How to Recruit Students using New Media Outlets

How to Recruit Students using New Media OutletsANDREW MEYERS - HOPE COLLEGEBRAD J WARD - BLUEFUEGO

Twitter Hashtag: #macac

Evolution of Communication

Communication changes.

The medium changes.

The recruitment game has changed.

traditional recruitment 1980s until now

1980spaper applicationstelephonebrochures/lettersmagazine adstelevision presence (athletics)VHS Promo Tapes

1990spaper applicationstelephonebrochures/lettersmagazine adstelevision presence (athletics)Posters

(more of the same)

early 2000sonline applicationprimitive email communicationonline advertisingPromo DVDs

mid 2000sonline applicationemail communication (HTML)online advertising (banner ads, Google Adsense)

a major shift2004-2009

2004HTML email campaigns more plausibleonline application takes holdFlickr launches

2005online application continues to growYouTube launches

2006Google Apps for Education introducedTwitter launches

2007Facebook Pages become availableiTunes U launchesZinch launches

2008email campaigns growonline application takes holdschools begin to experiment with new media

2009online application becomes standardtwitter explodes in popularityfacebook becomes #1youtube 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:

STAFF MEETING“should we do this?”

COMMITTEE“yeah, we should do this”

BOSS“hmm, I don’t know”

INDIVIDUAL“this is too much work”

INDIVIDUAL“cool idea!”

timeline: 1 month

OUTCOMEsome success, some frustration

new buy-in:

BOSS“great work! what’s next?”

INDIVIDUAL“cool idea!”

INDIVIDUAL“I’m going to try it out”

INDIVIDUAL“nice. works and costs nothing!”

timeline: 1 hour

OUTCOMEdefinite success, little frustration

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 statisticsMichigan

facebook76% 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 UniversityKettering University

Cornerstone UniversityFerris State UniversityWayne State University

Michigan State University

facebook

64% of schools open to ‘Boxes’ tab36% of schools open to ‘Wall’ tab

60% of MI schools not on Facebook are XS Private.90% of MI schools not on Facebook are Private.

Schools that open to Wall tab average 21% more conversation.

hope college admissionswhat 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 admissionswhat we were up to

the email

the metrics

T

the results

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 usAndrew MeyersOffice of Admissions, Hope Collegemeyers[at]hope.edutwitter.com/andrewmeyers

Brad WardChief Explosion Officer, BlueFuegobrad[at]bluefuego.comtwitter.com/bradjward