use your website to invite students into your school’s story
TRANSCRIPT
USE YOUR WEBSITE TO INVITE STUDENTS INTO YOUR SCHOOL’S STORY
Presented by: Higher Education Marketing
1. Storytelling: Setting Institutions Apart
2. Communicating a Distinctive Brand Identity
3. How do Students Fit into Your Story 4. Embracing Your School’s Niche
5. Living the Story You Tell
Overview
Storytelling is a pillar of content marketing and a powerful means of crafting strong higher education branding.
� It can be an influential factor in a prospect’s post-secondary decision.
� It cuts through bland, murky marketing (like multiple schools advertising similar qualities/claims to fame, & confusing students)
Source: HEM – How Does Your Website Invite Students into Your School’s Story?
Storytelling: Setting Institutions Apart
� Recent studies show this tact is often underused.
� Across dozens of prospective student focus groups, higher ed analysts repeatedly heard: “How am I supposed to choose when they all look the same?”
� Bland branding that seeks to stand for everything to everyone risks standing for nothing.
Storytelling: Setting Institutions Apart
Source: HEM – How Does Your Website Invite Students into Your School’s Story?
� A distinctive brand identity is essential for attracting and guiding a sustainable community.
� Try to align your brand with your community’s: • purpose
• reputation
• culture
� This connects your branding to the actual people on campus – promoting strong/consistent brand identity.
Communicating a Distinctive Brand Identity
Source: HEM – How Does Your Website Invite Students into Your School’s Story?
� A school’s website is its most prominent window to the world.
� Visitors intuitively understand the school through its web content.
� Communicate a distinctive brand identity by using content in your school’s “About Us” section to portray:
• the school’s mission
• history
• values + vision
• what makes them unique
Communicating a Distinctive Brand Identity
Why not convey these facts through a good story?
Source: HEM – How Does Your Website Invite Students into Your School’s Story?
Example � The University of Rochester’s
‘About Us’ page features: • stats
• vision statements
• rankings data
• pictures + videos
They all illustrate the school’s proud symbols and traditions.
Communicating a Distinctive Brand Identity
UofR website content tells the story of a vibrant, engaged community.
Source: HEM – How Does Your Website Invite Students into Your School’s Story?
� Effective higher education branding helps prospective students picture their lives on campus.
� Tell rather than sell with memorable content that features values they share.
� Authentic, relatable stories encourage students to establish more meaningful connections with a school.
How do Students Fit Into Your Story?
Source: HEM – How Does Your Website Invite Students into Your School’s Story?
� For a school, using original content (stories) elicits emotion and empathy.
� It persuades by letting readers reach their own conclusions.
How do Students Fit Into Your Story?
- Annette Simmons
“A story is more respectful than telling someone what he or she ought to think. Respect connects.”
Source: HEM – How Does Your Website Invite Students into Your School’s Story?
� Stories told with music, voices, & images have great potential for higher education branding.
� They’re easily memorable & shareable on social media.
How do Students Fit Into Your Story?
Example:
This video of Greg McFall, California Teacher of the Year, shows the power of video storytelling:
Source: HEM – How Does Your Website Invite Students into Your School’s Story?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07kp540hkMA
� Many schools have used storytelling to carve out a sustainable niche, by:
• identifying/targeting a subsection of prospective students • understanding who they can ‘serve exceptionally’
• earning a distinctive reputation
• cultivating a devoted social media following
� The most effective niches tap into the idea of ‘brand mythology.’
Embracing Your School’s Niche
Source: HEM – How Does Your Website Invite Students into Your School’s Story?
Embracing Your School’s Niche
� Brand mythology is about making the most of stories that an organization already has, by:
• stylizing • dramatizing
• elevating stories to new heights
� Mythologies are most compelling when they involve overcoming struggle/making meaningful life changes – but it’s most important that they’re true to a school’s branding promise.
Source: HEM – How Does Your Website Invite Students into Your School’s Story?
Example:
� Shimer College’s small campus & unique learning style is ideal for a particular student niche.
� Its “Our Story” pages feature content that fits this niche, like profiles of creative alumni.
(Pictured - electronic musician/ Shimer alumnus Laurie Spiegel)
Embracing Your School’s Niche
Source: HEM – How Does Your Website Invite Students into Your School’s Story?
Living the Story You Tell
� An effective brand position in higher education is a logical extension of how your community already perceives your school.
� To be truly accepted & influential, you must live the story you tell.
Example � University of Northern BC’s
‘Green’ branding is backed by: • a ‘Green Grant’ program
• proof of energy efficiency
• support from ecological leaders, & more:
Source: HEM – How Does Your Website Invite Students into Your School’s Story?