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E-expectations Class of 2016:Examining Transitions from Junior to Senior Year
Lance Merker
President and CEO, OmniUpdate
Stephanie Geyer
Vice President Web Strategies and Interactive Marketing Services, Ruffalo Noel Levitz
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About E-expectations Research Class of 2016 Study Details
Demographics
Website Experiences
Social Media Exposure and Experiences
E-mail and Interactive Marketing Resources
Ideas for Action
Agenda
1
2
3
4
5
Please use
#eexpect when
tweeting about E-expectations or to share question ideas for future studies
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1About E-expectations ResearchClass of 2016 Study Details
Demographics
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Class of 2016 Study
Two web surveys facilitated in May and October 2015 with unique populations May administration: n=1,526 (juniors only)
October administration: n=2,064 (seniors only)
Evenly split among gender and four geographic regions of the continental U.S.
List source NRCCUA
95% confidence interval; +/- 3%
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Demographics
Parent education level: first generation to attend college Juniors: 24.8%
Seniors: 31.4%
Race/Ethnicity: Native American: 3.7% (J); 5.3% (S)
Asian: 7.9% (J); 9.5% (S)
African-American: 10.7% (J); 13.8% (S)
Hispanic: 17.2% (J); 21.5% (S)
Middle Eastern: 1.3% (J); 1.5% (S)
Caucasian : 55.5% (J); 56.4% (S)
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Demographics (continued)
College type: Private: 51% (J); 56.9% (S)
State/Public: 90.5% (J); 86.9% (S)
Community/Junior College: 12.3% (J); 16.4% (S)
Vo-tech: 8.3% (J); 9.9% (S)
Plans to participate in any sports in college: 66% juniors
74.6% seniors
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Enrollment Stage(at the time of the study)
Juniors Inactive: 3.8%
Prospect: 43.8%
Inquiry: 49.6%
Applied: 1.1%
Accepted: 1.7%
Seniors Inactive: 2.7%
Prospect: 27.6%
Inquiry: 39%
Applied: 17.6%
Accepted: 13.1%
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Resources Influencing Interest: Little Change
77%
44%38% 36%
82%
50%
41%38%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
College website College planning siteentries
Print Magazine rankings
Juniors
Seniors
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2 Website Experiences
Use of search engines
Content priorities
Mobile use and preferences
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Search engines lead the way to your website
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%
Bookmarked
URL in print
I know the url
College planning site
Link from e-mail
Search engine
Seniors
Juniors
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Search engines lead the way to your website
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%
Bookmarked
URL in print
I know the url
College planning site
Link from e-mail
Search engine
53.70%
39.50%
Seniors
JuniorsNearly all juniors and
seniors use email at least once a week and will
open a message from a school they are
interested in attending.
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Search engines lead the way to your website
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%
Bookmarked
URL in print
I know the url
College planning site
Link from e-mail
Search engine
31.60%
26.50%
Seniors
Juniors
56% of juniors and seniors have
used a college planning site
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Search engines lead the way to your website
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%
Bookmarked
URL in print
I know the url
College planning site
Link from e-mail
Search engine
18.00%
25.30%
28.70%
31.60%
53.70%
88.60%
21.00%
21.00%
33.80%
26.50%
39.50%
88.30%
Seniors
Juniors
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Branded search leads for all but juniors favor “school and program”
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%
Name of school
School and program
Program name
Desired location
Program and location
86.20%
58.60%
46.40%
44.00%
32.60%
86.30%
48.50%
37.50%
41.70%
19.80%
Seniors
Juniors
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Average keyword rank June 2014: Not ranked in top 100
Average keyword rank January 2016: 1
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Content Targets Vary for Juniors and Seniors
Program listing (22.3%) and Program details (16.7%) were the top two website content
targets for Class of 2016 Juniors.
(Seniors combined were 22.1% for these targets.)
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Content Targets Vary for Juniors and Seniors
Tuition/cost info was highest rated for seniors
(23.4%)
App process details second highest
for seniors(14.4%)
Scholarship/aid info 11% for
seniorsCost and
aid combined for juniors
24.2%
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What demonstrates value?
