15/04/2023

11

THE NEW LAWS OF ATTRACTION – GROWING YOUR APPLICANT POOL

EARLY ENGAGEMENTLauren Duncan: Senior Sales Manager

OVERVIEW

1. Defining the Pre-HE Market

2.

3.

4.

Why should you be interested in Pre-HE?

UCAS Media Pre-HE Audience

UCAS Media Pre-HE Proposition

Defining the Pre-HE Market1.

Research now indicates that young people are considering their higher education and or career options from as early as Year 10

The Pre-HE Market is no longer the narrow window between the final year of school and making their application to university or pursuing apprenticeships, distance learning or employment

The Market is vast and not limited to the individuals themselves but a wide spectrum of influencers including teachers, parents, siblings and even peer relationships

THE PRE-HE MARKET

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS AUDIENCE?

whether is it further education, careers or work

based learning opportunities, young people are engaged and interested in the options available to

them

with facebook and twitter at their grasp young people

have vast platforms to interact with their peer

group and have their say

younger students are far more mature and considered in their

decision making process than perhaps

perceived

WISER

1

with the continued domination of social

media in young people’s lives, information is a

click away

TECH SAVVY

2ENGAGED

3OPINIONATED

4

WHAT ARE THEY ASKING?

‘Worried that I might not choose the best University for my needs -

what should I be looking for?’

‘Online test – to see what course you might be interested in if you are

having difficulty deciding’

‘Best subjects to take to suitparticular courses’

‘Still unsure on course –information on what type of

jobs are available forwhich course’

‘I am not sure whereto even start’

SEPT JULYYR 10 YR 11

SEPT JULY

FUTURE OPTIONS& ASPIRATIONS

Choosing FE provider

FUTURE OPTIONS Choosing HE/post 16 options

Developing skills Choosing qualifications for future career

RESEARCH BEHAVIOUR

Picking optionsand FE provider

90% have already started research

Changes in offer making, less unplaced &

clearing

RESEARCH BEHAVIOUR

SEPT JULYYR 12 YR 13

SEPT JAN 15TH

78% already started researching

89% of those left– start research Shortlists made Review of shortlist

- unplaced

AWARENESS – EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS

Awareness – Emotional connectionsHIGHER EDUCATION ASPIRATIONS

• Student characteristics• Personal attributes• Parents, advisers• Online display• Past experience

• Environment• School / college

characteristics and actions

• HEP actions

• HEP characteristics• HEP actions• Search, reviews,

experience• League tables

Enrolment, student experience, alumni feedback

ConsiderationHIGHER EDUCATION ASPIRATIONS

Intent, decisionHIGHER EDUCATION ASPIRATIONS

RIGHT MESSAGE, RIGHT TIME

Over 50% have direction in mind at 16

External factors, time to influence

Want advice & Information KS 4 and 5

decision making

Less than 1/3 choose GCSE or equivalent based on University

choice

NOT TOO EARLY

1

90% start researching pre Yr 12

Apart from schools liaison, what’s your

direct contact?

NOT TOO LATE

2RIGHT TIME

3RIGHT

SUPPORT

4

RIGHT MESSAGE, RIGHT TIME

Further on in decision making process

Chance for HEP to offer support to schools

With caution – secondary messaging

INFO – SCHOLARSHIPS & BURSARIES

5

With caution – some more relevant than

others

OPEN DAY DATES, LEAGUE TABLES, JOB

PROSPECTS

6CLEAR COURSE

CONTENT - COMPARISON

7PERSONAL

STATEMENT

8

1.

2.

3.

4.

Why should you be interested in Pre-HE?2.

WHY SHOULD YOU TARGET THIS AUDIENCE?

Decisions are being made earlier

Brand penetration from an earlier age essential

Your competitors already are!

Young people want to hear from you

The market place has become far more commercial – proactive and earlier engagement is essential

1.

2.

3.

4.

Why should you be interested in Pre-HE?2.

3. UCAS Media Pre-HE Audience

UCAS PROGRESS

Search and Apply function for Year 10 and 11 students

Current National Roll out project underway

With all young people under 18 in England now required to stay in Education or Work Based learning UCAS Progress offers an important source of IAG

IAG SEARCH FAVOURITES

Clear information, tools and advice to

help them understand their options

Search for vocational and academic courses anywhere

they want, regardless of geographic boundaries

Keep a record of favourite courses

that they may want to apply for

HOW UCAS PROGRESS WORKS TO ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE

UCAS EVENTS & CAREER FAIRS

Circa 50 events around the UK

Approximately 280,000 visitors in attendance all pre-registered

88% of visitors planned to visit a university they’d found out about at a convention 74% intended to apply to a university they had learnt about at a convention

New exhibitor service for 2015

Digital solution for individual visitor data capture

Facilitates easier engagement and more effective conversations

EVENTS BARCODE SCANNING

PRE-APPLICANT

Our pre-applicant data, collected through live events and individual registration, provides a tightly targeted database for early engagement

Individual registration provides clear direction for UCAS’ IAG and marketing activities

Prospective students asked questions relating to;SchoolSubject Preferences (currently studying x 3

subjects)Current year of StudySubject Choices for HE study x 3 subjectsCommunication preferences (email, post, SMS)TelephoneMobile noInterest in studying overseasInterest in a GAP Year

UCAS.COMNew Look for 2015

Following extensive analysis and research of UCAS.com the look, feel and functionality has been re-shaped to provide a more effective user experience

Our site will now be audience led with distinctive IAG and services for;

StudentsInfluencersAdvisersProviders

UCAS has a unique and engaged digital audience to interact with

UCAS Video Channel

74% of 16-24 year olds watch short video clips on their phone

This channel is designed to support young people intheir education and brand decision making – all contenton the channel will be advice-driven.

