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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | November 30th, 2020

Are the latest social platforms a fit for your school?

Are the latest social platforms a fit for your school?You may have heard your peers in higher ed or your digital agency talking about advertising on Spotify, Pandora, Reddit, Pinterest or even TikTok. These social platforms have become commonplace everyday “stops” for many people, especially as mobile usage has grown during the pandemic. And they can be extremely valuable for reaching a wide audience. But how do you know which platforms are right for your school, and whether or not they will help you achieve your recruiting and enrollment goals?

Brief definitions

Let’s start with a brief definition of each platform before we delve into their marketing benefits.

  • Spotify/Pandora: Digital streaming service for music, videos and podcasts. There are free versions with ads and monthly subscriptions that offer ad-free playtime and playlist customization.
  • Pinterest: A social network that allows users to search and share ideas for style, home and design inspiration. You “pin” your favorites to your board so you can access them later and easily share with others.
  • Reddit: A social news platform that encourages discussion and commenting on shared content through ratings and votes.
  • TikTok: A social media platform that allows people to create and share short videos set to music.

A note about social media usage

In a study published in August 2020, internet users (age 16-64) report using social media approximately 2 hours and 22 minutes per day. And since the start of the pandemic, at least 28% report increasing their usage.

The same study shows a shift in popularity of most-used social media platforms as it relates to monthly active users. While Facebook and YouTube remain in the top spots, TikTok, Reddit and Pinterest all rank higher than Twitter for those that are logging into their accounts vs. just searching the platform for general news.

Other interesting data points include:

Globally, social media is now the #2 most popular destination for brand research (behind search engines).

Among internet users in the age range of 18-55+, approximately 47-67% (depending on the age segment) are using social media as a main source of news.

When you are using social media to complement your marketing and communications plan, a high viewership is almost always guaranteed. However, with any marketing tactic the key is to make sure that your content is reaching the right age group with the right message at the right time.

How do I evaluate what social platforms are right for my school?

It starts with your strategy:

  • If it’s brand awareness, you want to cast a broad net. Spotify or Pandora could benefit you through contact with a wide range of demographics.
  • If it’s driving engagement, try out interactive content like a quiz (Reddit) or shareable content like a video (TikTok) or idea board (Pinterest).
  • If it’s lead generation, you’ll want a platform that allows users to fill out forms. While Facebook and LinkedIn, Twitter & Instagram have traditionally occupied this space, Reddit is now an option. Reddit has a sponsored headline campaign allowing advertisers to generate leads to their website (or landing page) to collect information.

Then, on to your audience:

  • Be sure that your demographics line up with the viewership of the platform.
  • Be sure that your content will resonate.
  • Think about how you want your content to influence the viewer.

How is higher ed using social platforms right now?

Spotify/Pandora – Schools may benefit from either audio ads, display ads or sponsored sessions that allow you to insert rich media like videos that can engage prospective students. Both platforms let you segment your advertising by behavioral categories in addition to traditional demographics.

Pinterest – Although Pinterest is used less frequently for higher ed institutions, you can find ways to have a presence for a low investment. Try posting existing digital assets that have a broad appeal, like student testimonials, admissions checklists, test prep tips and infographics on program benefits.

Reddit – You may be surprised to know that your brand is already circulating on Reddit. Why not listen to what’s being said and find ways to respond in an authentic, helpful and transparent way?

TikTok – Some schools are using this platform to engage prospects that are looking for a “day in the life” viewpoint. They may hire “talent” to create videos with the intent of showcasing the campus, student life or admissions.

Need help?

If you’re interested in learning more about how these and other social media platforms can fit into your school’s marketing and recruiting strategy, GPRS can help.

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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | November 16th, 2020

The importance of personal connection during pandemic admissions

Has the recruiting during the pandemic dictated new admissions criteria for your school?By now, it is not new news that colleges have had to drastically alter their admissions process. In both undergrad and higher ed institutions alike, requirements have quickly shifted as a result of the pandemic limitations. Schools that never intended to veer from their admissions “rites of passage” have been forced to change their processes or risk being changed by the landscape.

