3 Tips to Boosting Student Engagement in Higher Ed Marketing

Boosting student engagement is tough. You create an effective digital marketing strategy that’s landed your message in front of the right audience at just the right time. 

But how do you ensure your prospective students actually interact with your content? 

We’ve rounded up some of the most helpful trends and insights in our new whitepaper, “Unibuddy Higher Ed Digital Marketing Guide: What You Need to Know in 2023” to help guide your efforts.

Get started now with these three helpful tips for boosting student engagement in higher ed marketing:

1. Use student ambassadors

According to Unibuddy data, a majority of higher ed recruitment professionals (94%) say student-to-student interactions are crucial for a prospective student’s experience.

After all, Gen Z students value authenticity and trust peer-to-peer guidance throughout their lives. Why wouldn’t they turn to their peers during the higher ed journey?

If you’re not using your student ambassadors in your marketing plan, now is the time to start.

Related: How to leverage the win-win of student-to-student connections

There’s no one better to advocate for your institution than a current student. 

Not only do they embody your brand, but they can also interact with prospective students in an authentic way that makes them feel welcome, excited, and ready to learn more. Position them across all channels, from social media to digital chat tools, to ensure they make the biggest impact.

This will enhance your institution’s authenticity – a huge win for your recruitment and marketing efforts. When the NYU Tandon School of Engineering started using student ambassadors online, the likelihood of digital prospects enrolling increased by 85%.

2. Speak their language

We already know that Gen Z craves authenticity and relies on digital assets to form well-rounded opinions throughout their higher ed journey. 

So you need to find a way to combine the two so you can create an encounter that feels authentic. 

Related: Higher Ed Digital Marketing Tips for 2023

The best way to do this is by trading in typical institutional language – which often feels cold – for the type of relaxed, informal language that Gen Z will connect with. This will help create a brand personality filled with the “good vibes” that so many are looking for.

Some higher ed institutions are leaving formalities behind altogether, such as the University of Leicester. Using Unibuddy Community, their team created a digital space for pre-enrolled students to ask questions and get answers in real time. Since launch, enrollment has jumped by 23%.

Once you’ve established your new voice, language, and tone, make sure it’s consistent across every digital touchpoint your prospective students will come in contact with. After all, the majority rely on digital assets for their initial research – 72% visit your website first, compared to just 42% who visit in person. 

If you’re struggling to learn Gen Z’s language, don’t panic! You have the best teachers within arm’s reach – your student ambassadors. 

Student ambassadors already know how to speak prospective students’ language, so why not get them involved in developing your brand’s voice? It might seem risky to give your students this level of creative control, but it pays off, as it helps 92% of Gen Z in their student journey.

3. Use multiple digital channels

We can’t stress it enough: you won’t reach your prospective students if you don’t utilize all of your digital resources and channels.

Gen Z is the first generation of digital natives, meaning that technology touches every part of their lives. They’re also what we call omnichannel customers, who use more than one marketing channel on the buying journey – which 75% of Gen Z does.

Related: 5 Higher Ed Marketing Trends in 2023

They’re also omnichannel customers in their higher education journey, which means you can’t rely solely on one channel. After all, why would your prospective students rely on just one channel to make up their minds when they have several at their fingertips?

Instead, you must create a comprehensive experience across several different digital channels. 

Prospective students can interact with all of your content and digital assets at any time, on any device. To attract, engage, and retain them, you’ll need to ensure that you have all of your bases covered.

Focus on creating and tailoring content for every platform you’re on, whether it’s a bite-sized video of campus life, blogs about your courses, or even infographics. Make sure all assets have been updated to reflect your new language, too – again, authenticity is key.

But you can’t just set it and forget it. This type of well-coordinated omnichannel plan calls for dedicated team members who can make sure your brand is getting maximum coverage and engagement. Consider enlisting student ambassadors and freelancers to help fill the gaps.

These three tips are just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to learn more about enhancing your marketing for boosting student engagement, check out our new whitepaper, “Unibuddy Higher Ed Digital Marketing Guide: What You Need to Know in 2023.”