
messages as they move along thatlong journey.
Static ads just won't cut it.
And finally a big one.
Data-driven financial aid andscholarship.
(14:34):
Marketing scholarships are thetop thing.
International prospects look for34% according to Mana Farra, but
schools often market thempoorly.
You need clear, dedicatedscholarship pages, easy to find
eligibility info, maybe countryspecific cost calculators,
stories of internationalrecipients, and promote this
info early in the funnel, notjust at the end.
(14:55):
Be specific, avoid vague phraseslike scholarships available.
Jack (14:58):
That level of detail for just one segment.
International students reallyhighlights how crucial precision
and data are becoming across theboard.
Jill (15:05):
It really does.
And underpinning all of that,especially international, where
the investment is higher, is theabsolute necessity of data and
measurement.
Mana for.
Really stress is going beyondjust vanity metrics.
You need to track cost perinquiry, cost per applicant.
Cost per enrolled student.
Mm-hmm.
Broken down by country and bychannel.
That means solid CRMintegration, using UTM tracking
(15:28):
consistently, maybe multi-touchattribution to see what's really
working.
They even suggest a process.
Prioritize just.
Two, three key markets to focuson deeply rather than trying a
scattered approach everywhere.
Jack (15:40):
It's so clear from everything we've covered across
all these sources.
Data isn't just for reportingafter the fact anymore.
It has to be foundational to thewhole strategy to optimization.
Bring it back to the big picturethen, for everyone in higher ed
marketing, the core messageseems to be constant adaptation.
Mm-hmm.
Jill (15:56):
Absolutely.
The RNL source sums it upnicely.
The key areas institutions haveto adapt in are deepening
personalization.
Mastering digital marketing,truly leveraging data analytics,
refining their brand story,integrating new tech, AI,
chatbots, maybe VR down theline, and crucially fostering
that deep, authentic engagement,especially with Gen Z.
(16:19):
And yeah, the sources hint atemerging trends too.
More AI for personalization.
Definitely the continueddominance of short form video
may be more immersive VR campustours in the future.
And even marketing aroundmicrocredentials as education
itself evolves,
Jack (16:33):
it really paints a picture of a field that's not just
changing, it's constantlyinnovating.
It demands marketers beincredibly strategic, adaptable,
and, uh, responsive.
Jill (16:42):
That's a perfect summary.
Jack (16:43):
So thinking about all this material you shared, I mean from
the big shifts in demographicsin tech to really understanding
digital natives like Gen Z,nailing down channels like
social video, SEO, CTAs,integrating the physical and
digital, getting hyper-specificfor key groups like
international students.
And underpinning it all withdata.
Jill (17:00):
Wow.
There's definitely a lot foryou, the listener to chew on.
There really is, and perhaps thecore challenge that emerges from
all these sources.
You know, now that technologyoffers this incredible power for
personalization and globalreach.
The real test for marketers likeyou isn't just adopting the
newest tool.
It's making sure that.
As you scale everything up, yourmessage stays genuinely
(17:21):
authentic, that it clearlyreflects your institution's
values, that it truly connectsas the unique adventure you
offer to each prospectivestudent.
So maybe the question to takeback to your daily work is this,
how do you strike that criticalbalance between leveraging the
efficiency and scale oftechnology while still
maintaining that deeply humanauthentic connection that today
students not only prefer, butactually demand?
Alright, welcome back.
We're exploring a reallyfascinating topic today.
Something that's, uh, definitelykeeping higher education
marketers like you.
Busy.
You shared a whole collection ofrecent sources, articles,
research reports, all zeroing inon the fast-paced world of
higher education marketing.
So let's, yeah, the walk throughthat material together.
Our aim here is pretty simple.
(00:21):
Cut through all the noise, pullout those key insights and, um.
Maybe highlight some surprisingfacts that can genuinely help
you navigate this space and stayeffective.
Jill (00:30):
Yeah.
The sources you've gatheredreally do paint a well, a very
comprehensive picture.
It shows just how dynamic thisfield is.
Right now we're looking at, youknow, everything foundational
shifts in hired marketing,really digging into today's
students, particularly Gen Z,and then diving into the
practical stuff like digitaltactics, optimizing search
making CTAs that actually workusing social media.
(00:51):
Effectively, and there's a bigfocus on specific audiences too,
especially, um, a detailed lookat international students.
It's a lot, but there's someclear direction here.
