Higher Ed Marketing Trends for 2025
Advanced technology, data, and personalization are redefining higher ed marketing in 2025. As powerful technology becomes more widely available, educational institutions are turning to marketing experts to gain a competitive edge in attracting prospective students. This, paired with the fact that college-age individuals rely heavily on technology themselves, makes a compelling case for universities and colleges to develop dynamic marketing strategies.
Following is a helpful run down on higher ed marketing trends that can help you attract diverse and talented students.
Top Higher Ed Marketing Trends
Effective Personalization
In a world with endless information coming at people from every angle, personalized messaging helps break through the noise. Moreover, as more aspects of daily life merge with the digital world, people gravitate to personalized messaging that recognizes their individuality and unique needs. With marketing—particularly higher ed—it is important to develop messaging that celebrates the uniqueness of its recipient while also acknowledging their needs and goals.
Personalization is possible in both print and digital channels. Using advanced software, consumer data, and automation, higher ed marketing can be tailored to a student’s specific goals, field of study, and demographic background. For example, segmenting your audience into personas can help appeal to students seeking specific degree programs or those looking to achieve certain career goals after graduation.
Everything from e-mail blasts, video testimonials, and direct mail campaigns can be segmented to anticipate the needs of certain types of students. Mail pieces can also be personalized with technology like VDP (variable data printing), which addresses recipients by their legal name. Implementing PURLs and QR codes into mail pieces can also be used to drive recipients to individualized landing pages with helpful information on curriculum, research breakthroughs, and social organizations that will appeal to specific types of students.
Data-Driven Campaigns
Harnessing data helps with student outreach. Data can be used to develop a deeper understanding of your audience. With predictive technology, data can help you anticipate the needs of students. Essentially, data-driven campaigns ensure that your content and messaging resonate with students and increases their interest in your institution.
Direct Mail Retargeting
Direct mail retargeting is an excellent technology for converting prospective students into enrollees. In a nutshell, retargeting involves sending direct mail to a person’s physical address after they interact with your university or college online. For example, a prospective student signing up literature on degree programs, applying for a scholarship, or even attending a summer camp for middle or high school students are user actions appropriate for receiving a retargeting campaign. Direct mail retargeting is a great way to merge your digital presence with your physical one.
Video Marketing
Video marketing is one of the most effective ways to boost engagement with prospective students. As one of the most powerful messaging mediums, video captures attention in a way that written content and audio cannot. Video marketing can be used for in-depth virtual tours, interviews with accomplished students and faculty, and to showcase the social aspects of student life on campus. Not only can social media and websites direct students and stakeholders to video content, direct mail can also drive students to videos through PURLs and QR codes.
Pel Hughes works with higher ed institutions throughout the United States. We offer direct mail, retargeting, cross media marketing, database management, campaign automation, and promotional apparel. Call us at (504) 486-8646 to request a quote or visit our website to learn more about our services.
