Categories
Marketing

Advertising at universities: Strategies for reaching and engaging students

advertising at universities strategies for reaching and engaging students 374244 1

The battle for students is fierce in the world of higher education, where advertising budgets have skyrocketed to unprecedented levels.

From catchy slogans to flashy commercials, universities are sparing no expense to attract young minds.

But who’s spending the most?

Delve deeper into the cutthroat world of university advertising and uncover the staggering figures behind this multi-billion dollar industry.

advertising at universities

Advertising at universities plays a crucial role in attracting students, building brands, and conveying messaging and offerings.

Postsecondary institutions allocate significant financial resources to marketing, with an annual collective spend of $2.2 billion in 2019.

Traditional advertising methods, such as print, TV, and billboards, offer longer impressions and broader reach, but require more planning and financial investment.

On the other hand, digital advertising is more cost-effective, allows for targeted segmentation, and provides real-time analytics for campaign adjustments.

However, digital ads have limited space and declining click-through rates.

As higher education institutions move forward, adapting to emerging technologies and engaging with social media platforms, video campaigns, and influencer relations is crucial to meet marketing goals.

Key Points:

  • Advertising at universities is important for attracting students, building brands, and conveying messages and offerings.
  • Postsecondary institutions spent $2.2 billion on marketing in 2019.
  • Traditional advertising methods like print, TV, and billboards are effective but require more planning and financial investment.
  • Digital advertising is cost-effective, allows for targeted segmentation, and provides real-time analytics.
  • However, digital ads have limited space and declining click-through rates.
  • Adapting to emerging technologies, social media platforms, video campaigns, and influencer relations is crucial for universities to meet marketing goals.

Sources
1 – 2 – 3 – 4

Check this out:

💡 Did You Know?

1. Advertising at universities: Did you know that the first recorded instance of advertising at universities dates back to 1880 when a tobacco company advertised their products on bulletin boards placed around campus?
2. In the early 1900s, companies started to sponsor student events and organizations at universities as a form of advertising. For instance, a popular soda company sponsored a college football team and provided free drinks to spectators during games.
3. One interesting trivia about advertising at universities is that the famous Ivy League advertising agency, Young & Rubicam, was founded by two recent graduates from Princeton University in 1923. They initially focused on advertising for university-affiliated organizations before expanding their clientele.
4. Did you know that the first printed university newspaper, which was established in 1791, used advertising as a revenue source to sustain its operations? The ads ranged from promoting local businesses to offering tutoring services to students.
5. In the 1960s, a well-known fast-food chain set up a temporary “pop-up” restaurant on a university campus as a marketing experiment. This innovative approach attracted students’ attention and became a trend that continues today, with pop-up shops promoting various products and services at universities around the world.

The Cost Of Marketing At Postsecondary Institutions

Postsecondary institutions are fully aware of the importance of marketing in today’s highly competitive landscape. As a result, they are not hesitating to allocate substantial financial resources to promote their offerings. Recent studies indicate that these institutions invest between $429 and $623 per enrolled student, per year on marketing efforts. The sheer scale of their commitment to marketing can be further understood by considering that in 2019 alone, postsecondary institutions collectively spent an astounding $2.2 billion on their marketing campaigns.

To summarize:

  • Postsecondary institutions allocate significant financial resources to marketing.
  • The investment per enrolled student ranges from $429 to $623 per year.
  • In 2019, postsecondary institutions collectively spent a massive $2.2 billion on marketing campaigns.

“Marketing plays an indispensable role in the competitive landscape of postsecondary institutions.”

The Importance Of Marketing In Higher Education

Marketing in Higher Education

Marketing is a crucial factor for colleges and universities as they strive to attract students, establish a strong brand image, and effectively communicate their message and offerings. In today’s competitive landscape, with declining enrollment, the rise of online education programs, and alternative postsecondary options, marketing has become even more vital in the higher education sector.

Educational institutions employ various marketing strategies to reach their target audience. These strategies encompass a range of platforms, including digital banner ads, print spreads, subway train ads, billboards, and even commercials during NFL games. These diverse advertising platforms enable universities to reach a wide audience and effectively convey their unique value proposition.

Traditional Vs. Digital Advertising In Education

Both traditional and digital advertising methods are utilized by colleges and universities to promote their institutions. Traditional advertising refers to the use of traditional media such as magazines, newspapers, TV ads, and billboards. On the other hand, digital advertising exploits digital media channels such as email, social media, websites, and search engine optimization.

Advantages of Traditional Advertising:

  • Builds rapport with local communities and strengthens credibility.
  • Provides longer impressions and a longer shelf life compared to digital ads.
  • Effective for reaching a range of audiences, including prospective students, current students, alumni, professors, and staff.