Jack (01:00):
Okay.
Let's jump right into that bigpicture shift then.
The sources seem to agreethere's a major transformation
underway in higher ed marketing.
What's driving it?
Jill (01:10):
Well, what's striking is it's not just one single thing,
the RNL source.
Points to like a convergence offactors.
Yeah, you've got thesesignificant demographic shifts.
The pool of potential studentsis just different now.
Then layer on the incrediblyrapid tech advancements,
changing how everyonecommunicates, and on top of that
ongoing economic uncertainty, itcreates this environment where
(01:31):
institutions, well, they justhave to be more agile, more
precise in their marketing
Jack (01:35):
and understanding those demographic shifts.
Getting a handle on Generation Zseems like a huge piece of the
puzzle.
They're the main audience now,right?
Oh,
Jill (01:43):
absolutely.
The sources really hammer thishome, understanding Gen Z, those
born roughly between 97 and2012.
The HEM source calls them thefirst true digital natives.
And the stats, they really backthat up.
Think about it, almost 95% ofteens have smartphone access.
Over half say they're onlinealmost constantly.
For them, digital isn't anextra, it's just how things are.
(02:05):
It's the baseline expectation.
Jack (02:07):
So it's not just that they're online, but how
institutions should be onlinetoo.
The sources mention theirvalues, how they view marketing.
Jill (02:12):
Exactly.
That's crucial.
The hem source goes into detail.
Gen Z, values, transparency,social impact, and
personalization.
Really highly, way more thanprevious generations maybe, and
they have this like incrediblysensitive radar for anything
inauthentic.
If your message feels toopolished, too staged, or just
not genuine, they tune out.
Fast building trust iseverything, which leads to a
(02:35):
really, really key point fromthe sources traditional
advertising, that old broadcastmodel, it's just way less
effective with this group.
One study in the hemp sourcefound that 44%, nearly half make
decisions based on influencerrecommendations, not traditional
ads.
Jack (02:49):
Wow.
44% relying on influencers overactual ads.
Yeah.
That really changes the game,doesn't it?
Jill (02:55):
It's a massive shift in who holds influence.
And if you connect that back toyour strategy as a marketer, it
means the pivot isn't just aboutusing digital channels.
It's about fundamentallychanging how you communicate.
You build trust by beingrelevant, being responsive, and
being well real.
The sources all point towardsgenuine connection, often
peer-to-peer being more valuablethan slick production.
(03:16):
Now.
Jack (03:17):
Okay, so we understand the student profile better.
Digital native values,authenticity influenced by
peers.
Let's talk tactics.
Yeah.
How are institutions actuallyreaching them effectively?
It sounds like just one channelwon't cut it.
Jill (03:29):
Definitely not the hem source and others too, really
emphasize that you need amulti-channel strategy.
It's about blending your strongonline presence with, um, smart
on campus touchpoints, making itfeel cohesive.
So looking at the digital sitespecifically, a few things
really stand out as likenon-negotiable.
First social media.
No surprise there.
(03:49):
It's described as the absoluteheartbeat of student
communication and within social,short form video, TikTok,
Instagram reels, YouTube shorts,that's the dominant format.
It's that quick snackablecontent.
Gen Z prefers RNL, and he bothstress this and think about
this.
Two thirds of teenagers useTikTok.
If you're not there in somecapacity, you're missing a huge
chunk of your audience.
(04:10):
It's pretty foundational.
Now,
Jack (04:11):
any examples of this working well?
Jill (04:13):
The sources give some great ones.
Oxford University used TikTokreally effectively for their
online open days using studentambassadors to give that
authentic feel.
And Lancaster University hadthis social media campaign for a
graduate program.
It didn't just meet its leg gengoals.
It smashed them.
It exceeded them by 207%.
That's according to HM.
And advanced education, thatkind of ROI, hard to argue with.
(04:37):
Whoa,
Jack (04:37):
over 200%.
That really drives home thepotential, doesn't it?
If you do it right,
Jill (04:42):
it absolutely does, and it connects perfectly to the next
really crucial tactic.
Mention authentic influencercontent.
Because students trust theirpeers more than they trust
institutions directly.
Using current studentambassadors or maybe relevant
micro influencers isn't just anice to have it's core.
It builds credibility.
Harne and hem both stronglyrecommend this.
There's an example from JohnCabot University where their
(05:04):
student ambassador program isdeeply woven into their
recruitment efforts.
