The global pandemic has exacerbated online overcrowding, forcing colleges and universities to come up with new and innovative ways to capture the attention of their target audiences. What's more, 3 out of 4 students are relying solely on the college website to make an enrollment decision.1
55% of visitors are spending less than 15 seconds on your website according to data collected by HubSpot, a popular CRM system. Even more concerning is attention spans wane far earlier.
With so much competition for user attention both on and offline, consider these 7 tips and tricks to hook your prospects and drive action.
The messages you communicate are important, so naturally, you want them to be internalized. But with the average young adult encountering somewhere between 6,000-10,000 messages a day, you have only a fraction of time to get your information across in a meaningful way.
And, if you haven't done so already, throw a text messaging campaign into your mix. Mobile users open and read over 90% of messages they receive.
51% of Gen Zers are using social media constantly—and almost 40% of rising seniors use social media as an informational resource.2 You'll only have a few seconds to convince this generation to consume your content, but once you do, these digital natives have significant buying power.
Every institution has a unique story and as an admissions marketer, it's your job to tell it. Showcase what really sells your campus -- the people, stories, and value.
So, while many schools tend to make the same generalized claims, illustrate how your institution is different by giving a voice to your students, faculty, and staff.
54% of students prefer websites that allow them to personalize content to meet their interests according to RNL's 2019 E-Expectations Trend Report.
Turn to a robust technology platform that will allow you to identify stealth visitors and personalize their experiences.
It becomes exceedingly difficult to differentiate one school from the next when you take the traditional day-to-day college experience out of the mix. Without the experience, you are left only with the value of education as a point of comparison.
Both students and parents alike value college as an experience, oftentimes more so than the value of the degree itself. As such, it's not enough to simply replicate in-person experiences in an online environment.
Keep engagement high through immersive virtual event experiences. Create content that allows students to interact and engage online, anytime and from anywhere to keep that sense of community alive.
Try this - Keep things interesting by implementing polls, videos, and breakout sessions into your virtual event experiences.
Relationships have to be nurtured and courted over a period of time. Show your prospective students that they are more than just a purchased name by feeding them bits and pieces of information over time before making any big asks.
Be present for prospects by offering them an easy way to connect through live-chat or a 1:1 zoom call.
Then, once the relationship has been established, pop the question: are you interested in us?
To measure a successful marketing campaign, you must start with a goal, time frame, and set success factors. Do you want more organic traffic to your website, a broader social media reach or higher click through rates? Your end goal will determine the metrics you should be measuring against your campaign.
We suggest trying the following:
Let us help you increase conversion by elevating your unique story.