Social listening (also called social media monitoring) is an invaluable resource for any school that wants to boost enrollment and improve its reputation among students and donors alike. An increasing number of post-millennials (not to mention other generations) are using social media to share stories and information about their educations.
Discover Pain Points
Schools offer a solution to a problem. The problem is the need for education, and the solution is a well-rounded college or university that offers a degree at the end of a series of classes and exams.
If you don’t know your prospects’ pain points, however, you can’t market to them effectively. Today’s schools offer far more solutions than mere education: socialization, sports, clubs, political awareness, and networking opportunities, to name a few.
If you understand pain points, you know how to deliver a compelling value proposition that will convince prospects to enroll in your school or donate to your school’s programs.
Learn About Your Competition
Every school has competition. Social media listening can add rocket fuel to your higher ed marketing strategy by allowing you to identify ways in which your competitors are drawing students away from your school.
Are they engaging with students more on social media? Do they have better on-campus food? Can students better relate to their educators and administrators?
This information doesn’t just change the game for your higher ed marketing strategy. It can also spark change in your school’s programs and policies if you can figure out how your competition might do things better.
Figure Out How Your Prospects Talk to Each Other
Social media listening isn’t just about finding out what your prospects are saying, but how they say it. What language do they use? Is it positive or negative? Can you leverage their conversations to spark new ones?
You don’t need to adopt teen slang to reach your audience, but you do need to speak in a language that resonates with your target market. This could mean rewording your calls-to-action or discussing different topics on social media.
Identify Influencers
Today’s influencers are younger than ever. They’re teenagers and young adults who have massive social media followings and who hold tremendous power over their peers’ decisions. Identifying influencers can not only help you identify potential pain points and value propositions, but also give your school a larger voice.
Influencers can become brand ambassadors for your school, but only if you engage them in conversation. Through social listening, you can discern their interests and the causes they support, which will create a better chance of connection.
Social listening can inform every aspect of your higher ed marketing campaign, from content creation to social media engagement. Our expertise in higher ed marketing can help your school find greater reach among your target market.