It's about giving prospects thatrelatable voice.
Jack (05:10):
Okay.
Let's shift slightly.
What about when students areactively looking for information
searching online?
That brings us to SEO.
Search engine optimization.
How big a piece is that?
Jill (05:21):
Oh, it's absolutely critical.
The EAB source has this reallypowerful statistic.
81% of students at a collegewebsite help them decide if a
school was the right fit.
81%.
So your website isn't justinformational, it's a primary
decision making tool.
But if they can't find your siteor the right info on it, when
they search, you're not even onthe running for that decision.
(05:42):
The EAB source does a reallygood job breaking down search
strategy.
It talks about the differencebetween branded keyword searches
with your institution's namelike Bear University admissions,
Jack (05:51):
people who already know you.
Jill (05:52):
Exactly.
And non-branded keywords.
These are the broader searcheslike best engineering colleges
in Georgia.
Hmm.
And understanding why bothmatter is key.
Branded terms they capture highintent users, people already
looking for you.
Optimizing for these also helpsyou control what shows up in
those.
Um, AI search summaries.
Make sure the info's right.
(06:13):
Non-branded terms though, that'show you reach new audiences.
People earlier in their journey.
Just exploring options.
And the potential search volumethere is huge.
Jack (06:22):
So branded for the warm leads, non-branded for discovery
makes sense.
Jill (06:26):
Precisely.
An EAB showed the impact withdata.
Sure.
Branded terms drive most of thedirect traffic consistently, but
in their study, non-brandedterms still brought in 7% of
traffic for a smaller school anda really significant 26% for a
larger one,
Jack (06:41):
26%.
That's a quarter of theirtraffic just from those broader
searches.
That's massive visibility.
Jill (06:46):
It is.
It shows the scale ofopportunity for discovery.
The takeaway is you need abalanced approach optimized for
both.
Jack (06:52):
That really connects to something from another source.
Yeah, that provocative title.
If a website launches and no onevisits it, did it even matter?
Jill (07:01):
Ah, yeah, that's the next grad source and it nails the
point, doesn't it?
Having a great website,fantastic ux, easy to navigate,
that's essential.
It's your digital front door,but.
Like that source says it's onlyhalf the battle.
You absolutely need a smartdata-driven media strategy,
including SEO to drive the righttraffic to that amazing site.
(07:21):
Otherwise, it's just sittingthere.
Jack (07:23):
Okay, so you get them there via search or social, how
do you guide them to the nextstep?
Mm-hmm.
Requesting info.
Applying.
That's where calls to actionCTAs come in, right?
Jill (07:32):
Yes.
And the Carnegie Source has areally interesting take here.
They suggest maybe thinking ofCTAs less as a call to action
and more like a.
Call to adventure.
Jack (07:41):
The call to adventure.
I like that.
Less functional, more engaging.
Jill (07:44):
Exactly.
It reframes It makes it feellike the next exciting step in
their journey with yourinstitution and the data they
share on what makes CTAseffective.
It's really eye-opening.
Get this personalized CTAsperform 202% better than generic
ones.
Yeah.
Just using a button instead of atext link that boost clicks by
45%.
(08:05):
Placement matters hugely too,above the fold, gets 73%
visibility below only 44%, andmaybe the most surprising one.
Center aligned CTAs in sometests got over 680% more clicks
than left aligned ones.
Jack (08:19):
680%.
That's, yeah, that's not a smalltweak.
That's a massive difference inperformance.
Jill (08:24):
It really is.
These aren't minor optimizationsand the source gives really
practical tips based on this.
Vary your language.
Start your journey is morecompelling than just learn more
segment CTAs.
Show different ones to prospectsversus inquiries.
Make it relevant, keep formsshort, especially at first
contact.
Place them strategically abovethe fold centered, maybe use
(08:44):
sticky navigation on landingpages, so the CTA is always
visible.
Always use buttons.
And importantly, don't be shy.
Use them across all yourmarketing, not just the website.
Social posts, emails, adseverywhere.
Jack (08:56):
So make it clear, make it compelling.
Make it easy to find and repeatthe invitation often.
Jill (09:01):
That's the essence of it.
Offer those calls to adventureregularly and make them make
sense in context.
Oh, and while we're talkingdigital channels, the ham source
also reminds us not to forgetthe basics, like email and text.
Emails still crucial for formalcomms.
