Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing

Mythbusting
Enrollment Marketing
12 December 2017
#higheredmyths
#mStonerNow
1 Myth-Enrollment-Mktng-webinar-handout - 12 December 2017

Our Capabilities:
• ResearchandBrandDevelopment
• IntegratedMarketingandCommunications
• ContentStrategyandDevelopment
• UserExperienceandDesign
• WebsiteImplementationandSupport
• OngoingMeasurement+Analytics
• WebsiteGovernance
773.305.0537 mallory.willsea@mstoner.com @mStonerInc mstoner.com
uncsa.edu

Michael Stoner
President, mStoner
Michael.Stoner@mStoner.com
@mStonerVT
Gil Rogers
Director of Marketing, NRCCUA
gil@NRCCUA.org
@GilRogers
*THANK YOU to Mike Hanus, Constituent Research, who helped develop, administer & analyze the survey.

Today’s  
Agenda
1. About this study
2. Myths? Realities? 
3. Takeaways 
4. Discussion & questions

Myth? Or
Reality?

6
Myths or realities?
#higheredmyths
1. Most teens review dozens of websites during their
college search and choice.
2. Print is dead to teens.
3. Teens prefer online interactions to FTF.
4. Online ads are eﬀective at reaching teens.

7
Myths or realities?
#higheredmyths
5. Retargeting is creepy and turns teens oﬀ.
6. A bad visit to campus means you’re oﬀ their list.
7. Rankings matter to teens.
8. Students don’t want colleges to text them.

Most teens review dozens
of websites
during college search & choice.
Myth or reality?

#higheredmyths
66%
of professionals believe teens review 11 or
more .edu websites during college search/choice

#higheredmyths
23%
of teens explore 11-20 .edu websites

#higheredmyths
55%
of teens explore 10 or fewer .edu websites

Print is dead
to teens.
Myth or reality?

#higheredmyths
20%
of professionals responded that print
influenced teens’ opinion of a college

15
In response to the question: “To what degree does each of the following influence your opinion(s) of a college?”; n = 1700
62% 
collegewebsite
22%
officialsocialmedia
30%
print(allteens)
35%
print(first-gen)
Top influences on teen opinion

Teens prefer
online interactions
to FTF interactions.
Myth or reality?

“In general, professionals underestimate the
interest teens have in communicating by email
and overestimate their interest in social media.”
‘‘

#higheredmyths
Assumed communications preferences of teens
Responses from .edu professionals to the question: “How would teen prospects prefer to hear from the colleges to which
they are considering applying during each phase of the application process?”; n = 688
email
direct mail
social media
in-person
text message
phone
53
60
61
51
47
72
8
13
27
54
60
62
researching accepted/deciding

#higheredmyths
Communications preferences: teens
In response to the question: “How would you prefer to hear from the colleges to which you
are considering applying during each phase of the application process?”; n = 1,255
email
direct mail
in-person
phone
text message
social media
13
28
50
53
70
75
21
27
33
44
66
83
researching accepted/deciding

#higheredmyths
How channels influence teen opinions of a .edu
Selected responses by teens to the question; “To what degree does each of
the following influence your opinion(s) of a college?”; n = 1,028-1,459
campus visit/tour
website
school visit
phone call
print brochure
official social
online ads 15
22
29
41
50
62
78

Online ads are effective
at reaching teens.
Myth or reality?

#higheredmyths
Professionals rate effectiveness of online ads
Professionals who responded “very effective” or “extremely effective” to the question: “In general, how
effective are your collets use of online ads to increase the following objectives among teen prospects?”; n = 429-432
brand awareness
info requests
campus visits
application submissions
yield 18
25
29
36
45

#higheredmyths
67%
of teens recall seeing ads from a college
on their computer or mobile device
In response to the question: “Have you ever noticed an add from a college
or university on your computer or mobile device??”; n = 1,056

#higheredmyths
36%
of teens who recalled noticing an ad say
they have clicked on one on their
computer or mobile device
Of teens who have recalled noticing an ad; n = 1,056

#higheredmyths
Where else teens have seen/heard college ads
In response to the question: “Have you see or heard a college’s advertisement
on any of the following?”; n = 1,056
the television
YouTube
the radio
streaming music svc
streaming video svc
other
I haven't seen an ad 24
2
11
28
31
41
55

#AMAHigherEd #higheredmyths
Retargeting is creepy and
turns teens off.
Myth or reality?

#higheredmyths
90%
of professionals think teens react
somewhat positively, positively, or very
positively to retargeting
In response to the question: “How does it impact a teen prospect’s perception of a college
when she/he notices a college’s ads after visiting their website?”; n = 580

#higheredmyths
22%
of professionals think teens have
a neutral reaction
In response to the question: “How does it impact a teen prospect’s perception of a
college when she/he notices a college’s ads after visiting their website? ?”; n = 580

#higheredmyths
48%
of teens have noticed ads for a particular
college online or on a social site after they
visited that college’s website
In response to the question: “Have you ever noticed ads for a for a particular
college online or on social media after you visited that college’s website”; n = 1,041

#higheredmyths
57%
of teens who are aware of retargeting
say that it does no effect on their
perception of a college
In response to the question: “How does it impact your perception of a college
when you notice a college’s ads after visiting their website?”; n = 491

#higheredmyths
33%
of teens who are aware of retargeting
say that it affects their view of a college
somewhat positively, positively, or very positively
In response to the question: “How does it impact your perception of a college
when you notice a college’s ads after visiting their website?”; n = 491

A bad visit to campus
means you’re off
Myth or reality?
their list.

#higheredmyths
94%
of professionals think a bad campus visit
negatively impacts a teen’s perceptions
of a college he/she is interested in

#higheredmyths
65%
of teens say that a bad visit will negatively
impact their view of a college that they
are really interested in

Rankings
matter to teens.
Myth or reality?

#higheredmyths
80%
of campus professionals believe
teens use US News rankings

#higheredmyths
70%
of teens said they didn’t use rankings or
indicated they didn’t use any of the top
rankings we asked about

#higheredmyths
4 in 10
teens who use US News are legacy
students

#higheredmyths
68%
first-gen teens who use US News that find
it useful

Myth or reality?
Teens don’t want
colleges to text them.

#higheredmyths
66%
of professionals said that having a college
text a teen would positively impact his or
her view of a college

#higheredmyths
43%
of professionals said that their college
texts prospective students

#higheredmyths
82%
of teens have never received a text
message from a college

#higheredmyths
56%
of teens said that receiving a text from a
college would positively impact their view
of the college

#higheredmyths
What kinds of texts teens want to receive …
In response to the question: “What kind of information would you be most interested
in hearing about via text message from a college?”; n = 1,017
app deadline reminders
upcoming events
event reg reminders/confirms
fin aid reminders
decision notifications 60
64
66
71
79

#higheredmyths
Key considerations for marketing to teens …
• Leveraging traditional vs. digital marketing isn't “either/or." It's AND!
• It's OK to have high expectations but temper those with realistic
understanding of inﬂuence.
• Establish your goals before picking the tools you’re going to use to
get there.

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Mythbusting Enrollment Marketing

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