Wakey, Wakey, Higher Education Marketing

A version of this article was originally posted on eCampusNews.

By: Shukmei Wong, SVP Omnichannel Marketing, Involved Media

Just like a sleepy sophomore, higher education marketing needs a wake-up call.

Higher education marketing has hit snooze one too many times. Once fueled by glossy brochures and generic email blasts, the old approach is officially running on empty. Even digital darlings like Meta and Google Ads are feeling more like money pits than magic bullets. Meanwhile, a storm is brewing. Enrollment is down, tuition skepticism is up, and students have more options than ever, including ditching degrees entirely.

So, what’s a university to do? Hit reset. Because if you’re still marketing like it’s 2013, you’re not just behind, you’re invisible.

Welcome to the Hunger Games: Enrollment edition.

Involved Media, in partnership with Penn State World Campus, conducted a higher-ed tracking study confirming what we all feel: The market is flooded. Public, private and online campuses are elbowing each other for attention, and post-pandemic, the shine on remote learning is wearing off. Students are drifting back to campus, and back into the arms of schools that understand what they want and know how to talk to them.

And no, “apply now” is not talking to them.

Ditch the pitch. Start a conversation.

Salesforce’s Connected Student Report indicates that 69% of students who had a great educational experience reported their institution provided a personalized experience tailored to their needs. Translation? The one-size-fits-all admissions spiel is dead. Students want messaging that’s human, helpful and about them.

So instead of shouting “We’re ranked #5!” try answering, “How will my experience here make me better equipped for the life I want to live?”

First-party data = First-class strategy.

Colleges have a secret weapon and barely use it: first-party data. When gathered ethically and used smartly, it can help you to build communication strategies that feel custom-fit, not cookie-cutter. The goal? Anticipate student needs, personalize your outreach, and make your prospects feel seen and heard long before they ever set foot on campus.

Social Video Is the new viewbook.

If you’re not leading with video, you’re falling behind. YouTube hits 77% of U.S. 15–25-year-olds, and TikTok remains the Gen Z search engine of choice, even as it dodges regulators. Instagram still has influence, but don’t expect to win any hearts with conspicuously curated feeds and shockingly boring stock photos.

What works? Real stuff. Dorm tours filmed on a cracked iPhone. Alumni answering questions in their cars. Students goofing off before finals. Raw beats polished. Relatable beats produced. Why, because content that feels lived-in will always outperform content that feels approved by committee.

For example, for one client we partnered with multiple popular gaming influencers who, while playing and broadcasting on YouTube and Twitch, spoke about the university’s online program. This fostered conversations between the influencers and their viewers in the chats. Those who attended the university shared their experiences and fielded questions, all while being watched by millions live.

Social media is not a billboard.

Too many universities treat their Instagram like a digital corkboard: announcements, flyers, and photos with zero soul. But Gen Z doesn’t want a lecture. They want a dialogue.

Polls. Q&As. Comment replies. Inside jokes. Surprise giveaways. The most engaging university accounts feel more like friends than institutions. And major bonus points if you hand the mic to students rather than your media team.

Let your students be the stars.

Here’s a marketing secret: Your best content isn’t coming from the communications office. It’s walking around in a hoodie and headphones.

Student-generated content is authentic, relatable and algorithm-friendly. Peer voices carry more weight than any slick ad campaign ever will. So, empower your students to create, share and even shape your brand. Because nothing builds trust like seeing someone just like you having made their big decision and loving their college experience.

From tradition to transformation.

Higher-ed is overdue for a reinvention. The schools that succeed will be the ones that let go of the old playbook and start building real, relevant, student-first strategies. That means listening. That means experimenting. That means showing up where students are, and sounding like someone they’d want to talk to for the genuine inside scoop.

The opportunity is massive. The tools are in your hands. The students? They’re already watching.

The only question left: Are you ready to wake up?