18-34 year olds spend 50% more time watching online video than TV

1.

2.

3.

4.

Why should you be interested in Pre-HE?2.

4. UCAS Media Pre-HE Proposition

REACHING AN EARLIER AUDIENCE

Digital Advertising

Highly engaged audienceGeo targeted advertisingBanner ads and MPUSponsored contentNative ads – Information HubAdvertise FE and HE courses, links

YR 10 YR 11

REACHING AN EARLIER AUDIENCE

YR 10 YR 11

NewslettersOptions for ads with links or advertorialRegional variationsOpportunity to offer IAG – bridge the gap

Bespoke email campaignsTarget by location, age or year group and genderPersonalisation, testing, longevity in message

REACHING THE PRE-APPLICANT AUDIENCE

Digital Advertising

UCAS.com now audience led

Advertising can be targeted to IAG pages;StudentsParentsAdvisersInternationalPostgraduateAlternatives to university

YR 12 YR 13

CASE STUDY – PRE APPLICANT CAMPAIGN

Clicks >> 591CTR >> 0.25%

Edge Hill UniversityEdge Hill were keen to engage with pre-applicants utilising mobile web inventory.

Their advert ran exclusively on mobile impressions of UCAS.com and achieved strong results and ROI with increased traffic to their website.

REACHING THE PRE-APPLICANT AUDIENCE

Via the UCAS Open Days Search Tool, institutions can host a free open day profile for pre-applicants and applicants

UCAS Media offer enhanced profile opportunities with additional advertising and MPU/Video placements

YR 12 YR 13

University of Bolton recently ran a successful Open Days campaign on UCAS.com

REACHING THE PRE-APPLICANT AUDIENCE

Subject Specific Advertising

Small keyword adverts available along side specific courses within UCAS course search

Keywords are booked on a monthly basis with separate search functionality during clearing

Can be targeted to specific year of entry

YR 12 YR 13

REACHING THE PRE-APPLICANT AUDIENCE

• Year 12 and 13 data• Collected through UK schools

and colleges via school outreach and events

• Students sign up to receive up-to-date information from higher and further education establishments, career opportunities and commercial

• By email or direct mail• Filter by:

Students’ subject of choiceSubject currently studiedDomicile (postcode or region)Preferred region of study

• Data available from January of school year 12

• For example PAD 16 available from February 2015

• Pre-applicants can be contacted directly until they apply

WHAT IS PAD? WHEN? HOW?

YR 12 YR 13

UCAS Video Channel

The video channel will be promoted via a number ofchannels including online advertising across ucas.com,UCAS and UCAS Media social media channels andemail marketing.

YR 12 YR 13

For our clients, there are four different ways to advertise;

• Video content• Pre-roll video ads• Display ads• Section/channel sponsorship

REACHING THE PRE-HE INFLUENCERS

Digital Advertising placement and specific IAG pages according to audience requirements

MPU and video content are amongst the most successful on these pages

TEACHERS ADVISORS PARENTS

CASE STUDY – PARENTS CAMPAIGNClicks >> 119CTR >> 0.36%

Edinburgh Napier UniversityFollowing their own success targeting parents for open day engagement Edinburgh

Napier were keen to run an open days campaign specifically aimed at parents.

Their advert ran on the parents section of UCAS.com and achieved strong results and ROI with increased traffic to their registration pages as well as open day attendance.

CASE STUDY – PARENTS CAMPAIGNClicks >> 119CTR >> 0.36%

Edinburgh Napier University“We were delighted with our parents open days campaign via UCAS Media and saw a marked improvement in traffic to our open days pages as well as converting more leads for the days themselves”

(Rachel Fraser, Edinburgh Napier)

REACHING THE PRE-HE INFLUENCERS

TEACHERS ADVISORS PARENTS

Monthly digital newsletters are sent to our parents and advisers databases. These contain key UCAS information and options for commercial advertising content

NEWSLETTERSAnnual Parents and Advisers publications distributed online, at events or on request. Standard publication advertising available to HEP clients

PUBLICATIONS

By Monthly hard copy UCAS packs delivered to UCAS Advisers in Schools and Colleges. Commercial inserts available

UCAS DIRECT MAIL

STICK TO THE 3 R’s

Clear, concise information

THE RIGHT INFORMATION…

1

You must know what phase of research they are currently going through, what are the current questions they are likely to want answers to

AT THE RIGHT TIME…

2

Using student segmentation to

ensure that you are contacting the right

cohort

TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE…

3