Leadership in Higher Education During Times of Change
Dr. David Wright from Indiana Wesleyan University shares insights on leadership in higher education, navigating tech-driven transformation, and staying mission-focused in changing times.
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Traditionally, websites have been constructed of pages containing copy and photos – not much more than a typical printed brochure. But with broadband speeds, even on mobile devices, increasing at regular intervals, your website can deliver so much more. Leverage your content to tell your story in a way that evokes emotion and response in your website users.
Today’s so-called “digital natives” expect information to be delivered in a visually engaging way — expecting them to understand who you are by reading large blocks of text is unrealistic. They’ll quickly move on from your site to the next institution in their Google search results. One effective way to increase engagement is through rich content.
To truly communicate the institution’s uniqueness, be sure to leverage rich content and media. This can and should be in the form of video (we especially love video testimonials), infographics, animation, and illustration in addition to traditional photography and copy. We recently shared an affordable idea for 360 photography, which we also like a lot. Using rich media used to be “gravy,” but more and more, it is expected. Your rich content should be posted not only on your institution’s website, but also through digital outposts such as social, video, and photo sharing sites.
The old medical school adage of “See it, do it, teach it” can be modified to “See it, do it, share it” for our social media culture. Consider your new content strategy to be that of “content nuggets” that tell various aspects of your story in ways that are easily shared and socialized among friends.
Engaging current students is a great way to create rich content. Monitor your students’ social media channels for opportunities to share their photos, videos and posts regarding the great things happening at your institution. Also look for opportunities to share their success stories, demonstrating the benefits of attending your institution.
It’s really true that you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. And for many prospective students, your website or social media channel is the first impression they get. If you don’t grab their attention and engage them right away, you risk losing them to the next result in the Google search. With well-placed and well-used rich content, you can engage quickly and have the opportunity to share what makes you unique — your “secret sauce.”
For more tips and marketing solutions, feel free to contact us today!
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