Adding high-quality content to your website isn't enough to engage readers and increase enrollment rates. Your content is only as good as your promotion methods. You must create a comprehensive digital marketing plan to attract prospective students to your site and influence their application decision.
You can improve engagement by offering virtual tours. These tours increase visibility, promote your brand, and generate excitement about what your college offers.
Below are strategies you should consider to combine content and distribution in a virtual campus tour.
1. Provide an Overview of the Campus
Prospective students and their parents can get an idea of what the campus looks like by attending a virtual tour. Showing different areas of the campus isn't the only essential element. By incorporating the right content into an interactive and fun format, your visitors gain an insight into what it might be like for them after they enroll in your school.
StudentBridge offers Campus Visit Experience, an app your prospective students can use to take a self-guided tour of your campus. They can take a look around your college anytime from their mobile device. It's especially helpful for those who can't travel for an in-person visit.
You can also incorporate a Video Viewbook into your website to tell your college's story, introduce faculty, and highlight important features. An Interactive Campus Map promotes your brand. Instead of only showing academic buildings and recreational areas, your map can let prospective students experience campus life virtually with 360-degree images and embedded videos.
2. Create a Personalized Experience
Your institution must stand out from the rest of a prospective student's school choices. That means providing a unique experience tailored to each visitor's personal preferences. You can still offer in-person tours with a specific structure. However, it would be best if you also provided customizable virtual tours.
When prospective students choose to have a virtual experience, they should have options beyond the typical campus tour. With the Campus Visit Experience, users can decide what they want to see for as long as they want to see it. Text and audio highlight each place they visit, so they learn what they need to know.
3. Promote an In-Person Experience from Anywhere
College recruitment took a turn during the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting prospective students to visit campuses and enroll in on-site classes was challenging. Virtual tours and online learning have become the new normal. These tools have increased enrollment and allowed students to continue their education without disruptions.
While many still enjoy seeing college campuses in person, virtual tours are more popular than ever. Anyone can look at your school on their own schedule. They don't have to rearrange their daily lives to meet with an admissions officer or college ambassador. Instead, they have the option of touring without leaving their home.
4. Establish an Ongoing Presence
Recruitment is an essential part of a college's business model. Although virtual tours help drive enrollment, institutions must do more to attract prospective students.
Standing out requires maintaining a presence in each person's mind. You must provide an unforgettable experience anyone can return to whenever they want. Virtual tours should not be one-time events. They must be available to prospective students every day. If someone wants to look at the dormitories or academic buildings again, they can pick up their cell phone for another tour.
5. Enhance User Experience with Analytics
Setting up virtual tours of your college's campus and hoping it works isn't enough. Data isn't helpful unless you review it to determine what works and needs improvement. Analyzing data gives you insight into user behavior. You can see whether visitors clicked different links to learn more information, how long they stayed on each page, and whether they applied to your school.
You can use StudentBridge's Tech Platform for real-time analytics. Our program provides various features to improve the virtual experience you offer. You can personalize your virtual tours and make changes or edits when necessary. Automatic updates also ensure accessibility, security, and privacy compliance.
Set Up Your Virtual Tour to Enhance Your Website Content and Distribution
Learn more about how our team of video producers and map artists can create engaging content and distribute it to your target audience. Reading our case studies, you can discover other educational institutions' solutions to achieve their enrollment goals. Joining our monthly webinars will also provide insight into relevant topics from our University partners.
Call StudentBridge at (678) 824-8181 or contact us online to learn more about showcasing your campus with a virtual tour.
