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Higher Education Marketing Strategies

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Marketing Success

How to Market Your Educational Institution

Learn about new digital marketing approaches—and how to use them.

Higher education is increasingly online. So it's no surprise that that digital marketing tactics are having a huge impact on the success of many institutions. To keep enrollment strong, you need a smart digital marketing approach and a strong higher ed marketing agency. Let's get educated!

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Leading higher education institutions are embracing the digital marketing landscape.

"CMG Local Solutions has been instrumental in helping us find new markets and new strategies. This partnership has made a significant impact on the three-year growth in enrollment that we have experienced."

Miami University

"CMG Local Solutions' plan was very successful in driving brand awareness and maximizing student enrollment."

Clark State Community College"

Marketing Quick Wins for Higher Ed

Get smart, faster, with these starter tactics

Building a reputation for your higher education institution is a long-haul effort. But starting with the low-hanging fruit will help you get some initial traction quickly.

Get Social

Go where the students are—on social networks! Giving a little extra love to your social accounts in the form of fun content is a surefire way to boost your buzz. You can also expand your following with a strategic paid social campaign.

Show Up In Search

Students initially start their research for higher ed online. Make sure you're listed on all applicable listing sites, directories, etc. Then implement strategic search campaigns to make sure you're showing up in for relevant searches related to your educational offerings and location.

Manage Perceptions

Young people have grown up combing through online ratings, reviews and content to help influence their decisions on everything—including where they choose to go to school. Make sure your higher education institution has good online ratings and reviews, and enlist a higher education marketing agency to help give them a boost, if need be.

Suggested Services

SEO + PPC + SEM + OTT

Primary Key Performance Indicator

Form Fills + Phone Calls

Recommended Time Frame

9 Months

A Step-By-Step Guide to Higher Ed Marketing

We'll school you on the latest higher ed marketing approaches—one step at a time.

Whether you're higher ed institution is an established national brand or small, local or new to the scene, a fresh approach to digital marketing can reinvigorate your organization. Use this easy 5-step plan—and a strong higher ed marketing agency—to see your ROI grow.

Work on Your Website

What personality does your website convey to prospective students? In addition to making sure it accurately represents your institution, you'll want to make sure it is easy to navigate and that prospective student info is at the forefront—specifically the forms and information needed to enroll or apply.

Put SEO First

When working up a marketing plan for higher education, SEO should come next. This includes creating content targeted toward key search terms, optimizing site speeds and other technical website issues and ensuring your site appears in as many relevant directories, higher ed listing sites, etc.

Widen Your Circle

In addition to organic efforts (SEO), you'll want to use a strategic omni-channel media mix to get in front of students at the right time and right place. This includes programmatic display, SEM, paid social and more. Work with a higher ed marketing agency that knows how to get results.

Build Relationships

Prospective students may take months or even years to decide which higher education path is right for them. This is why it's important to capture their contact information when they're on your site (through high-value gated content or other incentives), then use automated nurturing tactics (email, SMS and retargeting ads) to foster familiarity and positive perception.

Get Analytics in Check

To ensure you're getting the most from your spend higher ed marketing spend, you'll need a multi-touch attribution approach. This helps you get a clear picture of how all tactics are working together. But keep in mind, getting this right is tricky; make sure you have a higher ed marketing agency that knows how to achieve this.

Higher Education Marketing Trends

As enrollment declines, higher ed must try new tactics

In the last decade, college enrollment has been on the decline. At the same time, those who are enrolled are increasingly online, opening up the prospective student pool significantly.

Higher ed enrollment dropped by 4.9% from 2019 to 2021—the biggest drop since 1951

30% of higher ed students are completely remote (online)

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Community College Drives Increased Registrations

Suffolk County Community College needed to promote its "Late Start" program and increase student registrations. Fresh creative assets were deployed in social and display campaigns to build buzz.

300 New Student Reservations

In less than one month, the campaign reached 68,463 qualified users; drove 933 clicks to the registration page; and met the client's goal of 300 new student registrations for the program."

Get FREE Custom Insights

We have inside information on the audience and market trends affecting your higher education institution.

From information about the size and makeup of your local or national market to insights on your competitors and their marketing activities, we'll provide you with in-depth, free reports to help guide your higher ed marketing strategy in the right direction. Fill out the form to get started.

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Our Partners and Publishers

When it comes to your digital marketing, we only partner with the top leaders in the industry to help get you the best results possible. Because we're a part of CMG, digital advertising with us is credible, accessible, data-driven and transparent.