Latest / Higher Ed Marketing Insider / Social SEO, Grad Enrollment, and CMS Strategy Updates - Higher Education Marketing Trends May 1, 2025

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Social SEO, Grad Enrollment, and CMS Strategy Updates - Higher Education Marketing Trends May 1, 2025 · Higher Ed Marketing Insider

• 0:00
  Jack: Welcome everyone.
• 0:01
  Jack: We're focusing today on something critical for all of us in higher education, marketing, navigating 2025.
• 0:07
  Jack: It feels like staying relevant is, uh, more challenging than ever.
• 0:12
  Jill: It really is.
• 0:13
  Jill: It's not just about keeping pace anymore, is it?
• 0:15
  Jill: It's about getting ahead.
• 0:16
  Jack: Exactly.
• 0:16
  Jack: So our goal today is to pull out the key insights, the actionable strategies you can actually use.
• 0:22
  Jack: Based on some recent expert analysis,
• 0:24
  Jill: right?
• 0:24
  Jill: We've looked at quite a bit.
• 0:25
  Jill: Social media, playbooks, uh, strategic analysis on enrollment, website guidance, even creative advertising ideas, and industry roundups.
• 0:34
  Jack: So a real mix.
• 0:35
  Jill: Yeah.
• 0:35
  Jill: The idea is to synthesize it all, make it digestible and highlight what really matters for marketers like you right now.
• 0:41
  Jill: Okay, great.
• 0:42
  Jack: Let's start with, well, the big one.
• 0:44
  Jack: Social media.
• 0:45
  Jack: Mm.
• 0:45
  Jack: It feels like the ground rules change almost daily when it comes to student recruitment.
• 0:50
  Jill: Oh, absolutely.
• 0:51
  Jill: And the biggest thing is how prospective students, especially Gen Z, are using these platforms now.
• 0:57
  Jack: It's different, isn't it?
• 0:58
  Jill: Completely, yeah.
• 0:58
  Jill: Think about TikTok Instagram.
• 1:00
  Jill: They aren't just for, you know, watching funny videos anymore.
• 1:03
  Jill: They're functioning like search engines.
• 1:05
  Jill: Search
• 1:05
  Jack: engines.
• 1:06
  Jack: Really?
• 1:06
  Jill: Yes, for quick info for exploring options, getting a feel for a place.
• 1:12
  Jill: It means fundamentally having a solid social media presence isn't optional.
• 1:17
  Jill: It's baseline,
• 1:18
  Jack: so just being there isn't enough.
• 1:20
  Jack: We need actual strategies for each platform.
• 1:23
  Jill: Precisely.
• 1:23
  Jill: You can't just copy paste.
• 1:24
  Jill: Instagram, for example, is all about the visuals, right?
• 1:27
  Jill: Storytelling through images, promoting events with reels, showing the real student experience.
• 1:33
  Jill: Okay.
• 1:33
  Jill: Then TikTok, that's your spot for short, snappy, maybe Fun, informative content.
• 1:39
  Jill: Great for just getting your name out there with younger crowds
• 1:41
  Jack: and YouTube.
• 1:42
  Jack: Still relevant
• 1:43
  Jill: definitely, but more for longer stuff.
• 1:45
  Jill: Think student testimonials, virtual tours.
• 1:47
  Jill: John Cavitt University does some really effective virtual tours, actually.
• 1:50
  Jill: Right.
• 1:51
  Jill: Educational content too.
• 1:52
  Jill: Right.
• 1:53
  Jill: And don't forget, Facebook's still important for connecting with parents, alumni, the local community and LinkedIn.
• 1:58
  Jill: That's key for professional cred, uh, academic reputation and reaching parents or maybe graduate prospects.
• 2:04
  Jill: Mm-hmm.
• 2:05
  Jill: University of Connecticut uses it well for highlighting alumni achievements.
• 2:08
  Jack: It really feels like short form video is dominating the conversation lately.
• 2:13
  Jack: TikTok reels.
• 2:15
  Jack: What's the magic there?