While you’ve held certain criteria requirements, you may find that your program is trying to find alternative ways to determine students’ viability while your typical screening methods are being challenged.

Replacement criterion

A recent article in the New York Times examined how some undergrad schools are finding replacement criterion. The article suggests that for college admissions during COVID-19, “SATs are out, personal stories are in.” It seems that in light of the pandemic, many schools are beginning to favor a more personal approach that requires students to dig into and demonstrate their “sense of self” which may prove to become more valuable over time than test scores to predict success in higher education.

This is not to say that the importance of test scores should be diminished, especially in the higher ed space. They have been, and continue to be, solid gauges of the hard skills required to succeed in finance, economics and operations courses. But in a time when the soft skills are crucial to survival, resiliency and adaptability are starting to emerge as strong traits that exhibit a person’s propensity to perform under pressure, and can dictate how well they will do in a demanding MBA or higher ed program.

Using personal stories as a gauge of fitness

Because submitting a personal story isn’t something someone can “study for,” admissions staff can use data from responses to determine natural creativity and adaptability as key predictors of success. It’s possible for you to come up with an objective grading scale that examines and scores qualities on a scale, such as:

  • Creativity
  • Uniqueness
  • Authenticity
  • Empathy
  • Honesty
  • Resilience

Since your admissions process likely already includes several touchpoints that are aimed at getting to know someone — a personal interview, an essay, multiple conversations — the suggestion is not to add another requirement. It is simply that you may put more weight on their responses. And using a quantitative grading scale can help you assess prospects more objectively and place them with confidence.

What questions to ask when soliciting a personal story

Although we’re all ready for COVID-19 to make an exit from our lives, it’s unlikely that will happen anytime soon. It’s also unlikely that you will meet anyone that has not been impacted in some way by the pandemic. Whether emotionally, financially or physically, everyone has seen the side effects of what the virus has done to our communities, country and world. Rather than gloss over the topic, leaning into the narrative can actually benefit us in the way we relate to each other. And getting a prospect’s take on what they’ve lost, gained and taken away from this experience can shed light on how they react in the face of adversity.

Here are a few questions you could ask prospects during the admissions process. Whether in an essay or interview format, be sure to find ways to quantify the response. You don’t want to get too caught up in your emotional response to their response.

  • What limitations did the pandemic place on you personally and professionally?
  • How did you handle the stress of the pandemic?
  • What did you add or remove from your daily routine as a result of restrictions?
  • What is your daily life/routine like now?
  • In what ways have you shown leadership in your community, workplace and personal life during this time?
  • What are you looking forward to the most in a post-pandemic world?

Moving forward

While you will certainly be placing more weight on transcripts and references in the coming admissions cycles, finding ways to assess a prospect’s ability to overcome challenges could become a new mainstay in your process — and you might even find something new and helpful to take away from the pandemic, too.

Need help?

If you need help with altering or improving your admissions processes, GPRS can help. Think of us as your partner during the pandemic to help shape and meet your new enrollment goals.

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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | October 30th, 2020

How do you pivot your branding and marketing when your programs have changed?

How do you pivot your branding and marketing when your programs have changed?By now, it is likely that your school has a statement on its homepage following all of the changes COVID-19 has created in the higher education space. However, if the plan only goes so far as detailing what the overall university is doing, you may need to take it a step further to communicate how your individual programs will operate within your business school.

While you have made efforts to maintain your brand, even during a time of great adversity, functional elements of how you offer programs, what it feels like to be part of a cohort and the physical space where students are learning may be greatly altered. Communication is key to creating and maintaining your relationships with leads, prospects and applicants during this time and there are a few things you can do to encourage them to begin and follow through with the enrollment process.

