data-driven design for higher education to increase applicant engagement and conversions

www.verndale.comCopyright 2013

#DataDrivenWeb4EdData-driven design for higher education to increase applicant engagement and conversions


Introduction & Company Overview

eduUser Journey Research

Q&A

Agenda


Sean Rusinko

• VP, Digital Strategy

• Focus on Building & Executing the

Strategic Direction of Client Digital

Marketing Initiatives

• Frequent speaker at MITX, BIMA,

Gilbane, Sitecore Symposium, NEDMA,

and others

• Northeastern University, BS in

Marketing & Advertising

Jll Grozalsky

• Digital Strategist

• Previously worked at Qorvis

Communications as a leader in general and

crisis social media strategies

• Focus on big picture strategic goals for

websites and overall online presence

• University of Maryland, BA in General

Communications

Speaker Bios


Some Clients: Some Partners:

• Award Winning Digital Agency

• Since 1998

• Headquartered in Boston

• 100 + Full-time Employees

• More than 260 Active Clients

• Deep Technical Background

• Diverse Client Portfolio

About Verndale


Digital Strategy

Technology

Digital Marketing

Content Orchestrati

on

Experience Design

define

plan

promote measure

build

support train

Digital Maintenance

Our Service Offerings

www.verndale.comCopyright 2013 6

The eduUser Journey


Marketers need to reach students in the right channels — and look beyond traditional enrollment periods — with a constant presence online.

•Nine in ten enrolled students have used the Internet to research higher education institutions (Goolge, Compete Study)

•77% of education seekers will first visit a school’s website at least two weeks — and often two months — before taking action

•Half of conversions occur 2+ months after time of Search Referral

•Over 1/3 of eduSearchers use mobile devices

•60% of students have little to no certainty as to where they’ll end up when they begin research

•57% of students watch a YouTube video created by a school

1. Measure by value-per-visit

2. The journey is multi-screen

3. Seeing is believing

4. Learn the new landscape

Digital Use in Choosing Schools

Source: Google Think


Google’s eduSearcher

http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca


Affect of Marketing Channels

Marketing channels (Such as email, paid ads, social and direct visits) influence the customer at different points in their decision-making

process



Affect of Marketing Channels

Which channels play more of an “assist” or “last interaction” role?



The eduUser Journey: Search


More Searches, More Often


Search Drives Edu Conversions



Only 19% of first queries by eduSearchers are branded

There’s Branding Work to be Done

Converters

Brand19%

Non-Brand81%

Query Path of Converters; 2010

Query 1



eduSearchers are Seeking Brand Info

In 2010, more than 25% of education queries were branded vs. 15% in 2009



Online Content Plays a Large, Recurring Role

Of those converters referred by the Google Display Network (GDN):

88% are referred2+ times

17% are referred10+ times



The eduUser Journey: Convert


Early Touch Points are Critical



% of Converters Referred by

Search

Days before Conversion

eduSearchers Initiate Research Early On

Total

Half of conversions occur 2+ months after time of search referral


Research Contributes to Conversions



The Impact of Video



• Don’t force users down a path.

• Mobilize your brand

• Widen the scope of your message

• Assign value to upper funnel touch points

Key Implications for the New Reality


The eduUser Journey: Social


Social is the gateway to a school’s website and

admissions information

Social Today


•96% of college students are on Facebook

•91% of college professors engage in social media as part of their job

•29% of Higher Education Institutes do not have a social media plan

•Social media is one of the easiest ways to amplify any grassroots efforts and increase funding

•38% of Higher Education Institutes attribute increased applications to social media

http://www.umassd.edu/media/umassdartmouth/cmr/studiesandresearch/images/socialmediagamechanger/SocialMediaEfficiency.pdfhttp://blog.tunheim.com/2012/03/09/how-college-students-use-social-media/129#.UffEb421Gzp

Social Today


•39% of students connected/chatted with current students through social media

•22% admit strongly considering applying to a school based on a recommendation from a social media site

•2% of students report that a school’s social presence had a negative impact on their application interest

Out of 20,000+ polled high school seniors:

http://www.maguireassoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/CDIS-Report-2011.pdf

Why Social?


Social Today

Percentage of students who consider particular social media functions moderately or extremely important

http://www.maguireassoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/CDIS-Report-2011.pdf


Social Referral Volume



Social Success: Harvard

• Real-time updates from social media

• Easy-to-use social media directory to highlight all channels

• Featured news to advance traditional marketing efforts

• Consistent and timely social updates


Social Campaign: OSU

• Multiple options and touch points so users aren’t forced into one method

• Creates transparency

• Allows OSU to listen to prospective students and tailor content accordingly; gauge intentions


Social Mobile: USC

• Virtual campus tour

• Provides “insider tips” allowing prospective students to get a more realistic view of campus

• Easy to navigate both online and on campus

• Motivates prospective students to connect via other social channels


Thanks.Thanks.

Let’s Connect!@Seanrus@Cuisine_Queen

data-driven design for higher education to increase applicant engagement and conversions

Education

schools source

edusearcher http

times http

critical http

process http

digital strategy focus

converters brand

new landscape digital