• 2:16
  Jill: Well, it's how those algorithms work, isn't it?
• 2:19
  Jill: They're incredibly good at serving up relevant, entertaining stuff really quickly.
• 2:22
  Jill: It feels less curated, more like discovery,
• 2:24
  Jack: which fits how students explore colleges initially.
• 2:27
  Jill: Exactly.
• 2:27
  Jill: They're exploring.
• 2:28
  Jill: So, uh, the content needs to reflect that.
• 2:31
  Jill: Less polish, maybe more raw, authentic glimpses.
• 2:35
  Jill: Think quick under a minute.
• 2:36
  Jill: Vlogs from students.
• 2:37
  Jill: A professor explaining something cool.
• 2:39
  Jack: Stuff that stops the scroll
• 2:40
  Jill: that freezes the thumb.
• 2:41
  Jill: Yeah.
• 2:42
  Jill: That immediate connection
• 2:43
  Jack: and that ties into user generated content or UGC, which the research really highlights.
• 2:48
  Jack: Oh,
• 2:48
  Jill: massively.
• 2:49
  Jill: UGC has this, uh, authenticity advantage content from your actual students, faculty, alumni.
• 2:56
  Jill: Yeah.
• 2:56
  Jill: It just builds trust in a way.
• 2:58
  Jill: Polished marketing.
• 2:59
  Jill: Can't
• 2:59
  Jack: people trust people?
• 3:00
  Jill: Right.
• 3:00
  Jill: The stats bear it out.
• 3:01
  Jill: Something like 84% of consumers trust UGC over ads.
• 3:04
  Jill: So you need ways to encourage it.
• 3:06
  Jack: Like what, how do you get that content?
• 3:07
  Jill: Yeah.
• 3:07
  Jill: Find your existing fans, your student ambassadors.
• 3:10
  Jill: Create ways.
• 3:12
  Jill: For people to participate.
• 3:13
  Jill: Maybe a simple hashtag campaign like, you know, hashtag my first date, your school or something.
• 3:18
  Jill: Okay.
• 3:19
  Jill: Make sure you feature diverse voices.
• 3:22
  Jill: Give some gentle guidance, maybe themes, but don't stifle them.
• 3:26
  Jill: And always, always amplify the creators.
• 3:28
  Jill: Harvey Mud College had a, a great student feature on TikTok that really nailed this.
• 3:33
  Jack: So it's about community.
• 3:34
  Jack: Yeah.
• 3:34
  Jack: Letting their voices shine.
• 3:36
  Jack: Now, you mentioned something interesting earlier.
• 3:38
  Jack: Social, SEO.
• 3:39
  Jack: What exactly is that?
• 3:41
  Jill: Yeah, it's basically applying SEO thinking like you do for Google, but inside the social platforms themselves.
• 3:46
  Jack: So optimizing for searches within TikTok or Instagram?
• 3:49
  Jill: Exactly.
• 3:50
  Jill: What terms are students actually typing into the search bar on those apps?
• 3:53
  Jill: When looking for college info, that's what you optimize for.
• 3:56
  Jack: How do you do that?
• 3:56
  Jill: Key things.
• 3:57
  Jill: Optimize your profile descriptions with keywords.
• 4:00
  Jill: Keep branding consistent.
• 4:01
  Jill: Create content that answers common questions.
• 4:04
  Jill: Student faculty ratio, housing options, you know, right?
• 4:07
  Jill: Use strategic hashtags and keywords in your posts and captions, geotag your posts for local reach and post consistently, so you're always showing up.
• 4:15
  Jill: Randolph Macon College does a good job with catchy headlines and hashtags for their sports teams, for instance.
• 4:21
  Jack: So being discoverable within the platforms world.
• 4:24
  Jill: Hmm.
• 4:25
  Jack: And you stressed platform specific strategies earlier.
• 4:28
  Jill: Absolutely critical.
• 4:29
  Jill: You can't treat them the same.
• 4:30
  Jill: Yeah.
• 4:30
  Jill: Facebook think events.
