The Social Student Surge:
How Educators can Advertise (Successfully) to Students Sans Social
Seventeen years ago, when Facebook launched its very first ad campaign, our feeds were still filled with words from friends (not to be confused with the popular words with friends). Occasionally we were blessed with photos of ours truly hanging out or showing off their latest tattoos or car purchases.
In fact, in the beginning, there was no discourse. Our thoughts bled into society without any recourse or backlash from the masses. To leave a comment was a far-off futuristic theory. An advertiser’s only objective was simple: to gain a click that would lead to some sort of conversion goal. But measuring the success was nearly impossible, and the cost of taking such a risk was one that couldn’t be calculated.
What big ears you have.
The wolf was not just lying in its bed scheming against the little girl in her little red riding hood.
The wolf was also intently listening.
Appearances can be deceiving, just as we observe with every scroll of our thumb. Certainly, our friends are not always winning at life, smiling ear to damn ear, in love without conflict, drinking and eating anything their heart desires without gaining an ounce, succeeding at work, and skipping merrily to row your boat because their life is but a dream. Get real.
Fast forward fifteen years. There’s such an overabundance of social media platforms that it seems we are consumed with stimulation every minute of the day. Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter, Threads, Pinterest, Twitch, Reddit, Discord… the list goes on and on. And for the love of vanity, let’s not forget OnlyFans.
Digital society is congested with bogus claims from every type of business from fortune 500s down to the corner bakery with an extra fifty bucks to spare. Once upon a time (pun intended), a story only emerged from the mouth of a well-fed wallet. These days, every Tom, Dick, and Sally with a dollar can go online to tell a story in the form of an ad, and target audiences down to the most granular of demographics imaginable.
If you’re an educational institution, you might like to think you’ve outsmarted the social system and have exactly the right message for your intended socially engaged audience. But what if, just what if, your message only provokes controversary or invites hooligans to open discussion to question your principles, teachings, authority, or elitism? The percentage of students choosing to attend your university based on a social media campaign versus some other channel probably has some zeros behind a decimal point.
That being said, let’s dive into advertising opportunities, strategies and tactics that give educational institutions the virtue to send messages of merit and truth, attracting quality students whose disciplines align with those of the organization. Let’s also explore some unique and creative ways to tell your university’s unique story in compelling ways that garner potential social media praise organically. A lasting impression can be difficult to achieve on social media, as far too often content is here today, gone tomorrow.
Why social media should never be your only advertising option.
Relying solely on social media for advertising limits your reach as well as has the potential to ‘define’ your tone indefinitely. Here is a quick list of reasons why social media should not be the only avenue for advertising your college or university.
1. Limited audience: Think of the infamous #45 football player and Notre Dame alum, Rudy Ruettiger. How likely would they have been to select a lower working-class family from a tiny town in Indiana when geo-targeting their social ads? Even after you cherry pick your demographics based on who you think they are, not all of them will be interested in or engaged with your product or service. This means you may also be missing out on potential customers who are not active on these platforms or might be a little outside your perceived target audience. Exploring alternative advertising methods can help you reach a more diverse, engaged and interested audience.
2. Ad fatigue: With the increasing number of colleges using social media for advertising, students and parents are constantly bombarded with their advertisements. The statement, no matter how creatively executed, “We’re the best, and here’s why…” can only be owned by so many in a specific territory. This approach leads to ad fatigue, where people are desensitized to the ads and flat out ignore them. By thinking outside the box and utilizing unconventional advertising strategies, you can capture attention and stand out from the crowd.
3. Personal touch: While social media allows for a certain level of interaction (both positive and negative), it lacks the personal touch that other advertising methods can provide. Alternative methods, such as hosting events, sponsoring local community initiatives, or utilizing outdoor advertising, allow for face-to-face interactions and a more memorable experience for students. They will want to apply because they feel a greater sense of community and belonging.
4. Targeting specific demographics: Social media platforms do offer targeted advertising options and even allow for selected interests, but you may not have the ability to provide the engagement level you desire. May we suggest partnering with notable alumni, social influencers, or advertising in niche publications, to help you reach the exact audience you want.
5. Everyone’s doing it. So, you suffer from overlapping with competition: Social media platforms are saturated with competing higher ed organizations vying for the same target audience: high schoolers and their parents. This leads to a congested advertising space where your message is overlooked or worse – confused with a competitor’s message. To break through that noise, be creative offline… and you never know what positive outcome it could have on your audience (enough they want to share it with their social networks… ahem, did someone say word of mouth?).
Word-of-mouth: Old school (pun intended), but wildly effective.
Word-of-mouth marketing may be considered an old-school approach, but it remains one of the most effective and powerful ways to advertise your organization. When people hear about a product or service directly from someone they trust, it creates a sense of credibility and authenticity that cannot be easily replicated through other means. The same holds true in the education arena – think Tom Brady. If you’re a high school football player and raging fan of his, you likely know he went to University of Michigan. Therefore, that might be your aspiration – to follow in his foot-ball-field-steps attend U of M yourself.
Here are some unconventional ways to utilize word-of-mouth marketing:
1. Influencer Partnerships: The ultimate digital word of mouth (which is essentially all that social media is, anyway). Collaborating with influencers or micro-influencers who align with your school’s values will deliver a brilliant organic message direct to your target audience. (No one needs to know if there was monetary exchange unless the contract specifies). Many individuals have a strong online presence and a loyal following who trust their recommendations. By partnering with influencers, you can leverage their influence and have them speak positively about you, helping to generate buzz, increase brand awareness, and drive interest to your organization.
