New research on student retention, ConnectedTV updates and international students applying to more destinations

Welcome to The Student Funnel, a monthly higher ed sector newsletter from Hybrid, a leader in student marketing and recruitment strategies. We highlight news, trends and behaviors on what’s impacting the sector and share insights on how to better connect with your audiences.

June has brought warmer weather (for some) and exciting new AI updates from social media platforms, election rhetoric both sides of the Atlantic and news that Google is making a big move into the ConnectedTV space.?

Here’s our roundup of the biggest stories in education marketing:

Research finds keeping parents informed increases the likelihood of student retention

Data collected from nine universities shows that keeping parents informed of student progress increases student retention rates. The universities that were a part of the study included Auburn University, University of West Georgia and Kennesaw State University, ranging in size from 2,773 FTE (full-time equivalent) to 38,927 FTE.

Parents or family members were regularly informed of students’ records, including any holds placed on student accounts or unmet financial requirements. The thinking behind the initiative is to provide easy visibility into student data and provide parents with guidance on how they can support students.

Texas State University, University of West Georgia, and La Salle University all saw remarkable improvements in retention rates, increasing 21.4%, 21.2% and 13% respectively. The data collected also indicated having a deeper impact amongst Black and Hispanic students, with Auburn University reporting a 7% gain in retention rates within its Hispanic student population and a 6.3% gain in its Black student population retention rates. This is compared to the 2.1% gain in retention of White students.

You can view and read the full report here.

Google releases new TV network ad offering and Microsoft adds Netflix to Advertising Editor

Google has made a move to further its market share of ConnectedTV, offering in-stream advertising to its Google TV audiences. Google reports 20 million monthly active users to its ad-supported TV network, which offers over 120 channels including live sports, full-length TV shows, and movies.?

Google has enabled targeting based on interests, habits, preferences and location. However, Google TV instream inventory is only available for US campaigns. Today, the Google TV network offers staple CTV ad formats, including non-skippable and 6-second bumpers ads. Stay tuned for even more ad formats in the future.

Microsoft and Netflix, one of the first high-profile ConnectedTV partnerships, continues to grow as Microsoft adds Netflix inventory to its Advertising Editor suite. The ad-supported option of Netflix has nearly double that of Google’s, at 40 million subscribers, and offers its inventory to over 10 countries including the US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Australia.?

To access Netflix inventory, update your Editor to the latest version, accept Netflix’s inventory policy and ensure the creative assets meet Netflix’s quality standards. When that’s all set, you’re ready to go!

International students applying to more destinations

The international market is shifting thanks to the changing visa policies of former top destination countries like the UK and Australia. To hedge their bets against visa slow-downs and rejections, international students are now applying to more destinations according to a recent survey, which found 87% of students increasing the number of countries they’re applying to. A separate survey found that students are finding the US visa process particularly easy to navigate, with 75% of students having reported no visa issues.?

With strong offerings of OPT after education and an easier visa process, the US is fast becoming the preferred choice for international students after years of falling out of favor.?

Stateside, India has now overtaken China as the primary source of international students. With a shrinking pool of domestic students, US colleges looking to fill classrooms have an opportunity to do so through building strong pipelines of international students.

How will the UK General Election impact higher education?

With less than a week to go until the UK General Election, all eyes are on the parties’ rhetoric around higher education.

As such, Hybrid welcomed Aaron Porter to our latest webinar to discuss all things policy in the UK. Being on the board of BPP University and a consultant for over 100 universities, Aaron enlightened our audience with an in-depth analysis of the current state of HE, and what is at stake when the nation goes to the voting booths.

Aaron provided incredible insights into what the new government will face, how the Office for Students will be impacted and the economic outlook for HEPs.

If you missed it - make sure to follow Hybrid on Linkedin to stay in the loop with Hybrid’s future webinars and insights.

Number of first-gen students likely to rise

First-gen students currently make up 56% of college undergraduates in the US, and early data suggests this number is likely to rise. The term “first-generation” can vary in its definition from campus to campus. But what does remain consistent is that they don’t hail from families with traditions of attending the same storied institution over several generations, or have a close family member to turn to for advice on college decisions. They are trailblazers and many feel immense pressure to succeed.?

These students are often minorities and are more likely to be older, with 28% aged 30 or above and almost one-third of them have dependents. Unsurprisingly, first-gen students are more likely to come from lower-income households, with the median family income being $36,200 less than continuing-generation students. With the challenges faced by first-gen students being unique, so should the strategy implemented to recruit them.

These strategies include:

• Using direct channels - A recent study that surveyed nearly 11,000 first-generation students found that 94% expect to receive emails and 82% want text messages from prospective schools. When targeting the first-gen funnel, don’t be afraid to utilize more direct communication channels. They want all the help they can get.
• Going to them - First-gen students are less likely to visit campuses before applying because of the associated costs, says a recent study. This doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t meet you face-to-face though, as First-gen students were more likely to attend college fairs and meet with college recruiters.
• Price positioning - It was also found that approximately less than half said they would consider applying to a college with a total published cost of over $30,000 per year. Leading with net tuition after financial aid is imperative to not alienating students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

If you want to read more on strategies for targeting first-generation students, you can read our take here.

More exciting AI developments

As AI technologies embed themselves into the status quo of marketing activities, social media platforms have raced to the forefront offering new and exciting AI features for consumers, creators and advertisers. In June we saw:

• Pinterest’s new “Performance+” which provides generative AI to help in the creation of ads for its platform. The technology will provide more ways to optimize all elements of Promoted Pin creation through systematic process, being extremely useful for advertisers not familiar with the platform.
• SnapChat unveiled a new generative AI tool for its AR arm, Lens. For example, the new tool can digitally transport you into any scene you describe. Snap’s also adding generative A.I. prompts to Lens Studio, which will enable AR creators to build custom models based on conversational queries.
• Instagram introduced new AI avatars for creators where fans can chat and interact with AI replicas of their favorite influencers and creators.?

Private universities under pressure as demographic cliff looms

Private universities are continuing to close their doors as they face mounting financial pressures.?

Private colleges in the Midwest states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio are feeling the pinch especially more than others. In Michigan, enrollment at private colleges in the state fell by 1.2% from Fall 2023 to Spring 2024, while Ohio saw a decrease of 1.7% and Wisconsin only saw marginal growth in comparison with its public college counterparts.?

Meanwhile, public institutions in the region have instead seen an influx of new students in the Fall 2023 semester. Northern Michigan University, for example, experienced a 3.3% increase in enrollment. Similarly, Ohio University set a record for first-year enrolment at its Athens campus, enrolling 4,516 students, with the University of Wisconsin growing by 1700 students or 1.1% in the same period.?

Despite receiving less state funding, private institutions need to be strategic in their enrollment strategies; targeting the right student personas and showing rather than telling when it comes to employability.?

Read our analysis on private vs public institutions here.

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