• 4:32
  Jill: Targeted ads for specific groups like parents, community group engagement, maybe longer content pieces.
• 4:38
  Jill: Okay.
• 4:38
  Jill: Instagram, right.
• 4:40
  Jill: High quality photos are still king.
• 4:41
  Jill: Stories reels.
• 4:43
  Jill: Organizing content into highlights.
• 4:45
  Jill: Uhhuh, TikTok.
• 4:46
  Jill: Needs that authentic feel.
• 4:47
  Jill: Jumping on trends, maybe featuring charismatic students or staff.
• 4:51
  Jill: Mm-hmm.
• 4:51
  Jill: Using their built-in tools, right?
• 4:53
  Jill: YouTube structured playlists, work well, mix long form, and shorts, definitely keyword optimization.
• 4:58
  Jill: Use cards and end screens.
• 5:00
  Jill: Maybe live q and as and LinkedIn.
• 5:01
  Jill: LinkedIn is more professional, obviously.
• 5:03
  Jill: Thought leadership from faculty alumni success stories showing career paths, research highlights, engaging in industry conversations.
• 5:10
  Jack: Okay.
• 5:11
  Jack: That's a lot to Mandy.
• 5:11
  Jack: What about making it more interactive?
• 5:13
  Jack: I saw mentions of gamification.
• 5:15
  Jill: Yeah.
• 5:15
  Jill: Gamification can be a great way to boost engagement, make it fun.
• 5:18
  Jill: Think Instagram story quizzes about campus facts or TikTok Challenges.
• 5:23
  Jill: Encouraging participation
• 5:24
  Jack: like a digital scavenger, huh?
• 5:25
  Jill: Exactly.
• 5:26
  Jill: Or maybe.
• 5:27
  Jill: Choose your own adventure style content, exploring campus life, trivia contests, things that get people clicking and interacting
• 5:35
  Jack: beyond the platform tactics.
• 5:36
  Jack: What about bigger cultural trends?
• 5:38
  Jack: Should we be tapping into those?
• 5:39
  Jill: Definitely.
• 5:40
  Jill: If your institution has history, nostalgia, marketing can work wonders, throwback photos, alumni memories, that resonates.
• 5:47
  Jill: Mm-hmm.
• 5:48
  Jill: Also, showcasing values and social impact is huge.
• 5:52
  Jill: Now.
• 5:52
  Jill: Sustainability efforts, community service.
• 5:55
  Jill: Students care about that
• 5:56
  Jack: and wellness.
• 5:57
  Jill: Absolutely.
• 5:58
  Jill: Talking openly about mental health resources, sharing students' stories about wellbeing, it's crucial.
• 6:03
  Jill: The University of Illinois, for example, is quite proactive in messaging their mental health support.
• 6:08
  Jack: With all this activity, how do we track.
• 6:10
  Jack: What's actually working?
• 6:12
  Jack: We need to be data driven,
• 6:13
  Jill: right?
• 6:14
  Jill: Completely.
• 6:15
  Jill: You have to monitor your metrics.
• 6:17
  Jill: What content gets engagement, what drives clicks to your website, what actually leads to say an application start.
• 6:24
  Jack: So tracking all the way through.
• 6:26
  Jill: Yes.
• 6:26
  Jill: And AB testing helps try different formats, messages, timing, stay on top of algorithm changes.
• 6:32
  Jill: They happen.
• 6:33
  Jill: Focus on quality engagement, not just likes
• 6:36
  Jack: and new features.
• 6:37
  Jill: Jump on them early if they make sense for you and explore AI tools that can help with analysis or even content ideas, but you know, keep that human oversight.
• 6:46
  Jack: Ultimately, this social effort needs to connect back to goals like website traffic and conversions, right?
• 6:51
  Jack: How do we make that link strong?
• 6:52
  Jill: Okay.
• 6:53
  Jill: Key things here.
• 6:54
  Jill: Optimize your profiles with clear trackable links.
• 6:57
  Jill: Use those link in bio tools effectively.
• 6:59
  Jack: Got it.
