From small colleges to large-scale Universities, student enrollment can be difficult to manage. Due to tough competition, higher education marketers and recruiters may struggle to entice potential prospects to their institution. However, with a modern approach and the right strategies in place, it can be done.
Delegate the Task
If your numbers are at an all-time low or you don’t have the resources to focus on student enrollment, it may be worth bringing in a professional to boost the numbers. An enrollment marketing agency can work with your admissions department to implement effective strategies to help you meet your targets. The best higher education enrollment agency to choose from features a team of full-funnel experts who will complement your existing brand values. The agency should offer case studies to demonstrate their past success and provide expertise on reducing the dropout rate.
Build a Social Media Brand
A great way to engage prospective students is by using online social profiles. Social media platforms offer an accessible and user-friendly way to share your college’s values, and they provide candidates with a means of getting in touch too. These platforms also offer free publicity in the form of photos, posts, and tweets shared by existing students. Dedicated hashtags can be utilized to enhance a school’s social media exposure and showcase the institution.
Maximize Your Digital Presence
Your target audience, Generation Z, are more likely to pick up their phone than a brochure to search for prospective colleges. Therefore, a strong digital presence is necessary and can be achieved with search engine optimization (SEO). Optimize your website with relevant and readable content, which features high-ranking keywords, to maximize your online presence. This can enable your University website to appear in the top results when a student types in certain phrases or words into a search engine.
Effective Mobile User Experience
More and more people are now using their mobile phones to find information. It is important to ensure you have a mobile-responsive website that appeals to prospective candidates. A properly optimized website for both mobile and desktop use is more impactful and is more likely to capture a viewer’s attention. On the other hand, a website with poor UX can result in lost interest.
Testimonials and Ambassadors
In the same way influencer culture can have a noticeable effect on consumers, high profile ambassadors can greatly influence a candidate’s decision to enroll in a school. Highlighting high profile achievements or celebrities, alumni can draw attention to a college and specific courses. By offering testimonials from alumni on a college website, trust can be built with prospects. Success stories and past experiences shared with potential students can lead to trust in the institution.
Communicate Effectively
Email marketing is a straightforward strategy that can reach out to prospects. To maximize the chance of an email reaching the inbox folder rather than the spam folder, ensure the subject line is personalized. The message should be short and succinct, with a call to action and a professional layout.