75.30%
57.50%
45.20% 44.80%38.80%
22.60% 22%
65%
51.90%57.40%
39.60%
22.50%16%
10.90%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
Juniors Seniors
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Mobile Use and Preferences
Nearly all have access to mobile devices: 95.6% of juniors
96.6% of seniors
Have they accessed a college site on a mobile device? 71% of juniors
69% of seniors
22% of juniors and 32% of seniors had already viewed a college site on a mobile device the day they completed this survey
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When do they use their mobile device for browsing the web?
41.40%
50.60%
8%
40.70%
50.20%
6.10%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
All the time If no PC available Rarely
Juniors
Seniors
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Full Site vs. Mobile View
47.00%
31.40%
21.60%
50.60%
30.80%
18.60%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
Always wants full site, evenon mobile
Prefers optimized version Rarely uses mobile device forbrowsing
Juniors
Seniors
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Significant Shifts in Mobile Forms Use
91.40%
82.40%
53.30%
17.90%15.50%
9.60%3.50%
2.60%
10.60%
22.90%
41.40%
21.60%18.60%
21.90%
2.50%4.40%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
90.00%
100.00%
Open houseregistration
Campusvisit
registration
Requestinformation
Costcalculator
Scholarshipcalculator
Applicationfor
admission
Classregistration
Onlineevent
registration
Juniors Seniors
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3What Images Should You Feature on Your Website?
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Six image tests for the fall study
1. Original image set 1 (from spring study)
2. Original image set 2 (from spring study)
3. Candid vs. posed exteriors
4. Male vs. female faculty
5. Singular student vs. empty room
6. Ranking all images
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Test 1: happy classroom
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Test 1: drones fly over the quad
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Test 1: four under tree (A classic!)
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Test 1: Results
Classroom:
10.9% spring juniors
12.5% fall seniors
15.2% fall juniors (‘17)
Aerial:
66.4% spring juniors
62% fall seniors
61.2% fall juniors (‘17)
Under Tree:
22.7% spring juniors
25.5% fall seniors
23.3% fall juniors (‘17)
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Test 2: dawn breaks over the quad
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Test 2: chance encounter in the cafeteria
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Test 2: chair-free study group
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Test 2: Results
Cafeteria Chat
9.6% spring juniors
9.2% fall seniors
10.3% fall juniors (‘17)
Study Group:
23.1% spring juniors
28.6% fall seniors
28.8% fall juniors (‘17)
On the Quad:
67.3% spring juniors
62.2% fall seniors
60.9% fall juniors (‘17)
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Test 3: Candid vs. Posed
Candid Exterior
20.3% fall seniors
19.5% fall juniors (’17)
Couple on Campus
79.7% fall seniors
80.5% fall juniors (‘17)
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Test 4: Faculty
Female Professor
58.7% fall seniors
60% fall juniors (’17)
Male Professor
41.3% fall seniors
40.0% fall juniors (’17)
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Test 5: Solo vs. Empty
Alone with Laptop
24.1% fall seniors
21.6% fall juniors (‘17)
Empty Library
75.9% fall seniors
78.4% fall juniors (‘17)
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Test 6: Most vs. Least Interesting
73.1%
44.2%
42.6%
29.3%
29.1%
24.4%
49.3%67%
70.9% 59.7%
69.7% 55.1%
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Social Media Exposure and Experiences
Resource preferences and use
Facebook and Twitter use detail
Preferences for post types and topics
4
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Social Channels Used Weekly
YouTube, -2.20%
Facebook, 2.60%
Snapchat, 11.90% Instagram,
6.50%
Twitter, 1.70%
Google+, -1.80%
Pinterest, -1.90%
Vine, -5.00%
Tumblr, -1.60%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
YouTube Facebook Snapchat Instagram Twitter Google+ Pinterest Vine Tumblr
Juniors Seniors Difference
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Facebook is the best channel to learn about college options
47.30%
22.20%
32.80%
27.30%
19.40%
15%
5.30%
44.00%
29.40% 28.80%
24.30%19.80%
14.10%
7.80%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Facebook Google+ YouTube Twitter Instagram None Snapchat
Juniors Seniors
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Engagement with college students on Facebook has increased
44.20%
60.70%
6.30% 6.60%
36.10%41.60%
67%
7%6.80%
30.30%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
Looked atany collegeFacebook
Clicked like Joined agroup
Added acomment
None
Juniors
Seniors
Up from 51.4% in 2014
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Twitter Use Increased from Junior to Senior Year
42.10%
22.10%
27.30%
43.80%
23.30%
24.30%
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00%
Twitter Use (weekly)
Following College Twitter Feeds
Twitter is Good for College Research
Seniors
Juniors