So many changes

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing the cascade of questions that are currently facing programs:

  • International travel – From an MBA that offers spring break immersions to a Global Executive MBA program that involves travel to multiple continents, the landscape will look different this year.
  • Class delivery – Whether you’re offering in-person, virtual or hybrid approaches, the student experience will be altered.
  • Internships and recruiting – With many large companies working from home and limiting travel, internships may be tricky to manage.
  • Admissions events – Although in-person meetings, campus tours and preview days — all key components to recruiting — may be on hold, you may need to find creative ways to give prospects a view into campus life.
  • Admissions testing – Stay consistent and explain your reasoning for any alteration in admissions testing requirements.

Although it is easy to get overwhelmed with the logistics, it’s important to remember that your prospects definitely have the same questions and may be intimidated to start the application process before they know all the details. Don’t let ambiguity be a barrier for your prospects.

Where you can make a difference

Plans are changing often — are your communications? Here are some ways to ensure students have the information they need to make key decisions. By implementing some of these tactics, you can maintain your relationships with your prospects. You may even have the opportunity to gain students from different geographic locations, demographics and backgrounds.

  • Your website: Although you don’t need to alter your entire website (and this is not recommended due to the amount of time it would take), you can create banner statements on each program page that ensure your prospects that you have a plan. End with a call to action to schedule a casual conversation or attend a webinar.
  • Your events: Host webinars or town hall-style virtual chats where your admissions staff can address questions. You don’t have to have all the answers — just showing transparency and a willingness to engage while you’re working through the details can go a long way. Podcasts can also be a good way to personally communicate with prospects where they are.
  • Your digital ads: Don’t be afraid to address the elephant in the room. Try creating a digital campaign that offers details about altered course delivery, how you’ll maintain the student experience and ways you’re striving to keep everyone safe and healthy.
  • Your mobile strategy: Find ways that you can optimize your marketing budget with cost-effective solutions that target your prospects directly on their mobile devices.
  • Your keywords: Now’s a great time to write blogs that add keyword-rich and searchable content to your website. Employ admissions staff, student ambassadors and alumni to write about the changes that are happening. This organic content, especially as it is related to COVID-19, will boost your searchability that can lead to increased traffic.

It’s important to remember that you are currently marketing and recruiting in an ever-changing environment. The challenges the higher education market is facing are unprecedented. But quickly pivoting (and continuing to do so) will pay off as you seek to instill confidence in your prospects.

Need help?

If you need help with website alterations, promoting virtual events, altering your advertising campaign or writing keyword-rich content that can increase your leads and enrollment, GPRS can offer solutions.

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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | October 15th, 2020

Finding ways to evaluate last year’s marketing effectiveness

Finding ways to evaluate last year’s marketing effectivenessHow do you evaluate marketing effectiveness and enrollment in a year where benchmarks are out the window?

Before you begin planning for the upcoming recruiting year, you may be staring down the seemingly impossible task of evaluating last year’s enrollment goals and marketing plan effectiveness.

The 2019-2020 cycle may seem like a blur as you tackle questions about spending, engagement, quality leads, yield, cost-per-seated student and enrollment goals. How do you determine what worked and what didn’t in a year where everything turned upside down?

Here are a few ideas on where to start.

Break the year into segments

For this exercise, we will focus on a recruiting year that runs August-July. Feel free to adjust based on your start date, or if you have additional cohorts.

Consider for a moment, that there were approximately eight months (August – March) that were—for all intents and purposes—“normal.” If you are benchmarking YOY data on spending and leads, breaking the year up this way will help you apply a lens for comparison. Using your CRM, you can also match up leads from that period to enrollments and determine a cost-per-seated student.

For the four months that followed (April – July), benchmarks were sidelined in favor of adjusted enrollment goals, spending reallocations and altered recruiting strategies. Now is a good time to revisit those adjustments and plans you made to see if you reached any of those goals. Realize that goals were a moving target and celebrate even small victories or accomplishments.