• 6:59
  Jill: Have strong calls to action in your posts.
• 7:01
  Jill: Learn more.
• 7:02
  Jill: Apply now.
• 7:02
  Jill: Register here.
• 7:03
  Jill: Use UTM parameters on your links
• 7:05
  Jack: ah, UTMs, so you can see exactly where traffic came from in your analytics,
• 7:09
  Jill: exactly which platform, which campaign, even which specific posts drove that visitor conversion.
• 7:14
  Jill: Invaluable data.
• 7:16
  Jill: Then put some ad budget behind your best performing organic posts to amplify them and make sure your social strategy and your search strategy are talking to each other.
• 7:25
  Jill: Align for a smooth user journey.
• 7:27
  Jack: That's a fantastic breakdown in the social landscape.
• 7:30
  Jack: Let's shift gears now to graduate enrollment.
• 7:32
  Jack: Things seem particularly complex there, especially with policy changes.
• 7:36
  Jill: They really are.
• 7:37
  Jill: For institutions relying heavily on international students or federal grants, there's definite uncertainty.
• 7:43
  Jill: We're seeing potential impacts from, uh, shifting immigration policies, things like travel restrictions, potential changes to H one B visas, or OPT optional
• 7:52
  Jack: practical training, right?
• 7:53
  Jill: Yes.
• 7:53
  Jill: And even tightening research funding, these create real challenges for graduate programs.
• 7:57
  Jack: So what's the strategic response?
• 7:59
  Jack: What should leaders be doing?
• 8:00
  Jill: Well, the analysis points to three main actions.
• 8:03
  Jill: First scenario planning is crucial.
• 8:06
  Jack: Thinking through the what ifs.
• 8:07
  Jill: Exactly.
• 8:08
  Jill: What if international enrollment drops by x percent?
• 8:11
  Jill: How does that affect staffing, research budgets?
• 8:13
  Jill: You need contingency plans.
• 8:15
  Jack: Okay, that makes sense.
• 8:15
  Jack: What else?
• 8:16
  Jill: Second, A deliberate reprioritization of domestic enrollment growth.
• 8:21
  Jill: This isn't just hoping for more domestic students, it's quantifying the lead volume needed and actively building that pipeline.
• 8:28
  Jack: A proactive shift.
• 8:29
  Jill: Yes.
• 8:30
  Jill: And third, understanding the cost of not acting.
• 8:34
  Jill: There's data like from EAB, showing institutions that invested strategically during past downturns actually saw.
• 8:40
  Jill: Better enrollment than those who pulled back.
• 8:42
  Jill: Inaction has a price,
• 8:44
  Jack: so be proactive.
• 8:45
  Jack: Focus domestically where needed, and don't be afraid to invest strategically, even in uncertain times.
• 8:51
  Jack: Got it.
• 8:52
  Jack: Let's move to another Cornerstone, the university website.
• 8:54
  Jack: A redesign is a huge undertaking.
• 8:56
  Jill: Huge, and it's so much more than just making it look prettier.
• 8:59
  Jill: One piece that often gets underestimated is the content management system, the CMS, the
• 9:03
  Jack: backend system,
• 9:04
  Jill: right?
• 9:04
  Jill: The CMS dictates how the website actually works, how easy it is for your team to manage content long-term.
• 9:09
  Jill: It's fundamental, not just technical detail.
• 9:12
  Jack: So what are the key decisions around the CMS during a redesign?
• 9:15
  Jill: Four big ones.
• 9:16
  Jill: Stand out first, choosing your design and strategy partner.
• 9:20
  Jill: You have to ensure they understand your CMS or systems like it.
• 9:23
  Jack: Why is that so critical?
• 9:24
  Jill: Because their design needs to work with the CMS.
• 9:26
  Jill: Can they support modular content?
• 9:29
  Jill: Create templates your editors can actually use easily.
• 9:31
  Jill: Do they get your content strategy?
• 9:33
  Jill: If not, you end up with the design.
• 9:35
  Jill: The CMS can't properly support.
• 9:37
  Jill: Big problems later.
