If you're trying to figure out what the best online student recruitment strategies are, we've got you! Whether you are a new college or university looking to grow your campus community or an already established institution looking for ways to increase student enrollment in your college or university, it is important to have the best college recruitment strategies in place to attain your goals. Considering that the average person spends at least two hours online every day, those strategies need to include an online or digital component to be effective. In this blog, we will tell you why implementing the right online student recruitment strategies is crucial in 2024. We will also share five online student recruitment strategies to help your institution stand out and increase enrollment.
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Why are online student recruitment strategies important?
Students who are embarking on their higher education journey search for schools that not only offer a good education in their chosen programs, but they also want an institution that matches their individual needs, personalities, and values. As a college and university, you want the students who enroll in your institution to be a good fit both academically and personally. This helps with the quality of the education you will be able to provide, and it is one of the best student retention practices, which helps the school's reputation and recruitment efforts.
The issue is that reaching those students is no easy task. Standing out in this increasingly competitive crowd has become a challenge, even though it is now more necessary than ever - especially for smaller colleges and universities. The reality is that the pool of prospective seems to be getting smaller as student enrollment declines continue to worsen across the country, and the younger generation's skepticism about the need for higher education continues to grow.
In other words, implementing the right recruitment strategies or university partnerships is crucial, especially online. Having a strategy that is optimized for the digital world is essential. Studies have shown that the average person spends at least two hours and 22 minutes online daily. So, as an institution, you must take advantage of this platform by implementing strategies that will not only communicate your school's message, but also speak directly to the people you wish to attract.
One of the ways you can do so is through partnering with BeMo's university student benefits program, which offers unlimited undergraduate, graduate and career coaching to students. Through the program, students have unlimited, online access to our top admissions consultants and career coaches to help them plan their studies and their futures, anytime and from anywhere.
So, without much further ado, let's talk about some of the online student recruitment strategies that you can adopt to do just that:
Online student recruitment strategy #1: Student ambassadors
The internet has taken word of mouth to the next level, and it has made peer-to-peer guidance an even more prevalent part of the decision-making process for many. The popularity of things like TripAdvisor feedback, product reviews, and influencer culture show that we are prone to listening to guidance when we do not have our own personal experiences to draw from. We are even more likely to listen to that guidance if it comes from a person to whom we can relate.
That's where student ambassadors come in. Current students are great advocates for your university because they can share their experiences with prospective students and provide them with guidance and feedback about things that marketing or admissions professionals can't, such as extracurricular activities and campus life. Additionally, they can do so in a way that is more likely to resonate with prospective students because they walked in the prospective student's shoes recently.
You can tap into the experiences of current students by sharing success stories or content generated by student ambassadors on your website and other social media platforms. We also recommend having a few student ambassadors available to speak with prospective students. Typically, colleges will offer this option for students who tour their facilities in person, but it is possible to have this experience online.
By either organizing virtual events or making it possible for prospective students to reach out to current students, you are giving students a chance to hear about your school from others who have already chosen your institution. It is, of course, essential to have good practices for student retention if you're going to use this strategy. If prospective students can get answers and hear good things about your institution from their peers, they will feel more confident and comfortable making these life-changing decisions.
Online student recruitment strategy #2: Boost social media presence
Most current and prospective college students live on social media, and you can sign up to join them there for free. You can use it for advertising in the traditional sense of the word, but it can also be used to show prospective students what awaits them on campus. We highly recommend using student-generated content, when possible, on social media apps.
For example, one of the most popular trends on social media apps such as Instagram and Tik Tok is the daily vlog, in which people share a reel or video highlighting different parts of their day to show what a "typical day" in their life is like. This trend would be a great way to show prospective students around the school and give them a sense of what it's like to be a college student on your campus. This kind of student-generated content on social media platforms is one of the best online student recruitment strategies that you can adopt. Using this authenticity is a great way to boost brand trust and engage prospective students. It simultaneously gives current students a chance to be creative, highlights student engagement, and encourages other current students to get involved.
Prospective students around the school and give them a sense of what it's like to be a college student on your campus. This kind of student-generated content on social media platforms is one of the best online student recruitment strategies that you can adopt. Using this authenticity is a great way to boost brand trust and engage prospective students. It simultaneously gives current students a chance to be creative, highlights student engagement, and encourages other current students to get involved.
Remember to be authentic and genuine on your social media platforms. Being authentic requires transparency and integrity. While it may seem appropriate to appear “perfect,” doing so can keep prospective students from connecting with your school. You want them to relate to what they are seeing and feel as though they belong there. So, share those quirky traditions your institution has; and if you don’t have any yet, create some! Broadcasting the authentic student and campus life will not only help with your recruitment efforts, but it’s also a great way to ensure that the students who engage with your content and school are genuinely interested in your school.
