Post on 21-May-2020
CUPRAP 2018
14 March 2018
Mythbusting #HigherEd Marketing
Today’s Topics
1. The mythbusting studies
2. Some surprises in what we learned
3. Discussion
Agenda
Research goals
Understand how teens use various tools and channels during college search and choice — and how they respond to our marketing tactics.
Understand what professionals know, and don’t know, about what teens think and do during college search and choice.
Illuminate gaps in understanding of what teens do and ultimately improve marketing and results.
for teens for professionals for higher ed
Introduction
“The key to understanding how youth navigate social media is to step away from the headlines—both good and bad—and dive into the more nuanced realities of young people.”
dana boyd, It’s Complicated
Source: Mythbusting Admissions
visited a .edu website
texted w/ a college rep
social media
submitted application
scheduled campus visit
phone
live chat w/ college rep 7
13
40
35
33
14
81
36
74
83
50
73
65
87
what we think they do what teens say they do
How teens use their phones in search/choice
Responses from .edu professionals to the question: “How would teen prospects prefer to hear from the colleges to which they are considering applying during each phase of the application process?”; n = 688. Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing.
direct mail
social media
in-person
text message
phone53
60
61
51
47
72
8
13
27
54
60
62
researching accepted/deciding
How we think teens want to communicate
In response to the question: “How would you prefer to hear from the colleges to which you are considering applying during each phase of the application process?”; n = 1,255. Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing.
direct mail
in-person
phone
text message
social media13
28
50
53
70
75
21
27
33
44
66
83
researching accepted/deciding
How teens say they want to communicate
direct mail
social media
in-person
text message
phone
50
28
53
13
70
75
33
27
44
21
66
83
53
60
61
51
47
72
8
13
27
54
60
62
researching: prosaccepted/deciding: prosresearching: teensaccepted/deciding: teens
Teens/Professional responses compared
Rankings and Ratings
When admission officers think teens use rankings
before deciding to apply
after deciding to apply after applying after being
accepted
72% 20% 14% 11%
Source: Mythbusting Admissions
78%of campus professionals believe
teens use US News rankings
Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing
38%of teens said they used US News rankings
Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing
28%of teens said they didn’t use any rankings
at all
Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing
10 info sources teens use and value1. College’s website 2. College’s admissions website 3. Google searches 4. One-on-one session with admissions officers at your high school 5. Communication with admissions staff 6. The College’s publications (viewbooks, brochures, course catalogs 7. College comparison websites (CollegeBoard, College Navigator, etc. 8. Campus-hosted visit (tours, overnight stays, open house, class visit) 9. The College’s social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) 10.College guides (Princeton Review, US News, etc.)
Source: Encoura, mstnr.me/2pg311J
Teens & Texting
66%of professionals said that having a college text a teen would positively impact his or
her view of a college
Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing
43%of professionals said that their college
texts prospective students
Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing
82%of teens have never received a text message from a college
Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing
56%of teens said that receiving a text from a
college would positively impact their view of the college
What kinds of texts teens want to receive …
In response to the question: “What kind of information would you be most interested in hearing about via text message from a college?”; n = 1,017. Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing
app deadline reminders
upcoming events
event reg reminders/confirms
fin aid reminders
decision notifications 60
64
66
71
79
Teens & Social Media
“In general, professionals underestimate the interest teens have in communicating by email
and overestimate their interest in social media.”
‘‘
Half of teens use official social media for the college they’ve applied to. But (only)
They use official social media as an information source that informs their decisions. They prefer to engage with current students.