• 9:39
  Jack: Okay, so partner selection is tied to the tech.
• 9:42
  Jack: What's second?
• 9:42
  Jill: Defining your design and content strategy with the CMS in mind.
• 9:46
  Jill: Ask, can the CMS actually deliver what we need?
• 9:50
  Jill: Can it handle reusable content blocks, complex permissions for different departments, personalization for different audiences.
• 9:57
  Jill: So
• 9:58
  Jack: aligning strategy and functionality early
• 10:00
  Jill: crucial.
• 10:01
  Jill: You need to know if it supports structured versus unstructured content.
• 10:05
  Jill: Well shared content, maybe multilingual needs, personalization features your governance model all before you commit.
• 10:12
  Jack: Makes sense.
• 10:12
  Jack: What's the third critical decision
• 10:14
  Jill: selecting the right CMS platform?
• 10:16
  Jill: View it as a strategic investment.
• 10:18
  Jill: Does it empower your content creators support your goals?
• 10:21
  Jack: What happens if it's the wrong fit?
• 10:22
  Jill: Frustrated editors, content, bottlenecks in flexibility, technical debt.
• 10:26
  Jill: It really hampers you.
• 10:28
  Jill: So ask, is it intuitive for non-tech users?
• 10:31
  Jill: Does it guide contributors in, integrate with other systems?
• 10:35
  Jill: Is it scalable?
• 10:36
  Jill: What's the support like?
• 10:37
  Jack: And the fourth decision,
• 10:38
  Jill: thoughtful implementation.
• 10:40
  Jill: A great CMS set up poorly is still well poor.
• 10:44
  Jill: How are content types defined?
• 10:45
  Jill: How our templates built?
• 10:47
  Jill: Permission set a smart implementation connect, strategy, design, and tech.
• 10:52
  Jack: Enabling things like content sharing and personalization.
• 10:54
  Jill: Exactly.
• 10:55
  Jill: Think about editor autonomy, built in accessibility and SEO tools, maybe AI features, personalization, support, multi-site publishing if you need it.
• 11:04
  Jill: The bottom line is bring the CMS into the resigned conversation early.
• 11:07
  Jill: Treat it like a strategic partner.
• 11:09
  Jack: That's a really important perspective.
• 11:10
  Jack: It's not just plumbing, it's foundational.
• 11:12
  Jack: Okay.
• 11:13
  Jack: Shifting again, let's talk advertising.
• 11:15
  Jack: The analysis suggests higher ed ads can be.
• 11:17
  Jack: A bit generic.
• 11:18
  Jill: Yeah, that's putting it mildly.
• 11:19
  Jill: Sometimes you see a lot of the same formula, right?
• 11:21
  Jill: Logo ranking, nice campus shot, the.edu, link,
• 11:25
  Jack: the standard playbook,
• 11:26
  Jill: right?
• 11:27
  Jill: And in a crowded space that often just blends in, it doesn't grab attention.
• 11:31
  Jill: The push is for higher ed creative to evolve to be more like strong consumer brand's.
• 11:38
  Jill: Attention grabbing may be more emotional and directly relevant to the audience.
• 11:42
  Jack: So what specifically isn't working with that traditional approach?
• 11:45
  Jill: Well, the generic feel leads to brand confusion.
• 11:49
  Jill: Whose ad was that again?
• 11:50
  Jill: And often the messaging is focused inward on what the institution is proud of.
• 11:55
  Jill: Like a ranking
• 11:56
  Jack: instead of what the student actually cares about.
• 11:58
  Jill: Exactly.
• 11:58
  Jill: Students are worried about careers paying for college, fitting in.
• 12:02
  Jill: Ads need to speak to those concerns, not just internal priorities.
• 12:05
  Jack: So what does work then?
• 12:07
  Jack: What makes an ad effective today?
• 12:09
  Jill: Ads that hit specific motivations or pain points using copy that resonates, that feels authentic.
• 12:15
  Jill: Making sure the ad feels native to the platform.
