In an era where digital natives are reshaping the landscape of higher education, marketers face unique challenges and opportunities. Our recent 2024 Higher Education Marketing Report unveils surprising insights that could revolutionize how institutions connect with prospective students.
An astonishing 89% of higher education marketers believe they have sufficient budget to achieve their marketing goals. While this statistic initially seems encouraging, it masks a more complex reality. When probed about their biggest hurdles, marketers consistently cited two primary obstacles:
This paradox suggests that while budgets may be adequate on paper, the freedom to allocate these resources effectively remains restricted.
Our comprehensive report, based on surveys of 203 higher education marketers and 1,493 prospective college students, aims to illuminate the discrepancies between these groups and provide data-driven strategies for success.
User-generated content (UGC) reigns supreme in the trust hierarchy.
Recommendation: Amplify authentic student voices in your marketing strategy. Incentivize UGC through upskilling opportunities, class credit or paid roles. Ensure diverse representation to connect with a broad spectrum of prospective students.
Contrary to popular belief, email remains a vital communication channel for Gen-Z.
Recommendation: Resist the urge to abandon email marketing. Instead, leverage AI tools to create personalized, relevant content that resonates with prospective students. Email's direct line of communication becomes increasingly valuable as students transition to college and career life.
While institutions excel at showcasing campus culture, they often fall short in addressing critical student concerns.
Recommendation: Expand your content strategy to cover these practical aspects of student life. Share success stories related to internships, scholarships and unique living arrangements to give prospective students a comprehensive view of your institution.
Gen-Z's digital habitat of choice is YouTube, yet higher education marketers need to utilize this platform more. Consider these statistics.
Recommendation: Elevate YouTube in your marketing hierarchy. Develop a robust strategy that answers prospective students' questions and showcases your institution's unique attributes. Don't overlook YouTube Shorts — these bite-sized videos drive significant audience growth.
To effectively engage Gen-Z, consider these strategic shifts.
By bridging these gaps, institutions can forge more robust, authentic connections with the next generation of students — a crucial step for long-term success in higher education marketing.
Explore our full 2024 Higher Education Marketing Report to review these insights further. We'd love to hear which aspects of the report resonate most with you and your team.