Choices, Choices: How Social Media is Key During the Student Recruitment Process

Choices, Choices…How Social Media Engagement is Key

During the Student Recruitment Process

Dr. Corie M. MartinWestern Kentucky University@coriemartin

Table of Contents• Why Market Research

• Understanding Audience, Habits, and College Choice Processes

• Why Social Media

• The Research

• What Students Really Want to Know

• How to Get There

Why Market Research?

Market research is the process of analyzing data to help you

understand which products and services are in demand, and how

to be competitive.

Source: sba.gov

http://sba.gov/



to be competitive. (Enrollment Data, Demographic Data, Social Media Data)

Source: sba.gov

http://sba.gov/



to be competitive.

Source: sba.gov

(Trends: Academic, social, extracurricular, course delivery formats)

http://sba.gov/



to be competitive.

Source: sba.gov

(What are your competitors doing? How to celebrate what YOU do well.)

http://sba.gov/

Why Social Media?

Social Media• Has revolutionized real-

time communication

• Offers personalized, quick access

• Reaches all demographics

• Provides accessible space

• 18-24 largest user base

• It’s cheap and easy to use

Why Social Media?• Gives students a place

• Works on their time

• Familiar & easy

• Informal

• Wide reach

Common Uses• News and info

• Event promotion

• Photo / video

• Direct engagement

HESM Admin Uses• Customer Service

• Personal engagement with students

• To provide a student-friendly space

• To protect and help students

• To generate excitement

Who is your Student?

All of the Above

Understanding Habits:

(The Things That Matter)

Valuable References

Audience

- What type of student? - CALL-TO-ACTION: What do I want them to do? - What is MY timeline?

Media Choice & Timing

- What media does my audience use/respond to?

- What time of day are they most likely to see my message?

Message & Content

- Message types? Photos or videos?

- Headlines (Call-To-Action)

- Who is the best person to deliver my message?

Relevance & Timeliness

- Do I have something of value to add?

- Will my audience benefit?

Listening & Audience Demand

- Have I listened / responded / taken action?

- Do they WANT to hear from me?

The Research:(Nuts, Bolts, Pie Charts & Such)

Does social media engagement during the yield period increase enrollment likelihood?

Research Objective:

Understanding College Choice Processes

(Getting to the WHY)

The Higher Ed Marketer’s Sacred Texts

3-Stages of Student College Choice

• Phase One: Predisposition

• Phase Two: Search• Phase Three: Choice

The Search PhaseThe Student Has

Decided to attendApplied / admittedConnects to learn more

Admissions CounselorsCampus ToursOther StudentsAcademics

Methods• Qualitative Case Study• Semi-Structured

Interviews• Observations of

student engagement in open and closed moderated social communities

Participants

• Five institutions• Five higher ed social media administrators• All different states and U.S. regions• Four public, one private• Enrollment from 10,000 - 82,000

Student EngagementTimeline January 2015 - August 2015• 5 Communities (4 Schools App, one Facebook

Group)• 56 Students• 1805 Engagement Threads• 197 General Conversation Topics• 141 Direct Questions Posted• 140 Engagements with Institutional Staff

Student Characteristics

• Diverse• First-time, full-time

residential(+ some transfer, adult, veteran, commuter)

• Most admitted (10% undecided)

Top conversation topics shared by dozens of individual students through hundreds of

personal interactions with each other and with HESM professionals



(In their own words….)



(Thousands of comments by hundreds of students)



(New friends made BEFORE ever setting foot on campus)



(Typically ONE person in admissions/marketing)

Items of Interest

Example: Inst I (80K+) = 553 engagements, 7 Qs, 18 staffInst V (20K+) = 533 engagements, 95 Qs, 86 staff

Public students = more interest in personal connections

Equal engagement among genders

HESM Admins use communities in different ways:

Student Findings• Students engage in social communities• Students respond to HESM calls-to-action• Students ask questions• Students express frustration, excitement,

anxiety• Primary use of social communities -

TO MAKE FRIENDS

Admin Findings• Administrators are using social communities in

different ways

• Administrators are directly engaging with students, but…

• Administrators are missing valuable outreach opportunities• By opening communities too late• By missing questions• By being too “hands off”• Due to limited resources

Recommendations(Run, don’t walk…)

• Social media engagement during entire enrollment cycle

• Private communities should be provided early

• Allocate resources

• Designate an experienced and available admin

Engaged social communities are key in helping students establish affinities with institutions

Students are focused on making friends - not on affordability or outcomes as news might suggest…

SuggestionsConsider targeting academic, affordability, and

outcome messaging to PARENTS

Yield messaging to students should focus on relationships, fitting in, social acceptance, and

community

Lessons Learned

Administrators all face similar challenges and all use social media the same way and for the same purpose regardless of enrollment size or U.S. region.

Students want a place.

They want to make friends.

They want us when they want us.

Our messaging is often disseminated to the wrong audience.

Enrollment GrowthMake Informed Decisions by…• Market research & trend

analysis

• Understanding audiences & habits

• Allocate resources

• Engage and send the right messages

Questions?

Dr. Corie M. MartinWestern Kentucky UniversityDivision of Public Affairs@coriemartinlinkedin/in/[email protected]

http://www.twitter.com/coriemartin

http://www.linkedin/in/coriemartin

mailto:[email protected]?subject=

Choices, Choices: How Social Media is Key During the Student Recruitment Process

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