• 12:17
  Jill: It's on
• 12:18
  Jack: native, meaning it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb is an ad
• 12:21
  Jill: precisely, and aligning the message tightly with the campaign goal.
• 12:25
  Jill: If you're targeting first gen students, maybe focus on affordability and job outcomes.
• 12:29
  Jill: It's about tailoring
• 12:30
  Jack: and tailoring for different audiences too, right?
• 12:31
  Jack: Like adult learners versus high schoolers.
• 12:33
  Jill: Absolutely.
• 12:34
  Jill: Their needs questions and where you reach them are totally different.
• 12:38
  Jill: I.
• 12:38
  Jill: The creative has to reflect that.
• 12:39
  Jack: The sources also mentioned designing for the specific media channel.
• 12:43
  Jack: Can you expand on that?
• 12:44
  Jill: Yeah.
• 12:45
  Jill: This is critical.
• 12:46
  Jill: A billboard needs bold visuals, minimal text, glanceable info.
• 12:50
  Jack: Okay.
• 12:51
  Jill: Social media ads, like on TikTok or Instagram should feel more organic, maybe story-driven, fitting into the feed.
• 12:58
  Jill: Streaming TV ads, you've got maybe 30 seconds, so they need to be engaging quickly, tell a concise story.
• 13:04
  Jack: So no more one size fits all creative.
• 13:05
  Jill: Definitely not.
• 13:06
  Jill: It just doesn't work effectively anymore.
• 13:08
  Jack: How can we take a hard look at our own ads?
• 13:10
  Jack: What questions should we ask?
• 13:12
  Jill: Good question.
• 13:13
  Jill: Audit your creative Ask.
• 13:15
  Jill: If we took the logo off, would anyone know it's us?
• 13:18
  Jill: What's the one main goal of this ad?
• 13:20
  Jill: Does the creative actually support that goal?
• 13:22
  Jill: Is this the right platform for that goal and audience?
• 13:24
  Jill: And the big one is this message about us, or is it really addressing the audience's needs?
• 13:30
  Jack: Those are tough but necessary questions.
• 13:32
  Jack: What's the foundation for getting this right?
• 13:35
  Jill: It always comes back to truly understanding your audience deeply.
• 13:39
  Jill: Surveys, focus groups, digging into your enrollment data to build real personas,
• 13:44
  Jack: because relevance is key.
• 13:45
  Jill: It's everything relevant.
• 13:47
  Jill: Personalized, creative is what cuts through the noise, captures attention, and ultimately drives the results you need.
• 13:53
  Jack: Okay.
• 13:53
  Jack: We've covered a lot of ground social grad enrollment, websites, ads.
• 13:58
  Jack: What are some of the common threads or big takeaways are merging across these different analyses for 2025?
• 14:05
  Jill: Well, five common themes keep popping up.
• 14:07
  Jill: First, know your audience seems obvious, but it's fundamental.
• 14:10
  Jill: Second, use social media smartly, strategically,
• 14:12
  Jack: not just posting for posting sake.
• 14:14
  Jill: Right?
• 14:15
  Jill: Third, invest in your website strategy and SEO, their core assets.
• 14:18
  Jill: Fourth, personalize your outreach using data.
• 14:21
  Jill: And fifth.
• 14:22
  Jill: Teamwork, marketing isn't working in a silo anymore.
• 14:25
  Jack: Those sound like solid, widely accepted principles.
• 14:28
  Jack: Were there any more, uh, controversial ideas floating around things that challenged the status quo?
• 14:34
  Jill: Oh yeah, definitely.
• 14:35
  Jill: Some more provocative points emerged.
• 14:37
  Jill: One is that traditional marketing approaches are basically failing higher ed now,
• 14:41
  Jack: failing strong word.
• 14:42
  Jack: It
• 14:43
  Jill: is another is that universities need to think more like businesses in their marketing and operations.
• 14:48
  Jill: Also, the idea that social media should be used more for learning and connection, not just promotion.
• 14:53
  Jill: Interesting.
