Most universities offer an impressive array of services, programs and resources for students. And while that’s a great benefit to students, sometimes the messaging can feel too broad, unfocused or even overwhelming. That’s why honing in on a single degree program that your university excels in can be a successful marketing strategy. Here are several tips for bachelor’s degree marketing and how to effectively communicate about one program or degree to prospective students.
Identify Your Audience
The first step to college degree marketing is to identify your audience. Understand who exactly you are talking to and why they would be interested in the program you’re advertising. This helps you to identify the right messaging and media channels to pursue. As suggested by Parthenon Group, consider segmenting your audience into these six groups to better address their individual needs:
- Aspiring Academics: “Traditional students,” mostly 18-to-24-year-olds with a focus on academics
- Coming of Age : Mostly 18-to-24-year-olds who have yet to decide on what to focus on.
- Career Starters : 8-to-24-year-olds who are using college as a springboard for their future careers.
- Career Accelerators : Older working students looking to advance in their field of work, usually online.
- Industry Switchers : Older students looking to switch fields.
- Academic Wanderers : Those who are getting into college later in life who believe that a degree will open up doors for them.
Market On Social Media
With 84% of 18-29 year olds using social media, it only makes sense to focus your efforts here to get your message out. Some tactics to consider for content could be to feature successful alumni on your social media channels or student and faculty achievements. Another way to reach potential students could be through student social ambassadors—think influencers for your university. These students can reach the exact audience you’re after with fresh, engaging content that gives people a closer look at the degree program you want to highlight.
Create a Highlight Reel
A well-done video can go a long way to get people excited about learning a new skill or promoting the benefits of the degree program and what makes it unique and desirable. The content for the video could feature the technical and academic skills related to the program that will support students throughout their career, the hands-on experience that students get in the program and information about financial aid. This video by Middlesex Community College shows how students can learn a skill and land a good job in less than a year while having access to state-of-the-art machinery.
Design Landing Pages That Convert
Make sure your first impression is a good one. If you’re linking out to a landing page from a social post or ad, make sure that it is just as effective on mobile as it is on desktop, as 1 out of 5 potential students use mobile only to access the Internet. Your landing page should be SEO friendly as well and crafted to answer the questions students may already be asking themselves in order to capture the “warm” visitors who are seeking a program like yours. And don’t forget, the better your landing page, the more time prospective students are likely going to spend on your site.
If you are also looking for ways to execute a marketing campaign for your university, check out our article that discusses 5 Lessons From Successful University Marketing Campaigns. For more university degree marketing tips or ideas on how to market your single degree program, check the work we’ve done for universities in the past. And if you need more inspiration or help, we’re here to help take your brand to the next level, so don’t hesitate to reach out to learn more.