How to Recruit Students using
New Media Outlets ANDREW MEYERS - HOPE COLLEGE BRAD J WARD - BLUEFUEGO

Twitter Hashtag: #macac

Evolution of Communication

Communication changes.

The medium changes.

The recruitment game has
changed.

traditional recruitment
1980s until now

1980s 1990s paper applications paper
applications telephone telephone brochures/letters brochures/letters magazine ads magazine ads television presence (athletics) television presence (athletics) Posters VHS Promo Tapes (more of the same)

early 2000s mid 2000s online
application online application primitive email email communication (HTML) communication online advertising (banner ads, online advertising Google Adsense) Promo DVDs

a major shift
2004-2009

2004 2005 HTML email campaigns
more online application continues to plausible grow online application takes hold YouTube launches Flickr launches

2006 2007 Google Apps for
Education Facebook Pages become introduced available Twitter launches iTunes U launches Zinch launches

2008 2009 email campaigns grow
online application becomes online application takes hold standard schools begin to experiment twitter explodes in popularity with new media facebook becomes #1 youtube EDU launches

changes to Butler 2007 to
present

where I came in new
position: electronic communication coordinator search process: outsourced website: go.butler.edu/cs monitor/participate in all social media email marketing, usability testing, trends/research, data analysis

changes to Hope 2006 to
present

where I came in email
campaign: header image, text online application: outsourced website: hope.edu/admissions online presence: petersons, et al webmail: outsourced

traditional buy-in: OUTCOME INDIVIDUAL “cool
idea!” some success, some frustration STAFF MEETING “should we do this?” COMMITTEE “yeah, we should do this” BOSS “hmm, I don’t know” INDIVIDUAL “this is too much work” timeline: 1 month

new buy-in: OUTCOME INDIVIDUAL “cool
idea!” definite success, little frustration INDIVIDUAL “I’m going to try it out” INDIVIDUAL “nice. works and costs nothing!” BOSS “great work! what’s next?” timeline: 1 hour

why is it this way?
✓ the ‘millenial’ generation or ‘generation Y’ ✓ We’re on the fringe -- do the math! ✓ includes individuals born between 1980 and 2000 ✓ expectation that things should happen more quickly than they do ✓ “impatient and eager to live life now.” ✓ optimistic about life 5 years out 1Erickson, Tamara. Plugged in. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2008.

You can only offer so
much offline.

Relationships > Technology

PRINT
ELECTRONIC

facebook statistics
Michigan

facebook 76% of Michigan schools
have a presence on Facebook Average: 2804 fans (Without MSU and UM: 1060) High Ratio of Institution Comments to Fan Comments: Davenport University Kettering University Cornerstone University Ferris State University Wayne State University Michigan State University

facebook 64% of schools open
to ‘Boxes’ tab 36% of schools open to ‘Wall’ tab Schools that open to Wall tab average 21% more conversation. 60% of MI schools not on Facebook are XS Private. 90% of MI schools not on Facebook are Private.

hope college admissions what we’ve
been up to

• started using in fall
2008 • no HD from YouTube or Facebook at that point • YouTube → questionable content • now, YouTube for Edu • syndicating our content across all 3 platforms

video example

butler university admissions what we
were up to

the email

the metrics

the results
T

personal shift • attended Innovative
Educators’ conference in Cincinnati (July 2008) • networked with other individuals in the field • got connected on Twitter • started a professional blog to share my thoughts (admittedlydutch.com) • productivity has noticeably increased

personal shift • attended Stamats
conference in Philadelphia (October 2006) • began experimenting with new media sites • Used Twitter as my ‘personal brand platform’ • started a professional blog to share my thoughts (squaredpeg.com) • Saw the benefits and results of web-based recruiting

other things Hope is •
monthly video updates (shot, created, and edited in-house) • using services like Zinch and Cappex to connect with students online • email campaign series • used Ning to develop a closed social network for our admitted students • starting to work on using Twitter • currently making a vendor selection for CRM

how can you stay on
top • be networking with us on Twitter • @bradjward and @andrewmeyers • follow a select group of blogs, RSS • start with bloghighed.org • read some good books (http://bit.ly/ hebooks) • keep attending conferences • check out eduWeb and NACAC Annual Conference

who has the first
question?

contact us Andrew Meyers Office
of Admissions, Hope College meyers[at]hope.edu twitter.com/andrewmeyers Brad Ward Chief Explosion Officer, BlueFuego brad[at]bluefuego.com twitter.com/bradjward