Ama2009 Content Marketing
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“Conversations that Engage” Adrienne Bartlett, Director of Marketing Your Guide to Content Marketing for Higher Ed AMA 2009 Boston
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Transcript of Ama2009 Content Marketing
“Conversations that Engage”
Adrienne Bartlett, Director of Marketing
Your Guide to Content Marketing for Higher Ed
AMA 2009 Boston
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Disclaimers:
No magic bullets“Y’all are smart;)”
I’m here to make you thinkIt’s a jungle out there
More optionsMore choicesMore money
More infoMore clutterMore speed
More STRESS
Prospects are seeking meaningful
communications
They want you to help them make sense of it all.
“Communication 101”
Marketing has changed.We used to “place” media: buy advertising
space, commercials, display ads, classifieds, etc.
Because of the internet, we can communicate directly
with our customers
Instead of “renting” media space, we’re in control.
We “own” it.
“The funnel has outlived its usefulness as a metaphor”
(because people learn from each other now).
-Groundswell
“Communication 101”
“Content Revolution”The greatest opportunity
companies have ever had to communicate with directly with
their customers
danger + hidden opportunity
“Change”
What is content marketing?
Delivers relevant, valuable and compelling information
Turns “prospects” into “buyers”
Doesn’t sell from a product perspective (features and benefits)
Offers solutions in the form of content
Positions you as the “leading expert”
Citation
Joe Pulizzi
“Whatever is easiest for your customers to get and
engage with”
76% of US college marketers say they plan to use SM strategies like social
networks, viral campaigns and video contests
Source: Academica Group, 2008
Worth the reminder: Free tools do not equal infinite ROI.
Time is not free.
[Have a plan.]
Content Marketing Strategy
“Bring wine to the picnic”Source: Chris Brogan
Setup “listening” posts to find out customer needs and plan a content strategy to meet them
Think more like a publisher(not a marketer)
It’s not about pushing out -- it’s about pulling in.
1. Your web presence2. Your campus visit
2 most important (yet often overlooked) elements:
Eduventures, 2007
71%Campus Visit was the Most
Trusted Source of Information
Eduventures, 2007
84%Use the College’s Website Most Heavily
in their College Search
Content Ideas (get ready...)
Suny New Paltz on Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/osu#/pages/New-Paltz-NY/SUNY-New-Paltz/5659124699?ref=s
Number
http://go.butler.edu/cs/blogs/
http://www.baylor.edu/admissions/index.php?id=56275
http://faces.albright.edu/
http://newstudents.wfu.edu/
http://twitter.com/JohnsHopkins
http://flickr.unm.edu/
http://willyou.capital.edu
flickr
vimeo
YouTube
Parent Content:
Address Cost Process
Personalize Notifications
http://www.scu.edu/family/parent-email.cfm
“Elements of Good Online
Content”
Great online content is:Brief
ShareableUseful
Personal Fresh
Relevant to Your Goals
Using Facebook and Twitter is something like hosting a big cocktail party -- but nobody shops at a cocktail party."
Brett Hurt, CEO, Bazaarvoice
Use Twitter and other social tools to build conversations and
relationships rather than just generating buzz.
Campaign Tips
Chris Brogan
“These channels must be tended and not just used as
sales pipelines”
No magic day, time or tool
Tell stories.
“Once upon a time, the most powerful
communications tool was the art of storytelling.
This book shows that it still is.”
Address Cost Clearly.
80% would have used a financial aid estimator 76% would have used a tuition
calculator
Don’t apologize for price -- communicate value!
Noel-Levitz 2007 Student Expectations Survey
Get social.
61%Offices Using Social Networking Sites
(up from 29%)
Source: Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth
41%Maintaining Blogs (up from 33%)
Source: Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth
“The tools aren’t cool because they’re the new shiny object.
They’re cool because they let you work more closely with people.
