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GPRS Higher Education Marketing Agency

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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | September 29th, 2022

Leveraging storytelling to enhance your school’s digital online presence

Leveraging storytelling to enhance your school’s digital online presenceLately, it may seem as if the term “storytelling” is everywhere. Influencers are using it to showcase their glamorous lives while selling products, and brands are using it to create a connection with potential customers. So how can your school make the most of this marketing tactic to boost your content’s value?

In a recent blog post, we discussed using your school’s blog to tell your story and increase traffic. Here, we’ll dive into why storytelling is relevant in higher education and different ways to use it (beyond your blog) to highlight your school’s key differentiators.

Defining storytelling

Storytelling in marketing quite simply means developing a deeper connection with your audience. A recent Forbes article outlines three reasons that marketers should prioritize storytelling:

  • Stories unite humans through authenticity and relatability.
  • Storytelling is a powerful tool that enables brands to teach and prospects to learn through shared experiences.
  • Stories can cut through the clutter and engage consumers in a fragmented world.

When you are considering utilizing this method, you can think of it as using stories to help prospects see themselves at your school while connecting their personal and professional journey to your program’s offerings.

Who can be a storyteller?

When creating your strategy, be sure to select the right representatives of your brand so they can accurately convey your key messages. Although anyone can be a storyteller, it’s important to lean on your marketing and admissions department to identify what stories need to be told and by whom. Your greatest impact can be found with authentic, original content that conveys realistic perspectives and often vulnerability.

Here are a few methods to incorporate storytelling into your marketing strategy:

  • Student stories – these can either be formal write-ups or pieces of content created directly by students discussing what it’s like to participate in classes and clubs and be part of your school’s community.
  • Faculty stories – these can chronicle a class project, discuss recent research or highlight a philanthropic venture.
  • Alumni stories – these can showcase success stories as told by alumni themselves.
  • Other content creators – try tapping your admissions or marketing team members to create stories as they are likely in tune with what prospects are looking for.

How to showcase your stories

Regardless of what story you’re telling, or who you’re using to communicate your key messages, there are multiple ways to showcase your final product. You can post them on your website, utilize them in social media or include them on your blog. You can also include snippets in email campaigns and marketing materials. Additionally, don’t forget about the value of video storytelling for its emotional connection and relatability.

If you need help determining how to create rich content and utilize stories to enhance your school’s online presence, GPRS can help. We have worked with over 60 graduate schools and have insights into program branding and how competitive schools are using digital advertising to position themselves in the market. Contact us today to start the conversation.

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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Techteam | September 27th, 2022

The University of Washington pulled in high quality leads in one month

Challenge

The Foster School of Business at the University of Washington aimed to improve and maintain a steady flow of high-quality leads in its Executive MBA enrollment funnel. These candidates are highly motivated to pursue an MBA, increasing their likelihood to enroll and matriculate. Boosting the percentage of such candidates in the funnel enhances the program’s chances of meeting or exceeding its enrollment targets.

Solution

To attract these high-quality leads, we moved beyond traditional media channels and leveraged LinkedIn’s InMail feature. This allowed us to engage professionals in the Seattle metropolitan area who matched the demographics and experience of a typical Foster EMBA student. Our creative team emphasized the program’s focus on innovation, appealing to candidates interested in growth and development. The call-to-action directly invited prospects to learn more about the Foster EMBA program.

Results

The LinkedIn InMail campaign delivered immediate results:

  • 325 qualified leads generated in one month.
  • 54% open rate, significantly above the 20% average for traditional email campaigns.
  • $54 cost per lead (CPL), far below the $200 industry benchmark for higher education.

This targeted approach not only brought in a high volume of interested candidates but also did so with exceptional cost-efficiency.

University of Washington


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Qualified leads generated in one month

$0

Cost per lead

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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | September 15th, 2022

What do updated search algorithms mean for your school’s content?

What do updated search algorithms mean for your school's content?What impact do Google search algorithm updates have on your school’s online presence? The answer is, “it depends” on how unique, credible and relevant your existing content is and how you plan to enhance it in the near future. Recently, Google announced that it would be launching a search algorithms update, enabling people to find high-quality content. The Google Helpful Content Update will include new ranking improvements that aim to reduce low-quality, duplicate or unoriginal content presented in search engine results pages (SERPs) and give users more credible and original information. It also aims to focus on “people-first” content and encourage content creators to put more time and effort into creating usable content for their customers.

In a recent blog, we discussed how content marketing can create a robust online experience for your school. Content formats include your website, SEO, email marketing, social posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, blogs, online panel discussions, and webinars, to name a few.

These elements all work together to showcase your school and reinforce your value proposition in order to engage prospects who are in the searching phase of their journey. Carefully created and curated content can collect leads and guide them through the funnel toward becoming seated students.

The rewards of creating content

Creating content is hard work – it takes marketing dollars and time for people to create. But if it’s done right, your content can then turn around and do work for you. It’s almost as if you’re creating a machine (content) and then automating it to go out into the world and find your next class. And many types of content marketing can actually be less expensive (in the long run) than paid digital advertising because it doesn’t need to be refreshed or monitored as often. Once it’s created, the momentum builds as it gains more and more viewers and enhances your site with rich SEO gains.

How search algorithms work

This brings us to how the Google search algorithms affect your school. Every time Google updates its algorithm (which can be quite often), it is in the interest of the user. Google wants its searchers to be rewarded with what they are seeking quickly and accurately. This most recent update aims to connect users with sites that have deep, relevant content. Content that is unique and not duplicated anywhere else. Therefore, if your school’s site is short, to the point, and favors bullet points, you’re going to lose out. If your site includes editorial content that goes deep into a topic, original storytelling pieces, and a rich media experience, you’re in luck.

How does this change how you create content? Here are a few tips:

  1. Ensure your content is unique to your school and originally created
  2. Gather credible facts that can be specifically associated with your school’s programs
  3. Include compelling storytelling elements that are tied to search termsv
  4. Include a variety of content types

So, how do you optimize search?

It’s impossible for a marketing or admissions professional to keep up with Google’s continuously shifting algorithms and digital marketing trends. It can help to partner with a specialized digital marketing firm that understands the intricacies of content marketing and tracks trends to ensure your strategy is up to date and performing at its maximum capacity.

If you need help determining how to create rich content for your school’s online presence, GPRS can help. We have worked with over 150 graduate programs and have insights into content and SEO best practices, and how competitive schools are using these tools to position themselves in the market. Contact us today to start the conversation.

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ABOUT GPRS

For over two decades, GPRS has been a trusted higher education marketing agency, offering custom solutions to institutions of all sizes and degree types. Admissions directors, marketing directors, deans, and presidents rely on GPRS to provide a depth of services, including strategy, lead generation, digital marketing, nurture communications, recruiting, and analytics.

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