Trends in Higher Education Marketing: From Traditional to Digital

According to the U.S. News & World Report, in 2021, there were 3,982 degree-granting institutions in the United States. This indicates quite a significant competition given that the number of students in the U.S. is in the millions.   

We also shouldn’t neglect the fact that the nationwide enrollment rate has continued decreasing since its peak in 2010 (21.02 million) and has already dropped by 9.8%, meaning that higher education institutions have to compete for future students even more rigorously. 

The Hechinger Report predicts the total number of college students predicted to drop by over 15% after 2025.  

Demand for elite top 50 colleges and 50 universities in the country is projected to remain high, whereas less big-named schools might suffer from an enrollment shortage. 

Due to these reasons, colleges and universities are spending billions on higher education marketing to drive students. Let’s explore the key marketing trends that may help them survive the competition. 

1. Student Ambassadors 

Not all marketing trends in higher education are cutting-edge and innovative. Collaborating with ambassadors has been a popular marketing tactic for schools for decades, and it’s believed to be here to stay.  

Studies show that 92% of people trust family, friends, and peer recommendations entirely or partially. Hence, word-of-mouth marketing works pretty much everywhere, whether in advertising a legit Canadian essay writing service, a restaurant, or a college.   

Higher education facilities team up with current students and graduates and use them (and their social presence) to drive new students through friendly marketing. 

2. Search Engine Optimization 

Unlike previous generations, Gen Zers (who now make the primary group of students-to-be) approach their life choices differently.   

They prefer to make well-informed decisions about everything, including their education and careers, and they want to research the information themselves, which means that they rely heavily on online searches.  

Since Gen Zers will likely research their college choices online, this encourages higher education facilities to invest much time and effort into search engine optimization.   

Schools leverage SEO best practices, such as keyword research and integration, backlinks, and others, to earn higher positions in result pages and thus attract more potential students through organic search. 

3. Paid Search Campaigns 

Along with organic search optimization (which brings tangible and cost-effective results but takes plenty of time), paid search campaigns are also common among trends in higher education.  

More and more colleges and universities leverage PPC (pay-per-click) ads. The core benefits of such an approach include very accurate targeting and high prominence in search results.   

Paid ads are displayed higher than the top organic results, making it easier for schools to ensure that potential students see and click on their site. 

4. YouTube Content 

The Social Effect report by Channel Factory revealed that YouTube is the most-used platform across different age groups. And it’s growing its popularity rapidly. 93% of Gen Z adults (between 18 and 29) use it regularly.   

This is a significant rise compared to 88% of Gen Zers in 2020, and it’s a significantly larger indicator than the use rate of other platforms like TikTok (54%) or even Meta (73%). 

The popularity of this platform makes it a must-have channel for every school’s marketing strategy to attract students. Colleges and universities are actively leveraging YouTube to create long-form advertising video content.  

Schools actively show their campus tours, event videos, student and staff interviews, and other forms of content to generate interest and attract potential students. 

5. TikTok Marketing 

Though YouTube might be the most widely used social media platform, we can’t deny the power of TikTok for younger generations. Studies show that Gen Z spends over 5 hours on TikTok daily, making it easy to capture their attention on this app.   

For this reason, many businesses and organizations have long integrated TikTok into their marketing tactics, and colleges and universities are doing the same.  

TikTok marketing is one of the biggest trends in higher education marketing as of 2024 and for years ahead. It’s a perfect platform for sharing short-form video content, such as quick campus tours, student achievements, alumni success stories, and others.   

It also seems that student-generated content works great for attracting potential students, as it is similar to word-of-mouth marketing. 

6. Hybrid Events 

For decades, colleges and universities have been hosting and participating in various marketing events. They arrange tours and display their schools at career fairs—all to get noticed by a larger number of potential students.   

This traditional higher education marketing tactic still works. However, schools now tend to add a bit of innovation to it for a greater impact.  

Since the pandemic, virtual events have been trending in all sectors and industries, including education. They enable capturing a larger number of leads who cannot attend an offline event.   

Schools can also take down physical boundaries and attract more potential students by creating hybrid events. 

The Bottom Line 

As the number of students enrolling continues decreasing and the demand for non-elite schools also drops, higher education institutions must invest even more effort into marketing their schools and attracting potential students.  

The marketing methods schools use today have changed as well. Gone are the days when conventional advertising, like brochures or banners, worked for marketing. Schools must be more creative and embrace technology to capture more potential students.   

Now, you know about the six biggest trends in higher education marketing that work. Start incorporating them into your school’s marketing strategy and see the results for yourself.