2. User-generated Content: Encourage your existing students, parents, faculty as well as alum to create and share content related to your school’s mission, purpose, agenda, or even anecdotal material or events. This can be in the form of reviews, testimonials, social media posts, or even creative content like videos or blog posts. By showcasing user-generated content on your website or social media feed (not paid adverts), you not only promote your brand but also demonstrate social proof and authenticity. People are more likely to trust the opinions and experiences of real people within the organization’s community.
3. Community Engagement: Get involved in local communities and events that align with your principles and values. Sponsor or host community events, charities, or local initiatives. This shows your commitment to the community and helps build a positive reputation. When people see you actively participating and contributing, they are more likely to talk about it and praise it. Here’s an example of a unique event that would attract crowds as well as reporters: Paint a Plate for Michigan State – proceeds go to the Sandy Hook Promise charity.
Word-of-mouth marketing may be considered an outdated approach, but when we think about the social viral opportunities, it still holds a significant impact in driving brand awareness. By implementing unconventional tactics like influencer partnerships, referral programs, user-generated content, community engagement, and brand advocacy, you can harness the power of word-of-mouth to amplify your reach and more importantly, your reputation.
Off the beaten path
We live in a world where the first thing we do in the morning is roll over and check our phones for notifications. Social media is the vehicle that doesn’t force us to leave our homes to get information, and with its dominance, it’s easy to overlook the power of unconventional advertising methods. But now that people feel freer to get outside and be active, there are tons of unconventional methods can help you stand out from the competition, reach new audiences, and create a memorable experience for potential customers. Here are some off the beaten path advertising methods to consider:
1. Guerilla marketing: Guerilla marketing involves creating completely unorthodox and attention-grabbing campaigns that surprise and delight. It can involve creative street art, flash mobs, or interactive installations. Guerilla marketing not only captures attention but also generates buzz, word-of-mouth, viral marketing.
2. Ambient advertising: Ambient advertising takes advantage of non-traditional spaces and unexpected surfaces, such as escalator steps, park benches, and objects like coffee cups, backpacks, or shopping carts. Ambient advertising blends so seamlessly with the environment, it captures the attention of passersby in subliminally unexpected ways.
3. Experiential marketing: Creating an immersive experience that allows your audience to interact with your brand is a much more exciting and rewarding form of advertising. This can include hosting pop-up events, organizing interactive workshops or demonstrations, or sponsoring unique experiences that align with your school’s values. By creating memorable experiences, you can forge a deeper connection with potential students and their families.
4. Outdoor advertising: While traditional billboards and signage may seem boring, these outdoor spaces still garner potentially thousands (or even millions) of eyeballs every day. Have some fun with your educational organization’s creative and advertise on a highway billboard, the side of a building, on a public transportation system, or even with a vehicle wrap. These unconventional spaces capture attention and create a lasting impression.
5. Publication advertising: Most newspapers and magazines have survived the internet age by moving their articles online, however, you’d be surprised how many publications still print and deliver paper versions to loyal subscribers. If you do your homework and identify the outlet that fits best with your organization’s budget, demographic, and lifestyle… you could find yourself front and center with a captive audience interested in learning more about your school and its offerings.
Blast your logo everywhere… literally.
Another advertising method that can make a strong visual impact is putting your logo everywhere. And by everywhere, we mean literally everywhere you can think. The idea here is to find unique and unexpected places to display your logo, ensuring it catches peoples’ attention in a memorable way.
Here are a few creative ideas to consider:
1. Customized merchandise: Instead of simply handing out business cards or flyers, take it a step further by creating customized merchandise with your logo. This could include items like branded t-shirts, tote bags, water bottles, or even phone cases. Distribute these items at events, shows, or use them as giveaways on social media. When people use or wear your merchandise, your logo will be visible to others, obviously creating brand exposure.
2. Street art collaborations: This idea might be the best non-social media advertising opportunity in this entire article! By partnering with local artists or street art collectives, you are inspiring courses by painting eye-catching murals or installations that prominently feature your logo (yet let the art speak for itself). Find public spaces or buildings where you can legally create these artworks, ensuring they align with your brand tone. Street art has a way of capturing attention and generating social media buzz, so this really is a powerful advertising tool.
3. Sponsorship of public spaces: Explore opportunities to sponsor public spaces or local landmarks that are relevant to your brand or target audience. For example, you could sponsor a park bench, a bus shelter, a public art installation, or even a stadium, monument, or building. These sponsorships involve displaying your logo of course, but typically also your brand message, on the sponsored space, ensuring visibility to a wide range of people.
Advertising Dollars
Colleges and universities spend between $429 and $623 per enrolled student, per year, on marketing. Among the biggest players are online giants including the nonprofit Southern New Hampshire University, which tax documents show spent $144 million on advertising and promotion in 2019. Nonprofit Western Governors University spent $127 million that year. The University of Maryland Global Campus announced in 2019 that it would spend $500 million on marketing over the following six years, half of that is on digital advertising.
But other private nonprofits, including some that are highly selective, are also channeling tens of millions into advertising. Johns Hopkins reported spending $29.6 million in one year; New York University, $28.5 million; the University of Pennsylvania, $25.7 million; Northwestern, $25.6 million; the University of Miami, $23.2 million; Columbia, $13.2 million; Boston University, $12.7 million; Georgetown, $11.6 million; and Stanford, $10.3 million.
Whether you are a small, private college or a Big Ten university, you can take the spotlight in sans socialadvertising to your niche audience if you create a solid strategy, put creative minds to work, and craft a clever budget.