Online student recruitment strategy #3: Use various online mediums - emails, forums, blogs
Your online student recruitment strategies should include a personalized experience for prospective students on various platforms. The more you engage with prospective students, the more familiar your school becomes to them. This is why they tend to apply to the schools they find most engaging. We recommend using at least the following mediums to engage with students:
Many colleges and universities underestimate the power of virtual events. While it is true that in-person events like Open Days and Applicant Visit Days are the most effective tools for conversion, virtual events should not be discounted as they can also lead to significant results. Virtual events are replacing and complementing many in-person events in various industries because, over the past few years, we have learned that they deliver the same impact as in-person events, in-depth information and a personalized experience when done well. Also, unlike traditional events, virtual events are completely accessible, which is great for your international student recruitment strategies as well.
Online student recruitment strategy #4: Career planning & mentorship
As mentioned earlier, there is a great deal of competition out there for smaller or newer colleges and universities, so it is important that you do everything you can to stand out. One of the many ways you can do that is by offering unique programs that support students in the long term and advertising those programs.
For example, some schools choose to work with specific companies in their community to give students access to internships and research opportunities. Additionally, more schools are starting to offer students access to professionals who can help them prepare their resumes, CVs, and cover letters while teaching them how to prepare for interviews and other things of this nature, which help prepare students for life after college.
We recommend implementing these changes, and if you want to stand out, consider academic consulting as well. Depending on your institution's needs and means, you can choose to fully cover the cost of academic consulting or offer it at a discounted rate for students who are interested in pursuing higher education. Many students do not know how to get into grad school or what they may need to attend medical or law school. Researching this information requires a lot of time, and even then, without proper guidance, it is possible to not get into the school in question.
That's where academic consulting firms come in. They can assist students with the following:
- Understanding program requirements
- Preparing for admissions exams such as the GRE, MCAT, LSAT, GMAT, etc.
- Researching and applying to scholarship programs
- Finding the right schools
- Preparing various application components
The list above is far from exhaustive, but it should give you a pretty good idea of the many ways in which admissions consulting can help students. Advertising the fact that you offer this level of support can go a long way toward making your institution stand out. Furthermore, having a high number of students from your school who can get into competitive graduate school programs is great for your school's reputation and recruitment efforts.
Conclusion
The key to building effective online student recruitment strategies is realizing that to attract more students, you need to think like them. Be present on their social media feeds and timelines and share relatable and inspirational content. You also need to invest in student development and engage with students on different platforms to make sure that they understand why your school is special. It is important to connect with prospective students personally by addressing their real and pressing issues. Doing all this effectively in these digitally driven times is not easy, but with the right strategies, such as the ones we outlined above, you can do so. Thus, improving your online student recruitment strategies, which are built by keeping your admissions teams and prospective students in mind.
Implementing the right recruitment strategies is crucial, especially online. Having a strategy that is optimized for the digital world is essential. Studies have shown that the average person spends at least two hours and 22 minutes online daily. So, as an institution, you must take advantage of this platform by implementing strategies that will not only communicate your school's message, but also speak directly to the people you wish to attract.
FAQs
1. Why is it important to have online student recruitment strategies?
Prospective students spend most of their time online, so by implementing online student recruitment strategies, you’ll be able to reach more of them and tell them why your school is the right place for them. It’s all about being proactive and getting ahead of the competition.
2. What is a student ambassador?
Student ambassadors are current students or alumni who essentially represent your institution's brand. Prospective students are more likely to listen to someone they feel they can relate to, so student ambassadors can be a great addition to your recruitment efforts.
3. Which social media platforms are best for online student recruitment?
This will depend on your target audience. For example, suppose your institution only offers MBA programs and other advanced degrees. In that case, your target audience is probably older and will most likely respond to a presence on Facebook, while a younger audience would be more present on TikTok or Instagram.
4. Why is TikTok such an important part of online student recruitment strategies?
TikTok is arguably the biggest social media platform on the internet at this moment, which means that it is home to a considerable number of prospective students.
5. How does Career planning help online student recruitment?
Many international students enroll in colleges as a stepping stone to graduate school, law school, or other professional programs. Therefore, an institution that offers them additional professional guidance on that journey is very appealing.
6. How can you adopt online student recruitment strategies for international students?
You can do this by creating varied content for both local and international students and optimizing your website for the international experience.
7. Which social media platform should I use for international student recruitment?
This will depend on your target audience. It would be best to research the popularity of the different platforms in the countries or regions you are hoping to recruit from and adapt your content for that region.
8. What exactly is academic consulting?
Academic consultants are admissions experts who help students plan and apply to tertiary education programs like college, medical school, MBAs, law school, Pharmacy school, etc.
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