The current world has gained a constant change in market planning. This is this can also be applied to youth’s culture. Values, practices, and norms between the two are permanently in a flux state and present a moving target for HE marketing practitioners Worldwide. Fashion, music, style, sport, language, beliefs, dating and digital trends are just some of the elements that make up youth culture and are what HE marketing leaders need to align their brand and campaigns with to turn heads in a crowded, noisy market (Zwick & Cayla, 2011). One thing is certain, if you keep up to date with the latest available trends and tech, throw into the mix sound market research and a robust strategy, you’re going to give yourself the best chance of recruitment success in 2016.
Higher Education Marketing is no different to any other sector, early adopters steal a march on competitors, getting their brand in front of new audiences faster and more powerfully, positioning themselves as pioneers and the place to be seen. Culture, Technology, and Society have adapted to marketing (Zwick & Cayla, 2011). This is because marketing has drastically grown. Over recent years, the digital marketing has experienced the most important revolution.
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This means that Heads of Marketing, Student Recruitment Managers, and IT Technicians need to choose their strategy, solutions and channels carefully if they are to target the “right” prospective students and convert them. Within the next future, it looks like it’s going to be an exciting year for HE marketers seeking to launch high-impact interventions and engage with prospects in new and personalized ways (Kaplan, 2012). So here are the marketing trends that you need to be planning for the coming future if you want to connect with Generation Z and Millennials;
Social Media will become Transient
Although around a long time now, Social media growth shows no sign of slowing.The choice of platforms, apps, and channels by HE marketers has brought a significant confusion making selection and research more prominent during the selection. The most trending apps at the moment are Facebook and Twitter. Everybody knows about them, but let’s take a look at Snapchat which is the newest kid on the block. It has become the most modern valuable marketing tool which enables users to communicate lively as it happens (Kaplan, 2012). The use of snapchat by the HE marketers helps them to engage with prospects of content selection which also has an expiry date to limit the misuse of the feature. Snapchat needs the users to be relevant, natural and always getting the point.
Universities will tell Compelling, Emotive, and Student Stories
Telling the stories of real students, using real student content (in all its unedited glory) will become increasingly prevalent in University marketing in 2016. The use of storytelling in the previous years was a trending in marketing, and this is expected to continue in the next five years. This is a technique relevant to the HE marketing. The storytelling should not only focus on the students but also powered in bringing life and humanize alumni, ambassadors, lecturers, and customer service staff (Quelch, 2013). HE marketing professionals now understand that highly-polished images and slick corporate language do not necessarily resonate with prospective students. Connecting on a personal level, creativity and originality are much more of an enabler for inquiries. The institution should convey the usage of social media and stimulate their instruction the sharing of infographics, animations, and videos (Kaplan, 2012). University websites, marketing collateral and channels will need to be selected and redesigned so that they provide a complimentary platform to tell these stories – enhancing them and bringing them to life.
Universities will employ Relationship Marketing
Smartphone adoption and their infiltration into every facet of our lives show no sign of abating. Outdated, intrusive and pretty annoying mass-target, push techniques have given marketing a bad rep over the years. The production of personalized messages appropriate channels and value-added content by the universities builds transparency, and stable relationship between their audiences (Quelch, 2013). The power of well-executed relationship marketing is that it allows organizations to establish strong, long-term connections, for Universities this could mean a student goes on to study for a Masters, becomes an ambassador or is a valuable member of their alumni (Quelch, 2013).
Universities Apps will use Location Marketing and the Internet of Things (IoT)
The app's availability within the institution delivers the Universality’s website access and content in a compelling, engaging way and more intuitive. Those universities that have developed useful apps have a much greater presence and greater control on a student and prospective student’s Smartphone than ever before. What’s interesting here is that this then brings into play Location-based Marketing and the Internet of Things (IoT). Apps and the IoT possess the power to engage with students, convey a brand and tell a story in a unique way (Scott, (2015). Apps can also collect data about student preferences and behaviors and are much easier to access than a mobile website — as the saying goes, “tap tap boom.” Potentially, ads’ key target is the people basing on their day to day move throughout the internet (Quelch, 2013).
An app can be closed but still have the ability to work away in the background, sending geo-targeted notifications such as promotions, games, directions or exciting announcements to prospective students at an event, on an open day or only visiting the local area. Similarly, the growth in wearable techs, such as smart watches, is forecast to explode in 2016 (Scott, 2015).
Universities will use advanced Automation
With HE marketers now spending much more time on content creation, the savviest amongst them are investing in automation software to make it easier for them to manage email nurturing or open day campaigns, post / respond on social media, or track and report on student inquiries and conversions. The current institutions are focusing on the marketing and branding. Majorities are hiring the marketing professionals in the corporate world and have invested significant money and time to create institutional brands firmly (Scott, 2015). The institutions have recognized the significance of incorporating the social media making them consider it during their strategic planning and ahead of mobile social commerce.
References
Kaplan, A. M. (2012). If you love something, let it go mobile: Mobile marketing and mobile social media 4x4. Business horizons , 55 (2), 129-139.
Quelch, J. A., & Jocz, K. E. (2013). Greater good: How good marketing makes for better democracy . Harvard Business Press.
Scott, D. M. (2015). The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to use social media, online video, mobile applications, blogs, news releases, and viral marketing to reach buyers directly . John Wiley & Sons.
Zwick, D., & Cayla, J. (2011). Inside marketing: Practices, ideologies, devices . Oxford University Press.
