Strategies for Impactful Marketing in Higher Education
- Speaking to Your Students’ Needs
Time-sensitive, reaffirming messaging is key: colleges and universities must reassure students that their education remains uncompromised, highlighting dedicated faculty, strong academic programs, and robust support services. Beyond academics, schools should be fostering inclusive environments through cultural events and safe spaces where students can connect and feel supported. As a result, your institution’s marketing should deliver tailored content and recommendations based on students’ interests, demographics, and online behaviors. - Video-Centric Storytelling
Short-form video content on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube continues to dominate. Authentic campus stories, virtual tours, and student testimonials in short-form videos are proving to be highly effective in engaging prospective students. Tell stories straight from the heart—your students want to know that they are surrounded by a community that cares about their personal, academic, and professional future. - Connected TV (CTV) Opportunities
With the decline of traditional cable viewership and the rise of on-demand content, CTV allows higher education institutions to connect with tech-savvy audiences where they spend their time—whether on smart TVs, gaming consoles, or streaming devices. Advanced data capabilities enable precise audience segmentation, ensuring that marketing messages reach students based on demographics, interests, and online behavior. This makes CTV an essential tool for driving enrollment, increasing brand awareness, and engaging both traditional and non-traditional learners in a more personalized way.
How does this fit in with your student enrollment and retention strategies? Read more about CTV here. - Postcard Remarketing
Direct Mail Retargeting, also known as Postcard Remarketing, is a targeted advertising strategy that sends physical postcards to individuals who have previously engaged with your brand through your website, social media, or other online interactions. When a user takes a predetermined action, this will trigger our partner’s proprietary technology by tagging the user and prompting beautifully designed, personalized, and relevant direct mail that resonates with potential customers. Learn more about Postcard Remarketing here.
Why Digital Media Advertising is Key
Digital media advertising above all else offers unmatched opportunities to connect and deliver your impactful message with the right prospective students where they spend much of their time—on screen. Here’s why colleges across California choose cThru Media as their digital marketing strategists:
- Precise Targeting: By leveraging Google Ads, YouTube, Meta, TikTok, and SnapChat for your institution, we can run highly targeted campaigns based on prospective student interests, location, and affinities.
- Trackable Engagement: Our reporting capabilities facilitate immediate interaction and engagement, allowing your stakeholders to see what is effective and capitalize on the your campaign’s performance.
- Cost-Efficient Performance: cThru Media’s digital campaigns are designed to deliver the best ROI, complete with scalable investment options based on tangible data. Have extra resources for a targeted campaign? We’ve already got a plan for it.
This year, we hope to see higher education institutions prioritizing digital media as a central component of their marketing strategy, so that they are better positioned to attract, engage, and retain students. Contact us to learn more and receive your starter higher education marketing plan today.