• 14:54
  Jill: Two more questioning whether outsourcing your core strategy is always the best move and a strong argument that SEO should be the absolute top priority.
• 15:02
  Jill: Maybe even overpaid advertising in some cases.
• 15:05
  Jack: Wow.
• 15:05
  Jack: Okay.
• 15:06
  Jack: Those definitely challenge conventional thinking.
• 15:08
  Jill: Yeah.
• 15:08
  Jack: Can we quickly synthesize some key points?
• 15:11
  Jack: From the various sources mentioned in the roundup, like the social media playbook.
• 15:15
  Jill: Sure.
• 15:16
  Jill: The playbook emphasized careful planning, knowing the audience, again, active listening and testing content, relentlessly
• 15:23
  Jack: graduate enrollment strategies.
• 15:24
  Jill: Key points there were strengthening employer partnerships, diversifying recruitment beyond traditional pools, using tech to expand access, and as we discussed, planning strategically against policy shifts,
• 15:36
  Jack: website redesign, guidance.
• 15:38
  Jill: That stress CMS strategy, being critical, using audience insights to drive design and testing early and often,
• 15:45
  Jack: and SEO.
• 15:47
  Jack: Particularly for online program managers or OPMs,
• 15:51
  Jill: the focus there was on SEO as a primary driver of growth, the importance of strong content and visibility and using data for optimization.
• 15:58
  Jack: How about capturing student attention?
• 16:00
  Jill: That analysis highlighted meeting students where they are, social media for communication and learning, but always ethically
• 16:07
  Jack: effective ads,
• 16:07
  Jill: understanding the target audience.
• 16:09
  Jill: Using emotion and storytelling, strong visuals, concise messages, pretty much what we just discussed,
• 16:15
  Jack: and insights from partnership campaigns.
• 16:17
  Jack: Like with RNL,
• 16:18
  Jill: those showed that strong partnerships can boost enrollment and that personalization and data are absolutely key to success there.
• 16:25
  Jack: Makes sense.
• 16:26
  Jack: What about maximizing overall enrollment?
• 16:28
  Jack: Potential
• 16:28
  Jill: collaboration across departments, data-driven decisions, leveraging technology effectively and being open to external partnerships were highlighted.
• 16:37
  Jack: LinkedIn boosted posts specifically.
• 16:38
  Jill: Simple takeaways.
• 16:40
  Jill: They increase visibility, allow precise targeting.
• 16:43
  Jill: You need to analyze the results and they can help build thought leadership
• 16:47
  Jack: and the general advice on marketing to today's students.
• 16:49
  Jill: Fundamentally, update your strategies, focus relentlessly on student needs, and learn from what others are doing successfully.
• 16:57
  Jack: So looking across all of that, what are the really big overarching themes for higher ed marketing moving forward?
• 17:03
  Jill: I think it boils down to a few core ideas.
• 17:06
  Jill: Adaptation is non-negotiable.
• 17:08
  Jill: There needs to be a relentless focus on the student experience and student needs.
• 17:13
  Jill: Data has to drive decisions.
• 17:15
  Jill: Digital channels, especially social and web, are absolutely central.
• 17:20
  Jill: But how we use them is evolving fast,
• 17:22
  Jack: which brings us to the need to really modernize our overall marketing approach, doesn't it?
• 17:27
  Jack: Yeah.
• 17:27
  Jack: Relying on old methods just won't cut it anymore.
• 17:29
  Jill: Exactly.
• 17:29
  Jill: Student behavior has changed.
• 17:31
  Jill: AI is transforming the tools we use.
• 17:33
  Jill: Budgets might be tighter.
• 17:35
  Jill: You can't just do what you did five years ago.
• 17:38
  Jack: So what are the key shifts we need to embrace in digital marketing specifically?
• 17:41
  Jack: Let's start with the website.
• 17:42
  Jill: Okay.
• 17:43
  Jill: The website isn't just a brochure anymore.
• 17:44
  Jill: It has to be a dynamic, user-centric experience.
• 17:48
  Jill: That means tight integration of SEO and geotargeting from the ground up.