Nurturing leads and text alertsif you get permission and use
them sparingly for reallytimely, valuable stuff.
(09:21):
Super effective, high openrates.
They mention UT Austin's HealthyHorns, STXT program, wellness
Tips via text shows.
It's not just for admissionsdeadlines.
Jack (09:32):
Okay.
That's a lot on the digitalfront.
But what about the physicalcampus?
Does on-campus advertising stillhave a role to play, or is it
all digital now?
Jill (09:40):
According to the ham source, definitely still
relevant, especially forpromoting campus events,
building that sense ofcommunity, reinforcing your
brand physically for visitorsand current students, the trick
is to make it feel modern andcrucially integrated with your
digital efforts.
Jack (09:54):
How does that look in practice?
Jill (09:55):
Well, examples include using digital billboards on
campus, not just static ones.
Putting QR codes prominently onprinted posters so people can
immediately scan and get info orsign up.
Tabling events still work,especially with good visuals and
maybe some giveaways.
Students always appreciate freestuff using campus media.
The student paper radio, pokingflyers in high traffic spots
(10:17):
like dorms and academicbuildings.
San Diego State gets a mentionfor doing this well,
Jack (10:22):
so it's about being visible.
Physically, but always linkingback to the digital action.
Jill (10:27):
Exactly.
And the source even floats.
Ideas like gorilla campaigns.
Think like temporary chalk artpromoting an event, or maybe
even a flash mob.
Things that create buzz.
Jack (10:37):
Huh?
A flash mob for admissions.
I'd get attention.
Jill (10:40):
It would, yeah.
And more importantly, it getsstudents talking and posting
about it online, so it amplifiesitself.
The main point is.
On campus, stuff isn't separate.
It boosts your digitalcampaigns.
Reinforces the message, providestangible touch points, drives
traffic online.
And for promoting specificevents on campus, they suggest a
multi-channel push.
Start with a strong hook.
(11:00):
What's the value for thestudent?
Tap into peer networks.
Use hashtags.
Ask professors to announce it.
Use the official school app andmake signups dead Simple.
QR codes everywhere.
Easy online.
RSVP buttons.
Reduce friction.
Jack (11:14):
Okay, that makes sense.
Shifting gears again, but stillthinking about reaching the
right people.
The sources really stress movingbeyond just broad marketing, the
need to target specificaudiences.
Jill (11:24):
Yes, this is absolutely critical.
The student population is morediverse than ever.
The RNL source points out thatyou really need tailored
strategies for different groups,Hispanic students, African
American students, firstgeneration students.
They even highlight simplethings like not having materials
available in Spanish as a majormissed opportunity to connect
effectively.
Jack (11:42):
And another huge segment needing a very specific approach
is international students,right?
The Manara source.
Seem to dive deep into that,
Jill (11:49):
extremely deep and for good reason.
Generic marketing just fallsflat when you're competing for
what?
1.1 million internationalstudents considering the us.
That's the figure for ManaFarrah.
You have to be specific.
One of the most valuable thingsin that source is the breakdown
of the international studentjourney.
It's long and complex.
Starts with exploration like.
12 to 24 months out, thenconsideration eight 14 months
(12:13):
evaluation, five and nine monthsapplication, three through eight
months, and finally the decisionphase one to four months before
they actually enroll.
Understanding that timeline isabsolutely non-negotiable.
You need to hit them with theright info at the right stage.
Jack (12:25):
That is a much longer runway than many domestic
students are, and the phases arequite distinct.
Jill (12:30):
They are, and it demands very specific tactic.
Man, FARA lays out a whole suiteof them.
Things like audience segmenteddigital campaigns that go way
beyond just country thinksegmenting by region within a
country program, interest STEMversus business, for example,
maybe even financial capacity.
Tailoring your ads and messagefor, say Indian students looking
(12:51):
at engineering is far morepowerful than a generic
international student ad.
Jack (12:55):
So hyper-personalization.
Yeah.
But on a global scale
Jill (12:57):
kind of.
Yeah.
Then there's international SEO.
That means technical stuff likeRay flying tags for different
language versions of your site,optimizing for local search
engines, buy you in China, Navrin South Korea, and crucially
creating localized content thatanswers market specific
questions and matches theirstage in the journey.
Not just translating your USsite, that often misses the mark
(13:19):
culturally, just like domesticstudents.
