Building Engagement in Higher Education: Top Marketing Strategies for 2025

The higher education industry faces increasing competition as institutions vie for students, alumni engagement, and donor support. With the rise of online learning, global competition, and evolving student preferences, colleges and universities must leverage innovative marketing and advertising strategies to stand out.

The Web Marketing Association, with over 20 years of experience recognizing excellence in online advertising through its Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) Awards, provides valuable insights into how higher education institutions can enhance their marketing strategies. This article explores current best practices and trends in page-based advertising, online videos, email marketing, websites, newsletter marketing, mobile apps, and social media campaigns.

Page-Based Advertising: Reaching Local and Traditional Audiences

While digital marketing dominates, page-based advertising remains effective for targeting local audiences and building credibility. Ads in regional newspapers, education magazines, and alumni publications are valuable for promoting programs, events, and milestones.

Best Practices:

• Use visually compelling imagery, such as campus scenes or student success stories, to create an emotional connection.
• Highlight unique program offerings or rankings to differentiate from competitors.
• Include QR codes that direct readers to virtual tours, program pages, or application portals.

Trends:

• Advertising limited-time application fee waivers in print publications to drive urgency.
• Featuring diversity and inclusion initiatives in page-based ads to resonate with broader audiences.

Online Videos: Showcasing Campus Life and Academics

Video marketing is a powerful way for higher education institutions to showcase campus life, highlight academic programs, and share student testimonials. Videos offer an engaging format to connect with prospective students and their families.

Best Practices:

• Create short, visually appealing videos optimized for platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
• Showcase a mix of content, such as campus tours, faculty highlights, and student success stories.
• Use storytelling to emphasize the institution’s mission, values, and culture.

Trends:

• Live-streamed Q&A sessions with admissions counselors or alumni on platforms like Instagram or YouTube.
• Leveraging 360-degree video tours to provide immersive campus experiences for prospective students.

Email Marketing: Personalization and Engagement

Email marketing remains a critical channel for higher education institutions to engage with prospective students, current students, alumni, and donors. Personalized emails help nurture relationships and guide individuals through the admissions process or fundraising campaigns.

Best Practices:

• Segment email lists by audience type, such as undergraduate prospects, graduate students, or alumni.
• Use dynamic content like personalized application reminders, event invitations, or donation appeals.
• Optimize emails for mobile devices, as many recipients check their emails on smartphones.

Trends:

• Using AI-driven personalization to tailor emails based on a student’s interests or stage in the application process.
• Including interactive content, such as quick polls or embedded videos, to boost engagement.

Websites: Hubs for Admissions and Information

A higher education institution’s website is often the first point of contact for prospective students and their families. A well-designed website must balance aesthetics, functionality, and accessibility to serve a wide range of users.

Best Practices:

• Provide intuitive navigation with clear pathways to key information, such as admissions, programs, and financial aid.
• Optimize the site for mobile devices and ensure ADA compliance for accessibility.
• Use data analytics to track user behavior and refine content based on visitor needs.

Trends:

• Integrating virtual tour platforms, allowing prospective students to explore the campus remotely.
• Including AI chatbots to provide instant answers to common questions, such as application deadlines or program details.

Newsletter Marketing: Keeping Stakeholders Informed

Newsletters are a valuable tool for higher education institutions to maintain consistent communication with prospective students, alumni, and other stakeholders. They can be used to share news, events, and success stories.

Best Practices:

• Tailor newsletters to the audience, such as sharing research highlights with alumni or upcoming deadlines with prospective students.
• Incorporate multimedia elements, such as videos or infographics, to make content more engaging.
• Include clear calls to action, such as “Apply Now,” “Register for Open House,” or “Support Our Campaign.”

Trends:

• Featuring user-generated content, such as alumni testimonials or student photos, to build community and authenticity.
• Promoting upcoming webinars or live-streamed events in newsletters to drive attendance.

Mobile Apps: Enhancing the Student Experience

Mobile apps provide a direct and convenient way for higher education institutions to engage students and stakeholders. From admissions to campus services, apps can streamline the user experience.

Best Practices:

• Include features like application tracking, event registration, and real-time notifications for deadlines.
• Offer personalized content, such as tailored program suggestions or campus event recommendations.
• Focus on intuitive design and regular updates to ensure functionality and security.

Trends:

• Apps with AR features, such as overlaying campus landmarks during virtual tours.
• Gamification elements, like rewarding points for completing admissions steps or attending events.

Social Media Campaigns: Building Engagement and Community

Social media is a cornerstone of higher education marketing, offering platforms to share content, engage with audiences, and promote events. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn are particularly effective for connecting with students, alumni, and industry partners.

Best Practices:

• Use high-quality visuals to highlight campus life, student achievements, and faculty research.
• Encourage user-generated content, such as tagging the institution in photos or sharing personal stories with branded hashtags.
• Run targeted ad campaigns to reach prospective students based on location, interests, or academic goals.

Trends:

• Collaborating with student influencers to share authentic campus experiences.
• Hosting live-streamed events, such as virtual campus tours or alumni panels, to increase engagement.

Marketing in the higher education industry requires a strategic, multi-channel approach that emphasizes personalization, storytelling, and engagement. From page-based advertising to mobile apps and social media campaigns, institutions must adopt best practices to connect with their diverse audiences and achieve their goals.

The Web Marketing Association’s expertise in recognizing excellence in online advertising offers valuable guidance for institutions looking to enhance their marketing strategies. By implementing these best practices and trends, higher education institutions can effectively attract students, engage alumni, and build lasting relationships.

William Rice is President of the Web Marketing Association which is currently accepting entries into the 23nd annual Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) The IAC Awards are the first and only industry-based advertising award competition dedicated exclusively to online advertising. This international award program will evaluate all forms of online advertising, including email, page-based ads, online newsletters, mobile apps, Websites, video, and social media campaigns in 86 industry categories. The deadline for entry is January 31 2025 at www.IACAward.Org.

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