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Photos are the top-rated types of social posts
76.20%
47.60% 49.50%
37.50%
3.30%
78.80%
52.50%48.90%
38.90%
3.50%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
90.00%
Photos Videos Newsstories/features
Eventinvitations
Other
Seniors
2017 Juniors
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Feature current students and campus views in your posts
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%Seniors 2017 Juniors
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5 E-mail and Interactive Marketing Resources
E-mail use
Use of planning sites, online chat and webcast event
Texting use and topic preferences
Paid interactive marketing use
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Email: Not dead98.70% 97.40%
75.20%71.40%
98.20% 96.60%
78.10%
63.80%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Opens a messagefrom school of
interest
Uses e-mail at leastonce/week
Opens a messagefrom unknown school
Gives email whenrequested
Seniors
Juniors
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Make sure your e-mails work well on mobile devices
10.90%
4.70% 4.40% 4.10%
16.40%
26.50%
33%
6.80%
2.20% 2.70% 2.10%
18.80%
26.10%
43.10%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Never Less thanonce/month
A fewtimes/month
Once/week Fewtimes/week
At leastonce/day
More thanonce/day
Juniors Seniors
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Who has received text messages?
Juniors: 10.2% Individual—24.7%
General—45.2%
Both—30.1%
Seniors:18.8% Individual—30.6%
General—36.6%
Both—32.8%
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What should you text to them?
76.60% 74.50%
66.60%
44.30%41.30% 41.10%
24%
17.20% 14.70%
52.70% 51.80%56.70%
33.80%
46.90%
33.90% 32.80%
26.30%
19.90%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
90.00%
App details,such as
missing docsor status
Deadlinereminders
Acceptancenotification
Check-insfrom my
admissionsrep
Open houseor visit
invitations
Rejectionnotification
Links towebsitecontent
Links tosocial media
posts
Webinar orlive chat
invitations
Seniors Juniors (Class of 2017)
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Have you ever clicked on an advertisement for a college or university that you might have seen online? This could be a display ad on a website or ads you might see in search results or on a social media resource.
Juniors—43.4%
Seniors—45.8%
2017 Juniors—51.7%
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Google and Facebook are leading venues
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Googlesearch
Facebook Other Yahoosearch
Bingsearch
Adifferentsearchengine
Display adon web
page
Juniors
Seniors
Juniors (2017)
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Top and mid-funnel prospects will click on your ads!
54%
67.50%
15%
44.50%
64.10%
13.80%
54.10%
62.80%
12.60%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
I had never heard of the schoolbefore
Already considering Planning to attend
Spring Juniors Fall Seniors Fall Juniors (Class of 2017)
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6 Ideas for Action(and innovation)
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Content. Own it. Manage it. Think beyond program copy. Use results to try something new or replicate success.
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Think about how your users are relative to your site. Are they sitting back or leaning in? What can you do to get them to lean in, engage and return!
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Don’t leave it to users to figure out what to do next. Be prescriptive. Drive them to your inquiry, visit and application forms. (But make sure they work flawlessly on mobile devices.)
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Choose images that give a sense of place and people. Leave a little room to allow users to envision themselves on your campus.
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Ignore your org chart.Make your site structure work for your users and meet (or exceed) their needs and expectations (and not reflect your organizational chart).
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Step up your game with photos on social media. Invest time with the channels where students expect (and want) to find you. Tell them stories that inspire them.
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Email. Just keep at it and expect that they’re accessing your messages on mobile.Use landing pages when engagement/action is critical.
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Paid interactive marketing. Get in the water. Use targeted landing pages. Plan to pay attention daily. Measure voraciously.
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Texting. What. Are. You. Waiting. For?
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Be brave and try new stuff!
Measure with abandon. Be excited about learning how users are behaving. Pilot new ideas and don’t be afraid if they fail.
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Stephanie Geyer, Ruffalo Noel LevitzVoice: (303) 594-0370Email: [email protected]@StephGeyer
Lance Merker, OmniUpdateVoice: (805) 484-9400Email: [email protected]@LanceMerker
Save the date: August 18 Webcast of the new
E-Expectations study results.
Visit omniupdate.com to register.
