Marketing an Education: 3 Tips for Success
An average college student falls between the ages of 18-24. This means they are a prime target for digital marketing.
However, these young adults are smart. You can’t just throw any type of content out there and expect them to bite.
Your strategic marketing plans must be just that- strategic. Luckily, we know a thing or two about content marketing.
Read on to learn 3 tips for successfully marketing an education.
1) Lights, Camera, Action- Cue the Video
Video streaming is one of the most effective approaches to capture your audience’s attention. Millennials watch 2.5 times more videos from the internet than they do on the television.
Snapchat is one of the most widely used platforms that most young adults get behind. It allows you to take photos or short videos and post them as your ‘Story’.
Snapchat boasts a variety of opportunities for attracting your blended learning target. Use the app to show hidden places on campus, students’ favorite go-to pizza place, or funny, relatable content.
Also, Facebook Live is another growing entity that marketers should keep an eye on.
Use campus guides or student ambassadors to highlight all of the notable features to your university. Just make sure it’s stuff that a college student would find interesting!
2) Create Meaningful Experiences
People, especially millennials, are attracted to what makes them feel something. They are more likely to be swayed by a University that creates meaningful experiences for them.
Experiential marketing is commonly used by marketers who sell experiences. It allows for the student to develop a one-on-one relationship with the school.
A great way to use experiential marketing is through prospective student fairs.
Instead of being another Plain Jane with a generic booth, find ways to sell up your university’s experience.
You can rent a photo booth for students and their friends to take silly pictures of themselves.
Do you have any noteworthy alumni that students would want to meet? Bring them for a meet and greet, too! Students can take pictures and listen to their experience.
3) Boost Your SEO Rankings
Students and their families will likely go online to gather information about schools. When they’re conducting their research, you should secure your spot at the top.
You should learn the ins and outs of Google AdWords. AdWords is one of the most effective tools in driving traffic to a university’s web page.
If you haven’t focused too much on search engine marketing (SEM), now is the time. With Google AdWords, you will likely see a lot of competition from other schools.
Find or hire a staff member who is fluent in SEM. Without an experienced individual, your search marketing efforts can be quite futile as it is an ongoing process.
The most important takeaway from marketing an education is that you’re selling an experience. With the right strategy, this can work very well to your advantage.
Marketers must be able to skillfully create a memorable AND meaningful edge to the university.
Do you have any tips for experiential marketing? Share in the comments below!