Limitations of Traditional Advertising:

  • Requires more financial resources and planning compared to digital advertising.
  • Limited space for customization and flexibility.
  • Audiences are becoming less responsive to traditional ads as their interest in traditional media declines.

Benefits of Digital Advertising:

  • More cost-effective and allows for hyper-specific targeting, reaching niche audiences with precision.
  • Real-time analytics enable adjustments in digital ad campaigns and provide valuable insights into their effectiveness, allowing for optimization.
  • Various formats are available, including banner ads, social media video ads, and the utilization of QR codes.

Challenges of Digital Advertising:

  • Limited space and declining click-through rates for digital ads.
  • Potential for online reviews and audience complaints, necessitating the development of a robust reputation management plan.

    • Traditional advertising builds credibility and rapport with local communities.
    • Digital advertising allows for cost-effective targeting and real-time campaign adjustments.
    • Traditional marketing requires more resources, while customization is limited.
    • Digital ads have limited space and declining click-through rates.
    • Audience complaints and online reviews must be managed effectively.

Benefits Of Traditional Advertising For Colleges And Universities

Traditional advertising offers unique advantages for colleges and universities. The ability to build rapport with local communities and strengthen credibility is particularly powerful. Traditional marketing methods such as print ads, brochures, and TV commercials provide longer impressions and a longer shelf life compared to their digital counterparts.

Moreover, traditional marketing has proven effective in reaching a wide range of audiences. From prospective students to current students, alumni, professors, and staff, traditional advertising can effectively communicate an institution’s message and offerings to these diverse groups.

Challenges And Limitations Of Traditional Advertising

Despite its benefits, traditional advertising also faces challenges and limitations. The main barrier is the high cost associated with traditional advertising methods. Compared to digital advertising, traditional marketing requires substantial financial resources and meticulous planning to execute successfully.

Additionally, traditional advertising has limited space for customization and flexibility. With a fixed space and time allotted for traditional ads, colleges and universities must carefully craft their messages to fit within these constraints.

Furthermore, modern audiences are becoming less interested in traditional media and are consequently less receptive to traditional ads. This decline in interest poses a significant challenge for institutions relying solely on traditional advertising to engage their target audience.

To summarize, traditional advertising has the following challenges and limitations:

  • High cost associated with traditional advertising methods
  • Limited space for customization and flexibility
  • Decline in audience interest in traditional media and ads

The Effectiveness Of Digital Advertising In Reaching Niche Audiences

Digital advertising has become a cost-effective and highly efficient way to reach targeted niche audiences. The use of hyper-specific segmentation schemes allows institutions to tailor messages to specific demographics and interests.

Real-time analytics are crucial in digital advertising, allowing institutions to monitor campaign performance and make immediate adjustments if needed. This data-driven approach ensures that digital ads are optimized and their effectiveness is maximized.

However, digital advertising also comes with its challenges. Limited space and declining click-through rates pose obstacles for digital ads. Moreover, the online nature of digital advertising can lead to online reviews and audience complaints, making a well-defined reputation management plan necessary.

Trends In Higher Education Marketing

In the coming years, higher education institutions must adapt to emerging technologies and engage with social media platforms, video campaigns, and influencer relations to reach their marketing goals. These trends reflect the evolving preferences and behaviors of modern audiences.

Having a fast and mobile-focused website is essential for higher education marketing success. With the increasing reliance on mobile devices, institutions must ensure their websites are optimized for mobile browsing to deliver a seamless user experience.

Creating engaging distant-learning content is another critical trend in higher education marketing. With the rise of online education programs, institutions must develop compelling content that captures the attention of prospective students seeking flexible and accessible learning options.

Utilizing proprietary data for ad targeting is also becoming increasingly important. By leveraging their own data, institutions can refine their marketing strategies and ensure that their ads reach the most relevant audience segments.

Video marketing, particularly through platforms like YouTube, has proven to be a powerful tool in influencing enrollment decisions. Through engaging and informative video content, institutions can showcase their facilities, faculty, and student life, ultimately convincing prospective students to choose their institution.

Responsive ads and lookalike audience models are other effective tools for higher education brand communications. The ability to customize ads based on user behavior and preferences increases the likelihood of capturing the attention of prospective students.

Advertising Spending In For-Profit Vs. Nonprofit Institutions

When it comes to advertising spending, for-profit institutions outpace their nonprofit and public counterparts significantly. For-profit institutions spend over $400 on advertising per student, compared to only $48 per student for nonprofits and a mere $14 per student for public institutions.

Furthermore, while for-profit institutions account for only 6% of enrolled students, they command 40% of all higher education advertising spending. This disproportionate expenditure reflects the intense competition and often aggressive marketing tactics employed by for-profit institutions.