Trust is huge for internationalprospects, so influencer and
alumni ambassador programs areincredibly powerful using
current international studentsor alumni from specific target
regions that providesauthenticity, that families
really trust way more thanmarketing copy.
A global ambassador program ismentioned as a concrete example,
Jack (13:39):
that peer validation again.
Jill (13:40):
Exactly and because of distance, virtual experiences
are obviously key, but they needto be optimized, scheduled for
different time zones, providerecordings, tailor the content.
Don't just do a generic virtualtour.
Offer program sessions withfaculty, regional student panels
also.
Culturally, adaptivecommunication channel
preferences vary wildly.
Email might be standard here,but maybe WeChat is dominant in
(14:03):
China, WhatsApp and India orLatin America.
You need to know and use theright channels and often you
need a plan for communicatingwith parents too.
Jack (14:11):
Can't just rely on email then
Jill (14:12):
definitely not.
Then there's personalizeddigital advertising with
progressive messaging.
This means.
Phased campaigns awareness, thenconsideration, then conversion.
Use targeting and retargeting toshow increasingly specific
messages as they move along thatlong journey.
Static ads just won't cut it.
And finally a big one.
Data-driven financial aid andscholarship.
(14:34):
Marketing scholarships are thetop thing.
International prospects look for34% according to Mana Farra, but
schools often market thempoorly.
You need clear, dedicatedscholarship pages, easy to find
eligibility info, maybe countryspecific cost calculators,
stories of internationalrecipients, and promote this
info early in the funnel, notjust at the end.
(14:55):
Be specific, avoid vague phraseslike scholarships available.
Jack (14:58):
That level of detail for just one segment.
International students reallyhighlights how crucial precision
and data are becoming across theboard.
Jill (15:05):
It really does.
And underpinning all of that,especially international, where
the investment is higher, is theabsolute necessity of data and
measurement.
Mana for.
Really stress is going beyondjust vanity metrics.
You need to track cost perinquiry, cost per applicant.
Cost per enrolled student.
Mm-hmm.
Broken down by country and bychannel.
That means solid CRMintegration, using UTM tracking
(15:28):
consistently, maybe multi-touchattribution to see what's really
working.
They even suggest a process.
Prioritize just.
Two, three key markets to focuson deeply rather than trying a
scattered approach everywhere.
Jack (15:40):
It's so clear from everything we've covered across
all these sources.
Data isn't just for reportingafter the fact anymore.
It has to be foundational to thewhole strategy to optimization.
Bring it back to the big picturethen, for everyone in higher ed
marketing, the core messageseems to be constant adaptation.
Mm-hmm.
Jill (15:56):
Absolutely.
The RNL source sums it upnicely.
The key areas institutions haveto adapt in are deepening
personalization.
Mastering digital marketing,truly leveraging data analytics,
refining their brand story,integrating new tech, AI,
chatbots, maybe VR down theline, and crucially fostering
that deep, authentic engagement,especially with Gen Z.
(16:19):
And yeah, the sources hint atemerging trends too.
More AI for personalization.
Definitely the continueddominance of short form video
may be more immersive VR campustours in the future.
And even marketing aroundmicrocredentials as education
itself evolves,
Jack (16:33):
it really paints a picture of a field that's not just
changing, it's constantlyinnovating.
It demands marketers beincredibly strategic, adaptable,
and, uh, responsive.
Jill (16:42):
That's a perfect summary.
Jack (16:43):
So thinking about all this material you shared, I mean from
the big shifts in demographicsin tech to really understanding
digital natives like Gen Z,nailing down channels like
social video, SEO, CTAs,integrating the physical and
digital, getting hyper-specificfor key groups like
international students.
And underpinning it all withdata.
Jill (17:00):
Wow.
There's definitely a lot foryou, the listener to chew on.
There really is, and perhaps thecore challenge that emerges from
all these sources.
You know, now that technologyoffers this incredible power for
personalization and globalreach.
The real test for marketers likeyou isn't just adopting the
newest tool.
It's making sure that.
As you scale everything up, yourmessage stays genuinely
(17:21):
authentic, that it clearlyreflects your institution's
values, that it truly connectsas the unique adventure you
offer to each prospectivestudent.
So maybe the question to takeback to your daily work is this,
how do you strike that criticalbalance between leveraging the
efficiency and scale oftechnology while still
maintaining that deeply humanauthentic connection that today
students not only prefer, butactually demand?
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