Colleges place a high value on marketing, whether it's to attract new students or inspire existing ones. After all, education isn't cheap, and higher education institutions must demonstrate to the public that their college experience is worthwhile. However, in 2021, college marketing is not about finding a new flashy marketing tool but rather about delving deeper into platforms and optimizing existing material to respond to the changes of 2020.
It's no overstatement to say that the year 2020 presented a slew of challenges to almost every industry. The higher education sector, in particular, was hit hard. So, in 2021, there is a more significant transition in higher education marketing than ever before: a marketing strategy that emphasizes digital marketing and virtual engagements rather than conventional, in-person marketing.
Let's look at some higher education marketing methods you can use right now if you're looking to enhance enrollment this year.
Improve Your Academic Value Proposition
At a time when the value of college degrees is constantly being debated, colleges must demonstrate the value of their degrees and assist prospective students in grasping them in real-world implementations.
The moment calls for honing the value-proposition and generating content that reveals to students that the path they choose will lead to a promising future. You must demonstrate to the students that they will be successful, rather than simply telling them. This includes gathering testimonials, conducting case studies, and substantiating claims with data.
Some suggestions of how to go about it are:
- Make and share videos of alumni describing their professional accomplishments and success stories.
- Feature student victories in blog posts.
- Try and use hard data to back up all the messaging in the program and degree curriculum.
Have an Active Social Media Presence
Social media is a crucial part of college marketing. Social media is used by people of all ages, including prospective students. You can connect with your audience through a variety of social media sites. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn are among these platforms.
Colleges can use social media platforms to communicate with students in a variety of ways. These portals provide prospective students with a taste of what it's like to attend that particular college.
The number of social media users in Nepal increased by 3 million (30%) between 2020 and 2021, which amounted to 44.2% of the total population. College students use more social media platforms than any other demographic, with 39% of 'Generation Z' having four or more accounts. As a result, any successful college student's digital marketing approach must include social media marketing.
Increase Brand Awareness: Focus on Unique Selling Points
Every college has its own set of chances and selling factors. The institution may carve out a unique position by concentrating on its strengths, attracting students looking for those specific capabilities—and increasing the possibility of inquiries and applications. According to the study, prospective students start their research into higher education with two colleges in mind, and 75 percent of those students end up enrolling at one of those two colleges. This emphasizes the necessity of establishing brand awareness among prospective students before they make a decision.
Look both inside and externally for these selling qualities and ask the following questions:
- Why did current and former students choose to enroll at your school?
- Why did the teachers decide to teach there in the first place?
- Where do educational consultants and counselors fit into the picture?
- Do potential students understand what makes your school special?
- Do your admissions representatives have any idea who they're looking for?
Connect with GenZ and Involve Your Alumni
If you don't approach Gen Z the right way, it can be tough to connect with them. However, if you speak their language and cultivate loyalty, they can become your most ardent supporters.
Their decision-making has been dubbed "crowdsourcing," which means they solicit feedback from peers, influencers, and reviewers.
Both Millennials and Generation Z put a priority on convenience. Hosting a contest, on the other hand, is a simple method for students and alumni to become involved with your college. However, if you use a complicated entry process, viewers will most likely overlook the sweepstakes entirely.
Similarly, alumni might be your most ardent and devoted advocates. Make use of their enthusiasm and experiences to advertise your institution. Including alumni in blogs and newsletters will assist prospective and existing students in imagining their future beyond graduation. Creating chances and networking events for alumni, in particular, can assist in recognizing them for their commitment to your college. When your graduates achieve success, your college shines. Help them land their ideal careers by utilizing resources to connect them with the appropriate individuals.
Exhibit Your Programs
Your programs are usually the most compelling reason for a student to attend your college. Show off what your college has to offer prospective students while also motivating current students to participate more. Provide helpful information about the many majors and departments. It can be beneficial to include biographies of department chairs and academics. Students will appreciate the ease with which they may get to know the folks they'll be spending their college years with.
Adopt Conversational Marketing
Conversational marketing is a customer-focused, dialogue-driven marketing strategy. It's the go-to strategy for increasing customer engagement, improving customer experience. Conversational marketing is the fastest way to drive customers through your marketing and sales funnels through the power of real-time conversations. Conversational marketing uses tailored messages and intelligent chatbots to engage with customers rather than forcing them to fill out lead capture forms and wait days for a response.
These individualized dialogues are made possible by using live chat, chatbots, and messaging apps. Conversational marketing has become more accessible because of chatbots in particular.
Buyers and customers no longer have time for waiting days on end for a reply, as evidenced by the following statistics:
- Only 43% of individuals respond to unknown calls.
- The average open rate for emails has dropped to 20%.
- The average conversion rate for landing pages is barely 2.35 percent.
Advantages of Conversational Marketing
Conversational marketing does not necessitate a complete overhaul of your marketing strategy. It's the quickest approach to get customers to progress your channel.
Advantages:
Allowing prospective students to begin dialogues right away rather than forcing them to fill out a form results in higher conversion rates, more prospects, and a more personalized customer experience.
It takes days of marketing automation and nurturing emails to qualify leads the traditional way. According to Harvard Business Review research, organizations must respond to initial contact within five minutes to have the best chance of qualifying a lead. If you wait any longer, your chances of qualifying the lead will drop by 400%.
Go Mobile
Each year, mobile technology evolves at a rapid pace. And, as phone size, memory, and capabilities expand, the necessity for desktop use keeps on contracting. It's no surprise that many Millennials and Gen Z target consumers prefer to access the Internet via their cell phones. What does this imply for your organization? Make your website, emails, and newsletters as mobile-friendly as possible. You don't want viewers to abandon your product because it took too long to display.
Users should be able to access your information both at home and on the road, thus enabling a mobile-friendly experience is crucial. This is extremely vital for Generation Z, who is currently the target demographic for the majority of schools and colleges.
