Harnessing AI to Maximize Content Strategy

Standing out in the wildly competitive enrollment marketing sphere requires embracing innovative strategies. One of the most efficient – but sometimes intimidating – cutting-edge tools you can use to attract and retain prospective students through personalized content strategy is artificial intelligence (AI). Harnessing AI to maximize content strategy can be an invaluable asset.

AI tools can analyze astounding amounts of data, identify patterns, optimize online visibility, streamline repetitive tasks, and improve your institution’s brand reputation. If used ethically and creatively, these new technologies can help you craft compelling content, stretch your budget, and reshape your enrollment strategies.

Harnessing AI to Maximize Content Strategy can help your team:

Personalize the Admissions Journey

Personalization plays a crucial role in building trust and engagement during the prospective student journey and increases their likelihood of enrollment. Using AI tools to analyze prospective students’ buying behaviors, preferences, interests, and demographics can help you tailor individual communication strategies, build personalized content experiences, highlight relevant programs and student outcomes, and help guide them through the admissions process from inquiry to enrollment. AI tools can help your team with everything from delivering highly personalized emails and direct mail to building more interactive virtual campus tours tailored to specific student interests. AI-powered content strategy ensures each prospective student’s interaction leaves a lasting impression.

Streamline Content Production

As in-house staff and budgets shrink, the volume of personalized marketing content required to meet and exceed enrollment goals can seem entirely overwhelming. One of the best ways to streamline content production workloads is by using AI to automate repetitive tasks like content ideation and distribution. Many automated content management tools can keep your tasks on track across the team, schedule your content, and track its performance, which can help you analyze your strategy for future efficiency. When these tools take on automated tasks, it allows your team to focus its time and resources on strategic initiatives. When used under strict human oversight, AI can even generate on-brand web copy, social media posts, ads, and promotional materials without sacrificing quality.

Optimize Content for Search Engines

One of the most important parts of any successful enrollment strategy is making sure prospective students find your institution and relevant program information at the top of their internet search results. AI tools offer invaluable assistance in optimizing your materials for search engines through keyword-rich content. It can also analyze search trends and map user behaviors that can help you write content that rises to the top of the search ranks through organic traffic. Automation tools can help you seamlessly integrate search engine optimization best practices into your workflows and ensure your prospective students find what they need to stay engaged. Plus, better search traffic automatically improves the brand reputation of your institution or program.

While AI can drastically enhance efficiency, increase personalization, and decrease your team’s workloads, maintaining human oversight throughout the content creation process is paramount. AI algorithms are only as effective as the data they’re trained on, and the authenticity and sincerity of enrollment marketing content are crucial to your institution’s reputation. Using AI tools, combined with the human touch from your team’s experts, can support a content strategy that resonates with prospective students on a deeper, more personal level, while helping you achieve and exceed your enrollment goals.

As you’re looking for ways to streamline your workflow and maximize your content strategy, GPRS can help you identify the tools and strategies to harness AI to maximize content strategy and stand out in the crowd.

BY Anthony Campisi | June 13th, 2024

Grad School Paid Social Media Strategies and Best Practices

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X:  Stand out in those competitive online spaces using our grad school paid social media strategies and best practices.

Social media platforms have become household names themselves in recent years – and that’s good news for graduate schools looking to reach their target audiences effectively. By leveraging paid ads on various social media channels, graduate schools can build brand awareness and expand their audience in an efficient and cost-effective way.

So, let’s explore some of the top paid social media strategies and best practices for graduate schools like yours so you can leverage social media marketing better.

Know which social media channels to use and when

Not all social media platforms are created equal.

It’s important to know which ones to use and when. For example, Facebook skews towards a slightly older audience compared to newer channels like TikTok, meaning it may be more of an appropriate platform for reaching prospective graduate school students. However, channels like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram can be great for certain types of video content like alumni testimonials and student success story videos, which is something grad schools need to keep in mind too.

Ultimately, it’s very important for grad schools to understand their specific audience, goals, and content strategy first before deciding which channel to advertise on. By having a better grasp of these details, you’ll be able to target your ad budget and content more effectively.

Leverage video content

Social media platforms lend themselves well to video content, including paid and promoted ads.

Video testimonials, success stories, campus tours, staff interviews, and admissions guides are just a few ideas to consider for paid video content on social media. Using them can go a long way towards achieving your goals and hitting your KPIs efficiently.

Use the “three-second rule” for videos

When employing video ads, however, it’s important to keep in mind the “three-second rule” for them. That is, the first three seconds are the most important for capturing and keeping your audience’s attention. Bear this in mind when creating any type of video ads, as they’ll need to be engaging, interesting, and relevant to your target audience within the opening few seconds to be as effective as possible.

Match your ads to marketing funnel stages

One of the many advantages of paid ads on social media is that they can easily be tailored to a specific stage of your marketing funnel.

For example, if your institution is focused on building brand awareness, ads can easily be created to catch users’ attention and promote relevant content to grow your audience. On the other hand, if you’re focused more on conversions, content like admissions guides and video testimonials can also be advertised and promoted. By crafting your content and messaging for specific funnel stages, you can cover all of your bases and employ a number of flexible strategies that can build your brand awareness, incentivize consideration, or boost conversions cost-effectively.

Test and optimize constantly

Finally, always remember to test and optimize.

If an ad campaign fails to deliver, look at the data carefully and adjust your messaging, content, budget, and target audience rather than just thinking that channel doesn’t work for you. Gleaning insights from your data and optimizing your ad campaigns as you go along is a great way to both get the best bang for your buck when it comes to your budget and hit your marketing goals successfully.

Use paid social ads today for success

Paid social media advertising can be a powerful marketing tool for graduate schools – if done correctly. By using these actionable strategies and best practices, your institution can better reach its target audience and achieve its goals in a cost-effective manner. Contact GPRS today to learn more.

Month: June 2024

Insights from the Higher Ed Experts