THE LARGEST DISRUPTOR TO HIGHER ED: Kaplan’s Brandon Busteed thinks the industry’s largest disruption won’t come from Silicon Valley. Instead, higher ed’s largest disruption might just come from faculty. Udacity, edX, Coursera, Roseta Stone, Dulingo, and countless others were founded or co-founded by professors from the likes of Stanford, Carnegie Mellon and James Madison University, not big tech. While faculty can often be a source of resistance to disruption and change, they’ve also proven to be a huge driver of change. As industry “insiders,” they have what Busteed refers to as the “acceptance advantage” over change driven by industry outsiders.
Why you should care: While you may not work with faculty who are leading the next big online learning disruption, they are likely leading change in the classroom and in the delivery of education. Teaching innovation has sped up thanks to the pandemic. As an enrollment marketer, it may be worth keeping an open mind when it comes to new ideas from faculty and staying attune to the changing landscape of education delivery. (Who knows, a professors’ unique online teaching style could become your program’s newest value proposition.)
DIGITAL MARKETING GLOSSARY: Digital marketing, let alone higher education, is filled with jargon, acronyms, and sometimes similar yet confusing terms; Google Display Network (GDN), SEM vs SEO, and cost per acquisition (CPA) just to name a few. Niche’s Digital Marketing Glossary is filled with digital marketing terms and definitions to help you better understand the industry’s vernacular.
Why you should care: Enrollment marketers have a wealth of different backgrounds. You may be in a role more heavily tasked with admissions or enrollment instead of marketing and communications. If your background isn’t in marketing but you are increasingly responsible for new student recruitment campaigns and outreach, you may not be familiar with every marketing term and acronym. Consider bookmarking this resource so you can easily access definitions for commonly used marketing lingo.
THE RIGHT CONTENT AT EACH STAGE OF THE JOURNEY: At the awareness stage, prospective students are on the lookout for schools’ content, but not necessarily proactive in their search. Videos, testimonials, and educational eBooks – content geared towards educating prospective students about a topic (not necessarily about your program) – do well here. In the consideration stage, when prospective students are evaluating which schools they like and don’t like, content in the form of information sessions, open houses, and Q&As can help them weigh their options. Lastly, in the decision stage, where the prospective student has made a decision to apply, content like an application guide and financial aid one-on-ones can be useful.
Why you should care: These days, an informative school website isn’t enough. Your student recruitment strategy should include a content marketing strategy that attracts, engages, and converts new prospective students month over month. Not only is content marketing a way for enrollment marketers to generate interest and leads, it helps build SEO authority, thought leadership, and engagement with students wherever they may be in their college search process.
Do you need to move the needle fast, when you don't have much money or a lot of time? Introducing DD Agency's latest cohort, "SEO Strategy for Enrollment Marketers: How to Increase Your Rankings and Attract Qualified Prospects."
Find out how you can significantly increase your school's organic search rankings in this dynamic 4-session cohort. We will empower you with the context, frameworks, and tools you need to build a solid game plan for your school. Here's what you'll come away with if you choose to join: