Beyond the school web site – create a comprehensive web presence

to reach international students

Don Sears & Dr. Lokesh ShivakumaraiahTuesday, October 29, 2013

About Us

• Over 15 years experience in internet marketing and advertising• Sales in media, advertising, lead gen and social media marketing• Responsible for digital marketing and lead generation efforts • Bachelors degree in Meteorology

• Originally from Bangalore, India• Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Mississippi State University• Over 7 years experience in International Education

Lokesh – Associate Director of International Institute, Mississippi State University &

Don - Director of Sales, Envisage International

About Us

• Mississippi State University• Land Grant Institution: Est. 1878• Location: Starkville, MS• Enrollment: 20,400

• 800 international students - 75 countries• Carnegie - Very High Research Institution

• StudyMississippi Consortium • 17 institutions, Est. 2011• Recruit Int’l Students & Promote Study Abroad• Pool resources to market MS Higher Education• Extensive Web-presence, Branding, Build Partnerships, etc.

About Us

Our goal is to empower and encourage students to pursue an international education, and provide them with the tools they need to educate themselves and experience the world.• Neptune Beach, Florida• Started in 1998• Own the largest international student facing network

• InternationalStudent.com • InternationalScholarships.com• InternationalStudentInsurance.com• ELSdirectory.com• Reach - over 6 million students each year

• Business Units• Insurance • Loans• Leads and advertising

• Internal web presence• Your website, social media, how students find you

• Mississippi State & Study Mississippi• Web presence strategy• Best Practices – What works, what does not work• Benefits of the Consortium

• External web presence• Third party websites • Social media and • Search engines

• Q & A & Discussion

Agenda

• Third Party Online Marketing?

• Enlist Student help?

• Know about SEO?

• Virtual College Fairs?

• Lead Gen?

• Content• Videos• Virtual Campus tours• Customized Brochures

Gauge the audience

“The appearance of a person or organization on the World Wide Web."

How is it Measured?

By the amount of sites an organization or individual has, including • The website• Social Media profiles• Search engine rankings• Amount of search engine real estate

What is a Web Presence?

Why is a Web Presence Important?

Ability to reach millions of international students

Cost effective ROI

Compliments your travel and traditional recruiting efforts

Reach students when they are in the decision making process (top sections of the funnel)

Brand awareness

Additional ways to touch students you have that are already prospects (bottom of the funnel)

It is how you are found when students are searching for you or the programs

you offer

Why is a Web Presence Important?

On-Campus Visits?

Over 50% of high school juniors and seniors say that the web played at least a significant role in the evaluation of an institution

55% of students could not find the information they were looking for on a schools website

49% say independent websites are the best way to learn about an institution’s academic programso 31% read blogso 38% Social mediao 52% Search

o 18% of students turn to independent websites to learn about cost and financial aid

Why is a Web Presence important?

• Super important• Super expensive• Brand awareness• Communicate with:

• Current students• Prospective students• Alumni• Faculty

• Presidents message• Mission of the school• Admissions info• Academics• Programs and degrees offered• Maps, directories, employment opportunities• Athletics, events• Parent resources, student government• And that is the first page! Oh my!

Your School’s Website

• Confusing• Hard to navigate• One site created for all• Not completely relevant • Hard to find

Your School’s Website

How is Your School’s Website Found?

Mississippi State University & StudyMississippi

• Strategic Partnership with U.S. Higher Ed Online Marketing Firms• Maximum reach & Branding• Identify partners & recruiting regions• Actively work with them & support their efforts• Envisage International, Zinch, HotCourses

• Engage your Prospects & Partners• Social Media Campaign – Facebook, Twitter, etc• Webinars, Chats & E-College Fairs

• CollegeWeekLive• SMS Text Messages• Newsletters• Overseas Media Release• Overseas in-home receptions & Education Fairs

E-Marketing and Recruiting

StudyMississippi Web Landing Pages

• Strategically placed landing pages– Envisage Internationals– Zinch– ThinkeducationUSA.com– StudyUSA.com– USAEducationGuides.com– HotCourses

• Increases visibility to member institutions

• Leads shared with member institutions

StudyMississippi Partnership with LearnHub

Website vs

Web Presence

Social Media MarketingEngaging Prospects, Current Students,

International Student Organizations and Alumni

Leads: Creative Inquiry Form

E-Recruiting Fairs & Events• On-campus International Recruiting fairs?

• Use E-recruiting fairs to reach out to worldwide student pool – Webinars– Google Hangout– Skype Group Video Call

• Develop theme based webinar events – Admissions, Scholarships, Student Life– Intro to Local Community, Int’l Student Organizations, etc– American Culture & Tradition (Ex: Tailgating, Learning To Speak Southern, etc) – Topic: Padai (Studies), Masthi (Fun) and Cricket @ MSU

• Commercial E-College Fairs: CollegeWeekLive E-College Fairs

• Technology requirement for targeted students– Internet access– Desktop or Laptop Computer: Internet Café or Personal Computers

Engaging Prospects

Google Hangout

Skype

Webinars

02/15/08E-marketing and E-recruiting: Taking

US institutions to the doorsteps of international students!

SMS Text Messages

• Reminders for important deadlines– Scholarship– Online chats/Webinars

• Send greetings on national festivities & important days– Chinese Moon Festival– Colombian Independence Day– Happy Diwali

• Mississippi State University wishes you & your family a Happy Diwali

• Overseas In-home Reception/Faculty visit reminders– Meet our Faculty or International Student Ambassador in Hanoi

Mississippi State University &StudyMississippi

StudyMississippi - Zinch

Envisage International OverviewContent

Working with Third Party Online Marketing Companies

Working with Third Party Online Marketing Companies

• Typically portal sites• Established SEO• Sticky

• Some do microsites• Stand Alone• ?? – How do they get traffic

• Good way to expand your reach• Promote your social networks• Good way to expand brand awareness• Vehicle to distribute your content

http://www.internationalstudent.com/school-search/2562/usa/mississippi/studymississippi/

Email Marketing

• Hire Envisage International!• Zinch or HotCourses…• Have them promote the tools you have invested in

• Ask questions• How will you be found• What methods do you use (SEO, PPC, Affiliates)• What are the benefits of social media• What blogs and content will you distribute

•Know what your goals are (likes, leads, communications, brand)•Ask for help

How to Grow your Web Presence