The Importance Of Modern Higher Education Branding

People pursue higher education to improve their job prospects, increase their future earning potential, broaden their view of the world, and learn about topics they are passionate about. Any type of higher education requires a significant investment of time and money from the student.

As a result, prospective students may be naturally selective when it comes to choosing an educational institution. This is where higher education branding can help your school stand out.

Today, there are more methods of accessing higher education than ever before. Students can earn a diploma or degree online or in person, full-time or part-time, abroad or in their home country.

This diversification increases competition between schools. More than ever, educational institutions must compete to attract students instead of students competing for admission.

College fairs at local high schools will no longer suffice. Higher education institutions need to invest in marketing and branding strategies that directly appeal to their target markets.

What Is Higher Education Branding?

At its most basic, branding is developing a unique and consistent presentation for a product, service, or institution. Higher education branding is no different.

Developing a clear brand for a university helps keep your message consistent across all platforms. It also helps prospective students know what to expect, which is essential in helping them choose your school.

Developing a meaningful, consistent, and engaging brand involves understanding two fundamental ideas:

The Brand Must Be Honest

It's easy to brainstorm great ideas for a potential brand that doesn't apply to your institution. Positioning your school as a top choice for musicians doesn't make sense if the fine arts department is the smallest program on campus.

While there may be a gap in your area that could be filled by a qualified music program, highlighting an offering that is not your school's forte is misleading and unnecessary.

Instead, keep your current brand true to what school is now – not what you hope it will be. Focus on the strengths of the institution and highlight the music program when it has been further developed.

Focusing on strengths helps maintain your school's reputation while attracting students who appreciate what you have to offer.

The Brand Should Be Interesting

According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities, there are 2,618 accredited four-year institutions in the United States. On average, it's about 52 per state. With so many choices available, your brand needs to stand out from the competition.

Research your competitors, including nearby schools and those further afield with similar specialties. See what types of opportunities they highlight and determine where your institution's offerings are strongest.

Showcase your campus’s most notable attributes and let your community know what it is that makes your school stand apart from the pack. You're unlikely to pique students' interest if you can't attract attention.

These two ideas may seem like opposites, but they shouldn't be. Every institution has traditions, faculties, or opportunities that stand out from the crowd. The goal is to emphasize these elements while continuing to appeal to a wide variety of students.

Why Is Branding Important For Higher Education?

Branding is how your university shows itself to the world. Branding speaks for you in a voice that's more articulate than your own and extends beyond an institutional mission statement.

If you've ever gone to dinner with a friend who forgot their wallet. People inside and outside your institution will form opinions about your school, whether or not you are working to create a targeted brand.

The branding process helps you take control of those opinions and influence them for the better. So why is it important?

Trust And Recognition

People like to know what to expect from institutions, especially ones where they can spend years of their lives. Building your brand helps you unify your school's many departments and programs under one coordinated umbrella.

Instead of collecting inconsistent marketing materials and content, you can use your brand as a template for every department to follow at the same time.

This consistency helps current and potential students trust your message. They learn to recognize your signature colors, font, and logo. Just as important, they're more likely to believe you really mean the messages you put out because the tone and content stay consistent.

Few assets are more valuable to an educational institution than recognition and trust, as this is the basis for attracting and retaining students for the long term.

Target Students

A good brand is designed to appeal to a specific and ideal “customer”. In higher education, this client is your ideal student.

You can develop a brand that explicitly appeals to certain types of students – for example, consider the brand difference between Harvard and MIT. Both universities target high-achieving students, but they present themselves differently to support their unique cultures.

If you want to foster some type of community among your student body, your brand is an important tool.

Clear Messaging

While your brand should focus on the assets that set your university apart from the competition, the brand itself can be a standout asset.

As your university becomes recognized and gains the community's trust, your brand creates value for the institution. When you have developed your brand, people who recognize it are more likely to consider your school simply because of their familiarity.

Tips For A Great Brand Image

Branding doesn't have to be difficult. Here are some tips for creating an engaging brand for your university that will stand the test of time.

Do Your Research: Before creating any kind of branding strategy, research your competitors. Look at how your competitors are positioning their schools. Who are they targeting? Stand out from your competitors by playing to your school's strengths and ensure the message is conveyed in your logo, slogan, and marketing materials.

Write A Style Guide: Once you've decided on things like colors, fonts, a tagline, logos, and language choices, write down your decisions. A style guide, also known as a brand book, will help every department in your institution maintain consistency in its messaging. It will also provide a valuable document in the future should you need to expand or change aspects of your brand.

Clean Up Your Online Presence: Other than the small population that lives in the same neighborhood as your campus, most people will first explore your institution through the internet. Once you've established your brand, take the time to update every page of your university's website. It's not a simple undertaking for most modern institutions, but it's worth it. Your website is a sign of your business. Be sure that you choose it with care and give it the attention that it deserves.

Don't Underestimate Gifts And Events: If you're trying to get your brand in front of the community, hosting events or giving away freebies can go a long way. These tactics help introduce your brand to potential students who otherwise might never have considered you. It's a foot in the door; people are much less likely to forget you if they regularly use your pen or wear your t-shirt.

Branding has become an essential part of successfully running a higher education institution. Students can decide from thousands of prospective colleges, and branding is a vital method of helping them to choose you.

By highlighting the unique aspects of your institution and presenting a consistent and engaging message, you can create a brand that will keep your school relevant to students for years to come.

To Conclude

As we move further into the 21st century, technology is rapidly changing and evolving. This means that universities have to change the way they market themselves in order to stay relevant and appeal to prospective students.

In the past, university marketing was focused on print media, such as brochures and flyers. However, in today's digital world, university marketing has to be much more interactive and engaging.

One of the most important ways that universities can market themselves differently in 2023 is by using social media platforms to reach potential students.

Social media allows universities to connect with students on a personal level and create a sense of community. It also allows prospective students to get a real-time look at what university life is like.

Additionally, universities can use social media to provide updates on news, events, and opportunities, which helps to keep prospective students informed and engaged.

Another way that universities can market themselves differently is by creating an immersive and interactive website experience.

Prospective students should be able to explore the university's website and get a feel for the campus and student life. Universities can also use their website to showcase their academic programs and facilities, as well as provide information on admissions and financial aid.

By using social media and creating an interactive website, universities can market themselves in a way that is more engaging and relevant to prospective students.