Higher Ed Marketers: Social Media Can Sway Students to Accept

It’s almost Spring and colleges are in the midst of deciding who will be in their freshman cohort or offered transfer placements—has the time passed for schools to be marketing to prospective students and their families? Definitely not! The percentage of students being accepted at their first-choice school is approximately 46% and overall 73% were accepted at least one of their three top choices.

With more than 50% of students not accepted to their first-choice school, there is a tremendous incentive for schools to connect with students who need to decide among the schools where they have been accepted. Use this opportunity to again showcase the school’s offerings and serve as a reminder to the applicant why they were initially interested in applying.

78% of college-bound students identify social media as either extremely or somewhat influential in their admissions decisions. Using targeted social media strategies during the narrow window of acceptance and commitment can help sway students in making their final choice. Strategies can include sending, or resending a digital version of the viewbook, particularly if offers customizable experiences. Hosting interactive Q&A sessions for admitted students has been shown to be successful. Sharing a virtual tour is a good way to share the excitement of other potential students while on campus. A little bragging never hurts either—if your school has received a favorable ranking share it on social media; prospective students are known to value this information as part of their decision-making.

As powerful as social media is—it is only effective if you utilize the right channels to reach your audience. What works for students will likely not be as effective in reaching parents. Know your audience and create content for the platforms that will reach them and resonate with them. GMLV has decades of experience in the Higher Education sector having worked with large and small schools in both the public and private domains.