Evaluate how you pivoted, throw out the benchmarks

This past year was a time of uncertainty and adjustment. You were forced to alter your plans in ways you’ve never been asked to do, during your key recruiting period. On the road events? Cancelled. Campus tours, preview days and interviews? Moved online. Digital advertising strategy designed to bring in leads? Halted or altered.

When you look back on the ways you pivoted your marketing and recruitment strategy at warp speed, were you moving so fast that you forgot to keep track?

Now is a great time to jot down these alterations so you can chart your successes and incorporate them into planning for the upcoming year.

  • What platforms worked best for virtual events?
  • What social content got the highest engagement?
  • What types of events had the most attendees?
  • What did yield look like?
  • What were the best ways to personally connect with prospective students?
  • What did your website traffic look like (both YOY and pre-COVID to post)?

Jogging your memory now and keeping track of the things you changed can help you track your successes and incorporate them into the upcoming year.

Look at the final results in context and celebrate successes

Often, marketing and recruiting success is evaluated in black and white terms: Did you meet your enrollment goals? What was your cost-per-seated student? How did digital advertising fare in terms of CPL?

Although using a tracking method to evaluate these benchmarks at key points during the year can certainly give you a window into how well your plan worked, it’s also important to look at the results in context.

And in terms of planning for the future, this may be the time to create new benchmarks that are adjustable to the market and your prospective students’ needs.

Need help?

Navigating the evaluation process and planning upcoming recruiting cycle will be challenging this year. If you need help charting your successes and creating a realistic recruiting plan that can help you gain more quality leads and seated students next year, GPRS can help.

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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | September 30th, 2020

What will the next round of recruiting look like?

What will the next round of recruiting look like?When the Spring 2020 recruiting cycle was upended mid-stream due to COVID-19, many schools had to pivot quickly. Since then, the entire higher education industry including recruiters, marketers and leaders have been operating in pandemic emergency mode, focusing on the short term out of necessity and trying to remain as flexible as possible to address continuous change. As such, there have been significant impacts on recruiting and enrollment in higher ed. However, in thinking about the upcoming recruiting cycle, it may be time to regroup and think long term.

Although you may be staring down challenges to your planning process that include financial pressures, demographic changes and technology innovation, it’s important to realize that the opportunities to reshape your school’s recruiting process are abundant. While you’re developing your projections, enrollment goals and the supporting strategic marketing plans, here are four ways to prepare for the next round of recruiting.

Focus on building community

At a time when many people – your prospective students included – are feeling isolated due to continued social distancing, one-to-one connections are critical. According to an Inside Higher Ed article that examines the community college model of building relationships beyond the traditional college campus experience, checking in on your prospects virtually to address their needs can mean the difference between yielding a student or losing them.

Invest in technology

If there was ever a time to upgrade your digital technology, it’s now. Let’s face it, the online recruiting events you begrudgingly accepted last Spring in hopes that they would be temporary, are not going anywhere. In fact, it appears that they may become a staple in the foreseeable future. Be sure your internal tech partners are up to the challenge and your team allocates the time and resources it will take to learn how to use new meeting platforms and digital collaboration tools.

Continue offering options

Your students (and prospective students) want to know your plan. They are interested in how you are altering your recruiting process including admissions testing, events and application deadlines. They’re also curious about what their degree experience will look like, what shape leadership development and career planning will take and how they’ll interact with other students safely. During a time when there are a wide variety of preferences – in-person, virtual, hybrid— and several barriers to decision making, the most important thing you can do is to instill confidence and set expectations with a clearly laid-out plan, addressing as many concerns as possible and clearly outlining what they can expect.

Remain flexible

According to many higher education leaders, thinking long term – although difficult when the future is unsettled – is critical. If it’s possible, find a way to create a roadmap that allows for quick alterations. Contingency plans can give your team and prospective students confidence that you’re prepared to pivot quickly and efficiently when needed.

Need help?

Navigating the upcoming recruiting cycle will be challenging. But developing a strategic plan that builds community, integrates technology, offers options and allows for alterations can help you meet your enrollment goals. If you need help creating a realistic recruiting plan that can help you gain more quality leads and seated students, GPRS can help.

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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | September 18th, 2020

The secrets behind building and maximizing your higher education marketing budget

The secrets behind building and maximizing your higher education marketing budgetSay it’s the beginning of your school’s recruiting cycle and you’ve completed last year’s analysis—reviewing enrollment numbers, the impact of marketing on those numbers and even cost-per-seated-student. You’ve solidified your marketing budget, planning is underway and you’re feeling confident in your next steps. But then, you get the call from recruiting saying that they’ve added a new program or increased their enrollment goals. What do you do now? How do you build a media budget that can support your current programs while also making accommodations for these changes? Do you need to request more funds? How can you justify the additional funds, and more importantly, what’s your new plan?

The budget

Many marketing plans and budgets, regardless of industry, are all too often determined solely by a percentage of gross revenue. However, if you start with the audience in mind, you can propose a fundamental shift in the way your school develops a sound marketing and advertising budget that can serve all programs.

If you’ve created personas, you have a good idea of where your potential students get their news. Different programs – even under the same brand – have very different audiences with varying media consumption habits, so developing a strategy for each one based on where they spend their time is critical. Examine if your audience likes social media, shares videos, clicks on ads or visits news, entertainment or business sites. This can help you create a roadmap for the types of digital media you will consider in your strategy.

Your strategy

A solid higher education marketing strategy is made up of a combination of your enrollment goals and the resources it takes to achieve those goals.

First, examine the key performance indicators (KPIs) for each program you’re marketing – this will allow you to set targets and track progress against those targets. It will also help you determine the marketing toolkit you will employ.

  • Are you looking to cast a wide net and build awareness for a new program? Focus on garnering a high amount of impressions.
  • Are you looking to increase engagement with an existing program or new audience segment? Focus on generating content that will get more shares.
  • Are you looking to build quality leads and convert them? Focus on digital advertising conversions.

Here are some questions you can ask your recruiting and program team members:

  • How many enrollments do you need to make the program profitable?
  • How many leads do you need to yield your enrollment goal?
  • What has been your cost per seated student ratio for the past 2-3 years? What is ideal and realistic?
  • When is your key recruiting period and how do you see marketing supporting those periods?

The tactics

Once you’ve built your strategy and set your goals, it’s time to develop the tactical plan. This is the proverbial “where the rubber meets the road” and where the majority of media planning and budgeting happens. If you’ve appropriately examined your audience, clarified your goals and built your strategy, making a decision on which tactics to use will come more easily.

Start with listing everything out and deciding on the ones that bring the highest ROI (you can rely on last year to know what has worked well). Focus on the high-impact tactics first.

  • Higher investment – conferences and recruiting roadshows, travel, revamping your entire website, targeted and produced web video marketing, inbound digital marketing including banner ads and paid search, search engine optimization.
  • Lower investment (especially if they can be done internally) – blogging, podcasts, shareable assets like checklists and infographics, faculty research summaries, SEO-rich landing pages with information capture, admissions webinars and chats, and virtual meet and greet events

All of these tactics can help you create a digital identity to reinforce your visibility and brand.

Need help?

Your digital marketing plan will be more successful at achieving your set enrollment goals if your budget is formulated during a careful strategic planning process. If you need help creating a realistic higher education marketing budget that can help you gain more quality leads and seated students, GPRS can help.

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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | August 28th, 2020

4 things you might not know about higher education lead generation

4 things you might not know about higher education lead generationAs experts in higher education marketing and inbound marketing strategies, we are constantly tracking the trends our clients and their competitors are using to gain quality leads. Here we share 4 things you may not know about higher education lead generation and how you can add them to your media marketing mix.