These significant disparities in advertising spending have sparked debate and controversy within the higher education sector, raising questions about the appropriate allocation of resources and the impact on educational quality and affordability.

  • For-profit institutions spend over $400 on advertising per student.
  • Nonprofit institutions spend $48 per student.
  • Public institutions spend only $14 per student.

“While for-profit institutions account for only 6% of enrolled students, they command 40% of all higher education advertising spending.”

The Debate Surrounding Advertising Spending In Universities

The topic of advertising spending in universities remains a contentious issue. While marketing is crucial for colleges and universities to attract students and maintain enrollment levels, critics argue that the high advertising budgets detract from educational resources and contribute to increased costs for students.

It is important to strike a balance between allocating resources for marketing initiatives and investing in providing quality education. The question of whether advertising spending in universities should be limited or regulated to ensure equitable distribution of resources continues to be debated among educators, policymakers, and stakeholders.

Key points:

  • Advertising spending in universities is a contentious issue.
  • Marketing is important for attracting students and maintaining enrollment.
  • Critics argue that high advertising budgets detract from educational resources and contribute to increased costs for students.
  • Balancing resources between marketing and quality education is crucial.
  • The question of limited or regulated advertising spending for equitable resource distribution remains under debate.

“It is essential to strike a balance between allocating resources for marketing initiatives and investing in providing quality education.”

The Top Spenders On Advertising In Higher Education

Several notable institutions top the list of higher education ad spenders. The University of Phoenix holds the distinction of being the top spender, with an impressive $75.9 million allocated to advertising in 2017. Nonprofit colleges such as Southern New Hampshire University and Western Governors University also rank among the top spenders, demonstrating the competitive nature of the industry.

While for-profit institutions outspend their counterparts on a per-student basis, they also outspend the top 10 spenders overall. This discrepancy raises further questions about the distribution of advertising budgets and the effectiveness of these expenditures.

Advertising has become an essential component of marketing at postsecondary institutions. With increased competition, declining enrollment, and alternative educational options, colleges and universities must employ effective marketing strategies to attract students and convey their unique value proposition. While both traditional and digital advertising methods have their benefits and challenges, institutions must adapt to emerging trends and engage with targeted audiences to achieve their marketing goals. Moreover, the disparity in advertising spending between for-profit and nonprofit institutions sparks ongoing debate regarding the appropriate allocation of resources and the impact on educational quality and affordability.

FAQ

How do you advertise on a college campus?

To effectively advertise on a college campus, it is crucial to profile your student targets and understand their preferences and interests. Utilizing online platforms and social media can reach a large number of students and help create brand visibility. Additionally, turning campuses into ads through strategically placed signs, banners, or engaging displays can capture students’ attention and generate interest in your product or service.

Another effective method is to buy ads in campus media, such as newspapers or magazines, which are widely read by students. Additionally, sponsoring student events, such as concerts or sports tournaments, not only showcases your brand but also creates a positive association with the student community. Making students feel special through exclusive offers or discounts can further enhance brand loyalty and drive word-of-mouth advertising. Finally, utilizing a combination of snail mail and email can ensure that your message reaches both traditional and tech-savvy students, maximizing your chances of success.

Why is advertising important for a college?

Advertising is crucial for a college as it helps them connect with their target audience and build a strong brand reputation. By utilizing social media marketing, colleges can effectively engage with prospective students and create awareness about their educational offerings. This not only increases the college’s visibility but also helps in attracting talent, diversifying the student population, and ultimately contributing to the institution’s growth and success. Furthermore, advertising allows colleges to showcase their unique qualities and advantages, helping them stand out in a highly competitive market. Overall, advertising plays a fundamental role in enhancing the college’s image, attracting potential students, and establishing its position as a reputable institution in the field of higher education.

What do you learn in an advertising degree?

In an advertising degree program, students gain a wide range of knowledge and skills that are essential for success in the field. They delve into areas such as communications, design, consumer culture, social media, ethics, and anthropology. Through these studies, they understand the impact of media on consumers and how businesses can effectively promote their products and services. By acquiring expertise in these subjects, advertising graduates are equipped to create persuasive campaigns that successfully reach target audiences and deliver impactful messages.

What does majoring in advertising mean?

Majoring in advertising means studying the theories, practices, and ethics of crafting persuasive messages through paid media. This field of study equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand consumer behavior, develop advertising account plans, purchase media, create impactful brand stories, design and produce compelling copy, and evaluate advertising campaigns. By delving into these areas, advertising majors gain the expertise to navigate the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of advertising, successfully capturing and retaining the attention of current and potential customers.