Video marketing is the ultimate tool for marketing with the capability to reach the right target audience. With cut-throat competition amongst universities and colleges, it is critical to connecting with prospective students using creative forms of marketing. The change in the digital marketing landscape has made video marketing an indisputable leader in terms of reach, visibility, and getting the information delivered creatively and effectively. According to Inc., nearly 80% of website traffic is driven by videos. Educational institutions investing in quality video marketing to promote higher education connect better with prospective students. The better the content of the video, the higher is the volume of applications from bright students across the globe. Here are some creative ideas for higher education video marketing.
1. Virtual Tour of the Institution
The virtual tour of the university or college campus is an appealing invitation for the students to apply to the institution for higher studies. It gives a visual picture of what students can expect once they become a part of the institution. The tour provides glimpses of the campus, library, cafeteria, dining hall, classrooms, hostels, etc., and creates a stir of excitement in prospective students. It is a great opportunity to connect with students who live far away and cannot visit the place in person for a live tour. It is easy to create and shoot videos of various places on the campus and provide an immersive experience to students.
2. Create short videos of live events
Higher education is not only about books and studies but a combination of academics and extracurricular activities. One of the best ways to fuel student interest is to showcase various events and celebrations on the campus—short videos from events, concerts, lecture series, sports, etc., to increase audience engagement. One of the best approaches is to periodically post short videos on social media channels to grab more views, traffic, and visibility for the target students and their families.
3. Live stream the virtual days
One of the most effective ways to attract and increase enrolment is by organizing open days for the students and their families. During open days, freshmen or prospective students get an organized live tour of the campus, get to know about campus life, meet the faculties, and take a look at all the facilities provided by the university. However, every prospective student can't visit in person and be a part of the open days. In such cases, live streaming the walks is a great video marketing tactic to involve students even virtually with live walks around the campus.
4. Testimonial videos
Testimonials are powerful tools for marketing as they build credibility and reliance. It shares the perspective of people from their experiences. Alumni testimonials are effective as they provide information on what future students can expect. Create short videos of students sharing their experience on campus during their higher education and how it shaped their life and career. Record videos of various students and edit them together with an online video editor to make testimonial videos. Alternatively, you can publish one testimonial at a time, creating a short video of the student. You can even create testimonial videos from parents or faculties to let prospective students know more about the institution.
5. Create a video on social service
Everyone must give back to society and think sustainably. One of the best ways for universities or colleges to promote themselves is by creating a video on all their social initiatives and efforts. With increasing awareness, students often want to join an institution for higher education that takes social responsibility. Create videos showing how the institution conducts social collaboration, maintains sustainability, and participates in environmental protection. Record and shoot snippets from social events and share the videos on social media platforms. It is a great marketing tool and is a way to show prospective students the numerous initiatives they too can be associated with in the future.
6. Spotlight on research
Research and innovation are an integral part of all higher education institutions. Most students focus and apply to universities with cutting-edge research, state-of-the-art labs, and facilities. Provide a spotlight on the research and technology in the institution and use it as an attractive marketing tool for the students. It not only helps in getting applications from good students across the globe but also improves the university's image and attracts potential collaborators. Create a short video highlighting all the projects and research going on in the institution and provide insights into the practical use of the research.
7. Consistent video content on social media
Social media is used by billions of students worldwide and offers a great platform for video marketing. Make sure to make diversity, equity & inclusion core components of the video marketing strategy to reach students from across the globe. Use paid video marketing options and create paid campaigns to reach the target audience on social media. Create unique content regarding the university, specific courses, amenities, facilities, campus events, etc., to post consistently on social media. Invest time in creating short videos for Tik Tok or Instagram to provide information concisely and precisely.
8. Create personalized videos
Personalized videos are a great marketing tool and are known to increase click-through rates. Mixing email marketing with a personalized video is an effective technique to attract students. The personalized videos give a sense of familiarity and, hence, are a great way of reaching prospective students. It is an excellent tool that helps students understand more about the institution and what it offers. Leave a CTA (click to action) to redirect prospects to the next page or action.
Conclusion
Video marketing is an evocative approach for attracting students for higher education in an institution. It is a robust marketing tool with high click-throughs and conversion rates. Search engine algorithms prefer increased traffic for websites that have video content. Paid video marketing campaigns are an affordable way to attract the target audience. These ideas are great for institutions providing higher education to dabble in video marketing and engage with their audience.
Read more:
Top Scholarships with Highest Paying
