If you want to boost your enrollment rates, utilize these efficacious higher education digital marketing trends.
The industry has undeniably become super fierce, especially post-pandemic. Student enrollments have consistently reduced over the last ten years, losing about 3.3 million students from the 2011’s spring to 2022. If you want to consistently attract individuals in an age with high-level apathy for education and learning, hop on these latest trends.
Do you require assistance? That’s okay. We’ll examine these trends to enable your school to achieve its desired outcomes.
What is this tactic?
This method enables schools to establish a rigid identity or brand, captivate the hearts of their intended market globally, and retain the ones they have. Schools have utilized this tactic for advertising since the internet’s inception because it aids them in relating with their intended market.
But things have changed so quickly that your institution will be thrown off the bandwagon if it refuses to adapt to these trends.
Enrollment rates have dramatically lowered since minds have changed over the essence of education. Individuals, particularly in first-world nations, don’t value higher education degrees as much as they did previously. Additionally, student debts consistently increase as more individuals get churned out of the system.
To be on the winning side, it’s vital that you know how to utilize this tool to tell people how valuable further education is. But before we go into that, some social media tools people should concentrate on to captivate a primarily Gen Z population are discussed below.
Best Social Media Tools /Avenues
While maintaining accounts across all channels may be beneficial, particular channels produce better outcomes than others.
If you’re seeking appropriate avenues or platforms to set up your tent and captivate a suitable population, look for the ones this population utilises most. What are they in no specific order?
1. TikTok
This is undeniably Gen Z’s favourite. Although people of all ages utilize it, Gen Z almost seems dependent on it.
They often enjoy the content since they prefer short-form content to long ones, which is why they have surpassed other tools, including YouTube. Research has shown that Gen Z spends 24 to 48 hours monthly on TikTok. They can spend up to 5 hours binge-watching videos since there is always something new and fascinating waiting for them when they open the app.
Utilize this chance to develop educational, form, short-form, and funny content for your school and post them on your account. The more they relate to it, the more they want to know about your institution.
2. Instagram
You would think that this app would reduce utilization since TikTok seems to be monopolizing the fun. Yet, that is not the case. The app is not slowing down anytime soon. Over 92% of this population uses the app every day.
Individuals love Instagram for two primary reasons: seeing and posting aesthetically pleasing pictures and spending time on reels. Top-notch enterprises and establishments employ Instagram to promote their deals and offers because they have learned that over 97% of individuals utilize social media to influence purchasing decisions.
Use Instagram to showcase your school by posting beautiful content about the school environment and showcase extra-curricular and academic activities to pique your intended market’s interests.
Aside from that, you should also utilize Instagram reels. Like Tiktok, reels enable people to publish short-form content, which helps them to double or even triple their Instagram engagement.
3. YouTube
Unsurprisingly, over 98% of the Gen Z population uses YouTube, which isn’t coming down. It’s the largest search engine after Google since it exceptionally uses SEO.
You can use it by publishing fun campus videos on the designated channel. Furthermore, post videos of extra-curricular activities that typically stir a student’s curiosity.
Aside from posting info concerning the school, you could also post vital knowledge about college life. Most prospects naturally search for these things in anticipation of resumption or starting life in a new university, like “How to Pack for College,” “How to Adapt to College Life,” etc. Observe keywords and trends to know what your intended market wants.
Note: You can also create Facebook and Twitter pages, particularly if you want to relate to millennials (parents, guardians, and other stakeholders), as they’re often instrumental when choosing a higher institution.
Trends You Shouldn’t Miss Out On
1. Success Stories
As previously stated, a fantastic way to attract people to your school and boost enrollment rates is to prove the value of a university degree. How can one do that? By showcasing success stories.
Before aiming your campaign at Gen Zs, understand their nature. Most are innovative and entrepreneurial, always seeking new ways to question the status quo and think outside the box.
You need to search your alumni network thoroughly and select people who prove the school can help them explore their potential, boost their critical thinking capacity, and become their best version.
2. Establish an Identity
Prospective students are looking out for one thing: Authenticity. This is why you’d see students and even parents relating to prestigious schools that have carved a name for themselves.
Previously, people believed whatever the university or people told them, but that’s no longer the case with social media. People can now see clearly. Rather than imitating rivals, you should create a memorable identity by highlighting the distinctive qualities of your university.
If you require assistance doing this, ask yourself these pertinent questions:
- What do people know this school for?
- What do we want people to think of us when they walk through the gate?
- What morals, principles, and values do this school uphold?
3. Email Marketing
This efficacious tool can be utilized to spread awareness and boost income. Sending emails to students can help me make appropriate decisions.
To do this, segment your list and send targeted emails to captivate people. This tactic applies to varying sets of students because the message you’ll send to one looking for undergrad degrees is certainly not the same as one searching for Masters’s or PhD scholarships or admissions.
If a student downloads gated information you’ve created, it indicates that they may be interested in your school and the courses they are most interested in studying.
4. Social Media
Any school that doesn’t utilize social media, especially when targeting Gen Zs, is walking on a tightrope. There are incredible conversion and engagement chances available via this tool.
You must seek innovative ways to appear authentic and original when building an online identity. Students who visit your page shouldn’t think you are trying to sell them something. How can one do this?
Favour user generated content.
It could appear fake if visitors to your area witness a lot of faculty members selling the many facets of academic life. Students like to witness more personal scenes, such as typical students enjoying coffee or taking part in an arts festival.
5. Micro-Influencer Marketing
It’s common to see top universities using celebrities that are alumni to advertise them. That’s part of influencer marketing. However, smaller universities may lack the funding for such an expensive campaign.
The beautiful thing is: You don’t need such extravagant tactics. While it’s true that people naturally take anything that celebrities say as their binding words, most of them are better drawn to authentic, real-life content from everyday people.
This is why micro-influencers are vital.
The intended market you seek is often on social media. Start a trend, inspire current students to hop on it, and boost their content via ads. You’ll be amazed at the outcome.
6. Customization
The internet consistently fills people with so many deals and packages that it may be difficult to see genuine solutions. Students love searching through varying options to see which suits them best, so you must be the first school they think of.
You shouldn’t send several messages because they may get frustrated and overwhelmed and dump them in the spam folder. Customize your tactics when targeting a majorly Gen Z market. The ideal way to do this is to develop as many buyer personas as possible, depending on your courses.
Then, send targeted, customized emails to nurture these leads until they’re ready to choose.
7. Omnichannel Marketing
This tactic enables you to interact with clients faster. You can spread your methods across varying channels to reach your intended market and get the desired outcomes faster. When you embrace this tactic, it’s easier to relate with individuals at any decision stage they’re in.
Let FrescoData Devise the Right Tactics For You
Schools must devise methods to boost enrollment rates and produce the desired outcomes. However, these methods or tactics are more complex than they sound. You must spend your time and energy on them, and most importantly, be patient.
Rather than disturb yourself about that, FrescoData is here to ease the burden off you and boost your rates in the shortest possible time.
You can find new markets, concentrate your targeting efforts, and widen your mailing list by using our comprehensive database of prospective student information from more than 60 countries. We offer efficacious solutions to captivate suitable people to your school.
Contact us today.