Improve conversion with lead gen forms in social media

Social media lead gen forms are newer to the market and are becoming essential for lead generation, especially in higher education, because they allow the user to fill out a form directly within the social channel (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn). This eliminates a step for the user because they don’t have to navigate to a landing page to fill out a form which can be arduous on a smartphone or tablet. It saves time for your prospect and increases the likelihood that you will capture their information because they can fill it out right away – taking advantage of the immediate gratification mentality. Using the platform’s autofill also saves time.

Mix it up with interactive content

Have you ever taken a quiz online? There’s just something exciting about getting your results and even comparing them to others. If there’s a way for you to create a quiz, a poll or a quick questionnaire for your audience, you might see higher engagement rates – especially if you keep it simple and allow sharing on social media. You can also deploy this interactive content as a part of your lead nurturing strategy by including it in your outbound emails and communications to your qualified leads.

Articles are still super-influential

According to demandmetric.com interesting content is one of the main reasons people follow brands on social media. Taking it a step further, 70% of people would rather learn about a company through articles rather than an ad. Why is this extremely relevant for higher education? Articles written by current students showcase an experience – they allow the prospective students to see themselves attending your school and participating in the classroom. Articles written by faculty enhance credibility so prospective students can get a taste of who they will be learning from. Articles written by admissions staff provide helpful tips that are unique to your school and give prospects the feeling of having an “insider’s perspective” they can use when making decisions and preparing to submit an application.

Gated content

Although this concept certainly isn’t new in higher education marketing, you may not be aware of the full extent of its benefits. Gated content is when you require a reader to enter their contact information before accessing a piece of premium content that is not available anywhere else. This premium content is intriguing to prospects because it gives them the feeling of having a competitive advantage over their peers – they may receive unique insights that will give them a leg up in the information gathering or application process. Examples of premium content include a white paper, a faculty research synopsis, a deeper dive into a topic of interest, an eBook, a podcast or a webinar. It may also give early access to apply, complete an interactive assessment or attend a class. Gated content is a win-win for both you and your prospects. You gain information from quality leads and they gain valuable content.

Interested in exploring more?

As you look for new ways to engage prospects through your digital advertising strategy, lean on partners who have experience in developing unique ways to meet higher education enrollment goals and convert leads with success. GPRS can help you evaluate ways to add to your media mix with new tactics and strategies.

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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | August 19th, 2020

Increase enrollment without taking on extra risk

Program investment partnership: Increase enrollment without taking on extra riskDuring a time when many schools are being forced to stretch their marketing and operations dollars, you may be looking for a creative solution to meeting your enrollment targets. A new approach could be seeking out a shared risk relationship with a digital marketing agency that gives you more freedom, not more restrictions.

What does an investment partnership look like?

It boils down to trust. This type of partnership gives options to schools that need to increase enrollment, but don’t have enough resources to move the needle. A program investment partnership allows for an integrated approach to executing the ideal marketing plan. No longer will you have to cherry-pick individual services from the strategy based on your limited budget.

Studies show that when a school can fully execute the best-case comprehensive marketing and recruiting strategy put forth by their agency – including branding, lead generation, social marketing, communications lifecycle management, data analysis and testing – there is a better chance of succeeding than with a fragmented approach. When you have the right partner, you won’t have to choose the pieces you can afford. You will get best possible approach that can produce the strongest results.

How does this create a win-win for everyone?

Schools can focus on what they do best while the partner organization focuses on media strategy, recruiting optimization, drip marketing, maximizing CRM, developing creative, and diving into data analytics with advanced technology. Schools get the freedom to explore new tactics, while the partner focuses on executing the fully planned strategy and sees it through to its completion, optimizing along the way.

In this scenario, everyone has accountability to meet enrollment goals and compensation is determined as a percentage of enrollment revenue. Quite simply, this is a shared risk/shared reward relationship.

