Choices, Choices…How Social Media Engagement is Key

During the Student Recruitment Process

Dr. Corie M. MartinDirector, Web Services & Digital Marketing Western Kentucky University @coriemartin

Table of Contents• Why Market Research

• Understanding Audience, Habits, and College Choice Processes

• Why Social Media

• The Research

• What Students Really Want to Know

• How to Get There

Why Market Research?

Market research is the process of analyzing data to help you understand

which products and services are in demand, and how to be competitive.

Source: sba.gov

Market research is the process of analyzing data to help you understand

which products and services are in demand, and how to be competitive.

(Enrollment Data, Demographic Data, Website/Social Media Data)

Source: sba.gov

Market research is the process of analyzing data to help you understand

which products and services are in demand, and how to be competitive.

Source: sba.gov

(Trends: Academic, social, extracurricular, course delivery formats)

Market research is the process of analyzing data to help you understand

which products and services are in demand, and how to be competitive.

Source: sba.gov

(What are your competitors doing? How to celebrate what YOU do well.)

Why Social Media?

Social Media• Has revolutionized real-time

communication

• Offers personalized, quick access

• Reaches all demographics

• Provides accessible space

• 18-24 largest user base

• It’s cheap and easy to use

Why Social Media?• Gives students a place

• Works on their time

• Familiar & easy

• Informal

• Wide reach

Common Admin Uses…. (Survey Says!)

• Customer Service

• Personal engagement with students

• To provide a student-friendly space

• To protect and help students

• To generate excitement

Who is your Student? (Know your audience)

All of the Above

Understanding Habits: (The Things That Matter)

Valuable References

Audience

- What type of student? - CALL-TO-ACTION: What do I want them to do? - What is MY timeline?

Media Choice & Timing

- What media does my audience use/respond to?

- What time of day are they most likely to see my message?

Message & Content

- Message types? Photos or videos?

- Headlines (Call-To-Action)

- Who is the best person to deliver my message?

Relevance & Timeliness

- Do I have something of value to add?

- Will my audience benefit?

Listening & Audience Demand

- Have I listened / responded / taken action?

- Do they WANT to hear from me?

The Research: (Nuts, Bolts, Pie Charts & Such)

Does social media engagement during the yield period increase enrollment likelihood?

Research Objective:

Understanding College Choice Processes

(Getting to the WHY)

The Higher Ed Marketer’s Sacred Texts

Vincent Tinto

danah boyd

Don Hossler & Karen Gallagher

Tiffany A. Pempek, Yevdokiya Yermolayeva, Sandra L. Calvert

Nicole Ellison

3-Stages of Student College Choice

• Phase One: Predisposition

• Phase Two: Search • Phase Three: Choice

The Search PhaseThe Student Has

Decided to attend Applied / admitted Connects to learn more

Admissions Counselors Campus Tours Other Students Academics

Engaged via Social Media

Methods• Qualitative Case Study • Semi-Structured

Interviews • Observations of student

engagement in open and closed moderated social communities

Participants

• Five institutions • Five higher ed social media administrators • All different states and U.S. regions • Four public, one private • Enrollment from 10,000 - 82,000

Sample CharacteristicsYield Timeline: January 2015 - August 2015

• 5 Communities (4 Schools App, one Facebook Group) • 56 Students

• 1805 Engagement Threads

• 197 General Conversation Topics

• 141 Direct Questions Posted • 140 Engagements with Institutional Staff

Student Characteristics• Diverse • First-time, full-time residential

(+ some transfer, adult, veteran, commuter)

• Most admitted (10% undecided)

Top conversation topics shared by dozens of individual students through hundreds of personal

interactions with each other and with HESM professionals

Top conversation topics shared by dozens of individual students through hundreds of personal

interactions with each other and with HESM professionals

(In their own words….)

Top conversation topics shared by dozens of individual students through hundreds of personal

interactions with each other and with HESM professionals

(New friends made BEFORE ever setting foot on campus)

Top conversation topics shared by dozens of individual students through hundreds of personal

interactions with each other and with HESM professionals

(Typically ONE person in admissions/marketing)

0! 40! 80! 120! 160!

Roommate !Orientation!

Selfie!Friends !

Residence Life!"Follow Me"!

Interests !Major!

Frustration!Transportation !

Excited !

Top Student Conversation Topics

^ Represents 52% of all Engagements

Items of Interest

Example: Inst I (80K+) = 553 engagements, 7 Qs, 18 staff Inst V (20K+) = 533 engagements, 95 Qs, 86 staff

Public students = more interest in personal connections

Equal engagement among genders

HESM Admins use communities in different ways:

Student Findings (The Do’s)

• Students DO engage in social communities • Students DO respond to HESM calls-to-action • Students DO ask questions • Students DO express frustration, excitement, anxiety • Primary use of social communities -

TO MAKE FRIENDS

Admin Findings

• Administrators are using social communities in different ways

• Administrators are directly engaging with students, but…

• Administrators are missing valuable outreach opportunities • By opening communities too late • By missing questions • By being too “hands off” • Due to limited resources

Recommendations (Run, don’t walk…)

• Social media engagement during entire enrollment cycle

• Private communities should be provided early

• Allocate resources

• Designate an experienced and available admin

Engaged social communities are key in helping students establish affinities with institutions

Students are focused on making friends - not on affordability or outcomes as news might suggest…

Suggestions

Consider targeting academic, affordability, and outcome messaging early on and/or to PARENTS

Yield messaging to students should focus on relationships, fitting in, social acceptance, and

community

Lessons Learned

Administrators all face similar challenges and all use social media the same way and for the same purpose regardless of enrollment size or U.S. region.

Students want a place.

They want to make friends.

They want us when they want us.

Our messaging is often disseminated to the wrong audience.

Enrollment GrowthMake Informed Decisions by…

• Market research & trend analysis

• Understanding audiences & habits

• Allocate resources

• Engage and send the right messages

Questions?

Dr. Corie M. MartinWestern Kentucky University Division of Public Affairs @coriemartinlinkedin/in/coriemartincorie.martin@wku.edu