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Vodcasting for Student Recruitment Stephanie Judge Chris Potts

What’s vodcasting?
A video podcast is the online delivery of video on demand (VOD) content.
Consumers can subscribe using a PC or mobile multimedia device.

A growing presence.
On December 16, 2006, Time Magazine named its Person of the Year as "You", referring to independent content creators on the web, video podcasters in particular .
(The magazine featured a flexible mirror on the cover. )

Why use video?
Millennials have grown up in the Reality TV age.
reality = entertainment

How does this relate to recruiting?
9% of students have downloaded a school’s podcast or video podcast
54% said they “would if they could”
(Noel-Levitz “E-Expectations, Class of 2007”)

It’s a way to break through the clutter.

They’re watching.
76% of young adults ages 18-29 watch or download videos online
31% watch or download some type of video daily
(2007 Pew Online Video Study)

They’re sharing.
73% watch video with others
67% send video links to others
76% receive links from others
(2007 Pew Online Video Study)

It has to be real.
It has to be entertaining.
It has to be relevant.
To be effective…

Butler University
College of Business Administration
A Case Study

Butler University
Private liberal arts university in Indianapolis
Five colleges: Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, College of Education, Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Fine Arts
Approximately 4,200 students
Ranked 4 th in 2008 Master’s Midwest category by US News & World Report

The College of Business Administration
AACSB-accredited
600 undergraduate students; day program
250 MBAs; part-time, evening program

This case study will focus on the undergraduate program.

The usual.
Departmental viewbook
Personalized follow-up with admits
Fall “Business Day” to generate applications
Spring “Business Scholars” to yield high-achievers

And then it all changed.

Real Life. Real Business.
Curriculum redesign began in 2003
Adoption of “real life, real business” theme
Experiential curriculum
Students DO business, not just study it

We began building practice fields.

Practice fields
Career mentor, two required internships
Freshman Business Experience class
Sophomores start and run their own businesses
Real projects/cases with local companies
$22 million grant from Lilly Endowment to run consulting business and enhance curriculum

The Recruiting Dilemma How to show and demonstrate an experiential curriculum

Flat viewbooks can’t demonstrate experiences.

Communication Objectives
Earlier departmental communication with prospects and parents (fall vs. spring)
Show the experience and demonstrate the differentiation

Communication Strategy Tell the story through the eyes of two first year students as they experience the new curriculum, particularly the Freshman Business Experience course.

The Concept
12 videos, 2-3 minutes in length
New video released each Friday on web, iTunes, YouTube (for portability and sharing)
Combination of handheld camcorders and professional filming (MediaSauce)
Announced weekly via web and email

Target audience
Primary: high school seniors with an interest in business at Butler and their parents (2500 prospects )
Secondary: high school guidance counselors

Timing
Fall release: to generate applications and campus visits
Spring promotion: for yield

Meet Jana and Rob. Two very different students.

Video Themes
Move-in day
Welcome Week
First day of classes
Get Real Weekend, teamwork

Video Themes
High ropes challenge course
Visiting corporate sponsor
Shadowing interns
Downtown Indianapolis

Video Themes
Campus Life
Business plan competition
Winners of the competition
The transformation

Calls to Action
Open e-mail
Watch video
Arrange campus visit
Apply to Butler*
Forward to a friend
*on web, in emails, at end of each video

Let’s take a look at the web interface and videos.

Email Campaign
Weekly email to prospects, guidance counselors
Inbox graphic with click to view
Most popular subject line ( MADE: I want to be a Butler student )
Asked Butler students/faculty/alumni to forward to friends/family/high school

Postcard
Postcard mailed to prospects, guidance counselors
Distributed at campus recruiting events
Distributed during Admissions visits

Additional Promotion
Butler, CBA, Admissions website
Alumni e-newsletter
Articles in local press: Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis Business Journal
Butler newspapers: The Collegian, Dawgnet

Spring Yield
POD QUIZ: Answer series of questions about pods; top respondents received Butler sweatshirt (approx. 25)
Online chat with Jana/Rob in late spring

On move-in day, what did Jana’s brother say made the Butler move great? How many student organizations can you choose from at Butler? What Indianapolis based company did Jana’s class partner with to learn about business first hand?

Email Metrics
Emails sent per week: 2500
Average open rate: 20%
Average click through rate: 17.2%
(Source: ExactTarget)

Metrics in Perspective
Education industry open rate: 34%
(ours was 20%)
Education industry click through rate: 5.7% (ours was 17%)
(Source: Bronto 2007)

Web Metrics
Total visitors (Sept-Dec): 1933
Total unique visitors (Sept-Dec): 1518 (visitors who returned to the site)
Average view time: 10.9 minutes
On average, visitors clicked on 4.26 pages (out of the five options provided) from the web interface
(Source: NetTracker)

Was it successful?

Communication Objectives
Earlier departmental communication with prospects and parents (fall vs spring)
Show the experience and demonstrate the differentiation

Was it successful?
Anecdotal evidence from admits (especially parents): YES
Applications to the University: record high
Applications to the College remained flat
One piece of the recruiting mix; hard to gauge the effect

Would we do it again?

Added blogs
Online journals by Jana/Rob (one-way communication)
The story continues as Jana/Rob start and run their own businesses this year
63% of students surveyed indicate that they “Would like to read a blog written by a current student” (Noel-Levitz “E-Expectations, Class of 2007”)

Other changes this year
Improved web interface – more simple
Google Analytics to better track web results
Improved inbox graphics and subject lines
Sending to 11,000 prospects (business + exploratory) vs. 2500 last year

Current Metrics
After five email sends:
Average open rate: 12.1%
Average click through rate: 18.8%
Note larger, less qualified list
(Source: Delivra)

Lessons learned
Expensive: financially plus time involvement
Difficult to pinpoint exact results; a communications tool to supplement the mix
Incorrectly assumed we could generate applications directly from the vod site and measure as an indication of effectiveness

To follow along with Jana and Rob: www.butler.edu/reallife

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by guestc7a83f on Nov 06, 2007

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