prefer social as the first point of contact4%
Source: Mythbusting Admissions
say that social media conversation influences
their decision about where to enroll
research decide where to enroll
Facebook 10% 33%
Twitter 4% 15%
YouTube 7% 8%
Instagram 5% 15%
Snapchat 3% 7%
Source: Mythbusting Admissions
70%
Click-throughs from a .edu site to a social site*
to Facebook
to Twitter
to Instagram
to LinkedIn
to YouTube
to college search/help80
44
10
35
25
34
57
69
11
63
39
53
professionals (n=434) teens (n=1349)
*when researching colleges Source: Mythbusting Websites
Click-throughs to a .edu site from a social site*from Facebook
from Twitter
from Instagram
from LinkedIn
from YouTube
from Snapchat
from YikYak
to college search/help 78
5
15
35
7
32
23
33
73
20
40
61
58
58
45
59
professionals (n=430) teens (n=1431)
*when researching colleges Source: Mythbusting Websites
Teens & .edu websites
Source: Mythbusting Websites
70%of teens told TeensTALK® 2016 that they
use a college website throughout their admission process (bit.ly/2frJo5e)
Data & figure from TeensTALK® 2016; © Stamats 2016 | © Chegg 2016; in response to the question, “Which resources did you or would you use during each phase of the college application process?”
Teen use of .edu websites
Source: Mythbusting Websites
Source: Mythbusting Websites
Kind of jobs I can get
Tuition, costs, aid info
Academic info
Student life info
Admission & app processes
What other students are like
Info re tours, info sessions
Scheduling a visit
0 10 20 30 40 50
Hard-to-use areas of .edu websites
Content preferences on a college website
what teens say (n=1902)
what professionals believe (n=520)
text & articles 64% 17%
photography 60% 74%
charts and infographics 47% 55%
headlines and subject lines 47% 57%
videos 40% 76%
other images besides photography 8% 6%
Source: Mythbusting Websites
Source: Mythbusting Websites
40%of teens say they prefer video content
to text
Source: Mythbusting Websites
67%of teens looked at a campus map when
researching colleges
Source: Mythbusting Websites
64%of teens used a virtual tour when
researching colleges
Teens & Apps
Source: Mythbusting Websites
54%of professionals said that teens will download
and use a college’s app after they’d decided which institution they were attending
Source: Mythbusting Websites
72%of teens said they did not download or use
any college apps
updates on admissions info
learn about college-specific info
submit an application
communicate with a college rep
take a virtual campus tour
0 16 32 48 64 80
Half of teens would download an app to communicate …
But: do you offer what they want?
Source: Mythbusting Websites
Teens & Ads
Professionals rate effectiveness of online ads
Professionals who responded “very effective” or “extremely effective” to the question: “In general, how effective are your collets use of online ads to increase the following objectives among teen prospects?”; n = 429-432. Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing
brand awareness
info requests
campus visits
application submissions
yield 18
25
29
36
45
67%of teens recall seeing ads from a college on
their computer or mobile device
In response to the question: “Have you ever noticed an add from a college or university on your computer or mobile device??”; n = 1,056. Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing
36%of teens who recalled noticing an ad say
they have clicked on one on their computer or mobile device
Of teens who have recalled noticing an ad; n = 1,056. Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing
Where else teens have seen/heard college ads
In response to the question: “Have you see or heard a college’s advertisement on any of the following?”; n = 1,056. Source: Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing.
the television
YouTube
the radio
streaming music svc
streaming video svc
other
I haven't seen an ad 24
2
11
28
31
41
55
explores how teens react to common strategies
and tactics used to market to them during
college search and choice
mstnr.me/Admission_Myths
explores how teens respond to higher ed
websites, what kind of content they value, and
how they use social media and apps
mstnr.me/MythB2016
explores how teens respond to various
tactics and channels designed to market to
them, including digital, FTF, and advertising
mstnr.me/EnrollmentMyths
Our Studies
By Gil Rogers and Michael Stoner
Mythbusting Admissions: Where Prospects and Professionals Agree—and Disagree—on Enrollment
Marketing, Messages, and Channels
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What Professionals Believe Teens Think About Higher Ed Websites — And What Teens Really Think
MYTHBUSTING WEBSITES
By Gil Rogers and Michael Stoner
By Gil Rogers and Michael Stoner
MYTHBUSTING ENROLLMENT MARKETING
Thank You!
Michael Stoner Co-Owner, President
312.622.6930 michael.stoner@mstoner.com