Higher Education Marketing in 2024

At a time when AI is growing by leaps and bounds, online education is gaining popularity and the younger generation is setting new demands, how do higher education institutions reach, attract and convert prospective students? Here are some of my suggestions.

Build a Compelling Brand

Prospective candidates have a vast array of choices to consider — public or private, online or offline, India or abroad. Amongst other things, building a strong education brand is about having up-to-date curricula, experienced faculty, good placement services, and above all, strong engagement with past, present, and future students.

Design the Customer Journey

Students and their parents want different information from the institute before taking their decision. They may need different details before they decide to visit the campus. And when they visit, they may want to see specific facilities and meet faculty. A carefully designed customer journey ensures that queries are cleared easily at every stage.

Be Authentic

Students are quick to distinguish between fact and marketing hard sell. They ask for proof points rather than general messaging. Communicate authentically about your institution, ensuring prospective students understand your brand positioning — supported by real proof points, not aspirational claims.

Choose the Right Marketing Channels

Understand your present and future students and their behaviour. Determine your marketing channels based on this understanding. Parents may be easier to reach on Search, Facebook, or Instagram. Students may be easier to reach on Instagram and through video content. Social media is evolving constantly, so it is important to stay up-to-date and communicate clearly.

Website and Personalisation

Optimise your website for SEO and mobile, with useful, easy-to-read content. Personalise communication with students by segmenting them according to their needs — whether they are research-focused, placement-focused, or campus-experience-focused — and communicate accordingly.