How does GPRS’ Program Investment Partnership work?

As your partner, our goal is to offer you a breakthrough solution to help lower your marketing and operations costs. We’ll shoulder the costs of top-of-funnel and mid-funnel optimizations so you can explore new opportunities and benefit from more efficiency.

Our powerful lead generation services help increase market awareness of your program while building a steady supply of qualified candidates. Working with your internal team, we’ll develop the best possible plan to help you meet your enrollment goals.

Interested in exploring further?

As you navigate this time of great uncertainty, lean on partners who have experience developing unique ways to meet enrollment needs. GPRS can help you evaluate whether a program investment partnership could work for your school. Let us help you lower your costs with shared risk and accountability.

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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | July 29th, 2020

Why mobile is the way to go during the COVID era

Why mobile is the way to go during the COVID eraWhen was the last time you put your phone down? Have you recently made it through a day only to have a sharp pain in your neck from looking down at your mobile device to text, FaceTime, check emails or browse the news? Have you ever been on a Zoom call while also scrolling through your phone at the same time?

You’re not alone – a recent study shows that 39% of people have been using their phones more during COVID-19 and that 54% are relying more on WiFi.

Although you may have used your mobile devices a lot before the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount you are using them now may have exponentially increased. Here are some reasons:

  • You’re working from home, but you’re not forced to put your phone down for in-person interactions.
  • You have free time between virtual meetings or conference calls, but don’t have enough time to take a walk or grab a snack, so you might pick up your phone for a few minutes and check social media.
  • If you’re a parent or caregiver, you may be using children’s learning apps.
  • You may be using your phone more to order food, have work calls, check your email and stay in touch with friends and family.

As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, mobile usage will continue to rise as people use phones and tablets for everything from ordering groceries, attending telehealth appointments, hosting virtual happy hours, ordering takeout and even using contactless payment apps when venturing out.

With all of these things in mind, think about how your prospects are consuming media right now – you may need to adjust the way you are communicating and offering information to them to keep them engaged and focused on furthering their education.

The data on increased mobile usage

A recent study done by Valassis, a leading marketing data and research firm, shows that people are modifying their online behaviors:

  • Usage is up during working hours, showing reliance on both smartphones and desktops.
  • Mobile usage is more prominent in web browsers than apps.
  • Consumers are seeking more serious topics like finance, the economy and healthcare, while cutting back on entertainment.
  • People are focusing on books and news, electronics and food as they are at home more.
  • Consumers are seeking a normal routine.

There’s no better time for the higher ed industry to connect with prospects who are seeking a sense of normalcy. Schools can use this data to modify their communications as they shift largely toward a mobile-first mentality.

Ways to go mobile

As you evaluate your marketing strategy, you may find ways that you can optimize your marketing budget with cost-effective solutions that target your prospects directly.

Choosing the right digital advertising platforms has never been so important. As consumers are shifting more toward a mobile mentality, you’ll want to examine your advertising strategies that are intended to target specific prospects on social media like Facebook and LinkedIn as well as Google Ads. You’ve got a captive audience so using your platform to connect with prospects on an emotional level can go a long way.

Optimize your website for SEO. When keywords are done right, you can increase the quantity and quality of organic (unpaid) traffic to your site. Be sure that you are constantly updating your keywords and website content with COVID-specific terms and questions that relate to what your prospects are asking about in the current landscape. This will boost your visibility while at the same time reassuring your prospects that you are focused on them and their needs. Also be sure that your website is mobile optimized and can be viewed consistently in a variety of browsing capacities.

Continue hosting (and marketing) virtual events that can be attended from a phone, tablet or desktop. Leading up to your final application deadlines it’s important to meet your prospects where they feel comfortable. Providing alternatives to meet online to get their questions answered can provide a sense of safety and give them the confidence they need to make decisions.