• 17:52
  Jack: Making it discoverable.
• 17:53
  Jill: Yes.
• 17:54
  Jill: And using it to amplify your brand message consistently.
• 17:57
  Jill: The content needs to align directly with student needs and digital trends.
• 18:01
  Jill: SEO, user journey optimization, brand amplification, content marketing.
• 18:06
  Jill: They're all.
• 18:06
  Jill: Interconnected parts of the website strategy now.
• 18:09
  Jack: And what about paid media?
• 18:11
  Jack: That seems to be changing rapidly too, especially with ai.
• 18:13
  Jill: Huge shifts there.
• 18:15
  Jill: We're moving away from painstaking manual campaign management towards AI driven optimization.
• 18:21
  Jill: Think smart bidding strategies, responsive search ads that adapt automatically using broader match keywords because the AI can handle the targeting nuances better,
• 18:30
  Jack: less granular control, more feeding the machine the right signals.
• 18:34
  Jill: In a way, yes.
• 18:35
  Jill: And campaign consolidation is happening too, with things like Google's Performance Max campaigns that run across multiple channels.
• 18:41
  Jill: The focus shifts to providing strong audience signals and high quality creative assets rather than micromanaging bids and keywords.
• 18:48
  Jack: Amidst all this tech and strategy, what about the brand itself?
• 18:51
  Jack: How important is that?
• 18:52
  Jill: More important than ever in a crowded market, your brand is your differentiator.
• 18:57
  Jill: There's this perception sometimes that higher ed is kind of stuck in the past, right?
• 19:02
  Jill: So.
• 19:03
  Jill: Building a strong brand through compelling storytelling, a consistent presence, making that emotional connection is crucial.
• 19:10
  Jill: It's about balancing the promise you make with the proof you deliver that builds trust and drives enrollment.
• 19:16
  Jack: How do you balance that brand building, which is often long term with performance marketing that needs to drive leads Now.
• 19:22
  Jill: That's the million dollar question, isn't it?
• 19:24
  Jill: There's no single right answer.
• 19:26
  Jill: It depends on your institution's specific goals, but some suggest a split, maybe a 20, 35% focused on brand building activities and 65, 80% on direct performance marketing,
• 19:37
  Jack: but it requires testing.
• 19:38
  Jill: Absolutely you need a testing mentality.
• 19:40
  Jill: Brand marketing is a longer investment, and measuring its direct impact can be trickier, but it lifts everything else you need, both working together.
• 19:47
  Jack: So the final message really seems to be embrace change, rethink strategies, adapt.
• 19:53
  Jill: That's it.
• 19:54
  Jill: Don't be afraid to revisit your website strategy.
• 19:56
  Jill: Shift your media mix, consolidate campaigns.
• 19:59
  Jill: If it makes sense, maybe consider working with external partners or agencies if you need specialized expertise.
• 20:05
  Jack: Because standing still isn't an option.
• 20:08
  Jill: Not anymore.
• 20:09
  Jill: The institutions that will thrive are the ones bold enough to evolve strategically, creatively, and uh, with real purpose.
• 20:17
  Jack: This has been incredibly insightful.
• 20:19
  Jack: It really highlights how dynamic higher education marketing is right now, and the need for a proactive, really student centered and data informed approach.
• 20:28
  Jill: Absolutely.
• 20:29
  Jill: Hopefully listeners can take some of these ideas and reflect on how they apply to their own unique situations and challenges.
• 20:35
  Jack: Definitely food for thought.
• 20:36
  Jack: Maybe encourage everyone listening to revisit some of the original sources we touched on or dig deeper into areas like social, SEO or CMS strategy, if that sparks something.
• 20:46
  Jill: Yeah, there's always more to learn.
• 20:47
  Jill: The landscape will keep evolving, that's for sure.
• 20:49
  Jill: Continuous learning and adaptation are really the name of the game now to connect effectively.
• 20:54
  Jack: A great final thought.
• 20:55
  Jack: Thanks so much for sharing all this today.
• 20:57
  Jill: My pleasure.