It’s an opportunity to create relationships that matter, and a chance to do so in a very nuanced
and human fashion.”
from Chris Brogan blog post 8/30/2009
“Make it viral”
Don’t forget, it’s the community that makes it viral.
But there are things you can do to increase your chances...
Make it valuableMake it shareable
Make it memorableMake it fun!
Will it Blend?
Differentiate (tell your story)Create value (WIIFM?)
Cross channels (create content once)Give “insider” information
Share This
Enrollment goals help!(give you parameters)
It’s all about the conversation.
How do you measure success?
Engagement:A Key Metric
Influence
Involvement
Intimacy
Interaction
Discover
Evaluation
Use
Affinity
Text
Admissions
Prospects
Inquiries
Applicants
Admitted
Enrolled
Marketing
Awareness
Interest
Evaluation
Consideration
Commitment
Myth:“Increase numbers at the top
to increase numbers at the bottom”
Reality:Demographics and other factors are making
it impossible to keep “top-loading”
The “traditional plan”
can’t be all things...
“STEALTH
In recent conversations with clients
>50%First Point of Contact was
the Admissions Application
Taking the “fun” out of the funnel
Assumes they only get info from youStealth-apps miss the boat
Students who don’t progress get ignoredAssumes “lack of contact” is “lack of interest”
It’s from our perspective, not theirs
Try and provide value to the student at their current stage -- rather than just trying to push
them through to the next.
1:1
Marketing may be collective, but buying is personal.
The Cluetrain Manifesto
Segment and personalize.
(rinse and repeat;)
One size does NOT fit all
Increase # of campaigns, but
decrease their size
Stop talking to me like you don’t know
who I am!
“If you haven’t already”
“visited”“applied”
“signed up”
It’s all about building trust.
Things to consider:
How are you structured?
What skill sets do you need (but don’t have)?
“it’s never been done that way”
http://www.bobjohnsonblog.com/2009/09/web-content-writer-for-alma-college.html
Bob Johnson, Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC
“Slowly, every so slowly, web content editor and writer positions continue to expand
in higher education.”
What stage?WIIFM?
K.I.S.S.(keep it simple stupid)
http://higheredmarketing.blogspot.com/2009/06/kiss-your-prospects.html
Which words
can you delete?
How “sustainable” is your social media strategy?
So many get to this point:
circular vs. linear
Communication Plans should be:
dialogue vs. monologue flexible vs. static
shared vs. hoarded
different every year?
about them vs. about you
Should we be on Facebook and Twitter?
It’s not about you.
Where is your audience?
Well...
Reach people where they are, when they want.
(and solve their problems).
“Time-shifting”
Your “Toolbox”
It’s not the “tool,”it’s the content.
Overwhelmed?Start with the basicsCreate content once
Distribute across channels
More tips:
How can wecreate new opportunities for
prospects to connect with our school, current students and
each other?
Myth:“It’s all about the marketing”
“We need to maximize the number of touch points”
Touch points don’t matter if you’re not building relationships
Being authentic?Solving problems?
Communicating Value?Being up-front about cost?
Fostering connections?
The “f” word(faculty;)
Most of us only involve faculty late in the game.
But prospects value that interaction as early as possible!
Can’t access faculty “on-demand?”
Sometimes we’re more focused on our own road-blocks than on what our audience wants (and needs).
Let’s wrap up...
Let’s Recap:1. Create a strategy
2. Don’t act like you’re herding cattle3. Give them the tools to share
4. Be human 5. Solve their problems
5. Students control the process6. It all comes together on the web
“Confused but curious”
Are you helping?
From @johnmorgan tweet
Most marketing covers the "what" but rarely covers the
“so what?”
Answer that & you'll get results.
Who you think (and say) you are isn’t as important as who THEY think
(and say) you are
Source: ME ;)
www.targetx.com/shelfari
"The Beatles did not create teenagers. They just decided to lead them."
Seth Godin at TED 2009
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