As you navigate this time of uncertainty, don’t hesitate to lean on partners who have experience in developing mobile messaging in the higher ed industry. GPRS can help you evaluate the industry trends, quickly shift your digital advertising and brainstorm ways to pivot your messaging to connect with prospects as their media habits are changing.

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Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | July 16th, 2020

Admissions testing: What you communicate is as important as the decisions you make

Admissions testing: What you communicate is as important as the decisions you makeAs many schools are finalizing their incoming class rosters for the Fall, several questions are looming for prospects, admissions staff, faculty and administration alike. As part of the admissions process, you’ve likely been trying to remove as many barriers as possible for your students. You want them to feel comfortable attending your program, whether in-person or virtually, in the Fall. One such question is admissions testing.

Regardless of whether you’ve waived the testing requirement, delayed score submissions or started offering new testing options, it’s been a series of tough decisions. But the communication surrounding it can be even trickier as it relates to protecting your brand.

Addressing concerns in your communications

Admissions testing is valued by the many stakeholders of your program, your brand and your school. While altering your admissions process may seem risky, well-crafted internal and external communications can address everyone’s concerns. Let’s examine some of them here:

  • Alumni see the test as a rite of passage. It’s a value indicator for the quality of students who are admitted and graduate into the network.
  • What about current students who just last year took the test as a requirement of the admissions process?
  • Faculty and administration see the admissions test as a predictor of self-discipline and success in some courses.
  • What precedent are you setting for the future? What are the long-term implications?

Admissions testing reality: Executive Assessment, GMAT, GRE

In March and April, Executive Assessment (EA), GMAT and GRE testing was cancelled or delayed due to COVID-19. In late April and May, online testing became widely available and it continues to be an option. Some test sites are beginning to open with safety measures in place. The online versions are designed to support candidates working to meet upcoming application deadlines. All fees for rescheduling tests have currently been waived to give greater flexibility to students and institutions alike.

Although these options offer a stop-gap and a way to continue to screen students within the admissions process, you may not have known these would have been options when you were forced to make hard decisions during the height of the Spring stay-at-home-orders. Regardless of what your program decides, it’s important to continue delivering a clear, consistent message to your prospects and stakeholders covering the why’s and how’s of what’s next.

How schools are handling admissions testing

By doing a scan of your competitors and speaking with your peers at other schools, you can find out what others are doing. Here’s a quick snapshot:

  • Test waivers on a case-by-case basis
  • Online test options for EA, GMAT and GRE
  • The option to submit expired scores (within the last 5 years)
  • Offering conditional admission, pending a test scheduled in the future
  • Giving the option to submit current test scores (even if not within the required range) and apply for a waiver
  • One-on-one consultations to discuss admissions requirements

Communication tips

While marketing has always been a key pillar in your recruiting strategy, it is even more important now. As you are making decisions about the admissions process that impact multiple stakeholders, here are some key ways to shape your communications efforts via email, digital advertising, your website and social media:

  • Stay consistent. If you’ve made a decision on new testing requirements, continue that message through the end of your current recruiting cycle. For example, if you waived a test, or changed a test type and have admitted students with those new requirements, continue on the path vs. changing the requirements now that new options are available.
  • Explain your reasoning. It’s important to communicate why you have required a test in the past, why you are changing your stance in the current environment and what you are doing to maintain the integrity and rigor of your admissions process.
  • Acknowledge that the future is unknown. While you can’t make guarantees for the future, you can reassure your stakeholders and prospects you are doing all you can to assess the current situation and you will be adjusting your plans carefully. Although you may be concerned you are setting a precedent, it’s important to reiterate these are “unprecedented times.” Your goal is to ensure quality while the entire higher ed industry has been upended.

As you navigate this time of uncertainty, don’t hesitate to lean on partners who have experience in branding, digital marketing and messaging. GPRS can help you evaluate the industry trends, quickly shift your digital advertising and brainstorm ways to pivot your messaging to protect your most valued asset – your brand.

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