As people move forward into an increasingly digital world, consumers have high expectations of their digital transactions. Whether they’re shopping online or talking with a customer representative, they want the experience to be seamless, quick, and efficient. It doesn’t matter what industry they’re dealing with; they expect a good experience.
Educational institutions are not spared from these customer expectations. Although the educational landscape is a far cry in purpose and structure from, say, the retail sector, today’s consumers expect no less convenience.
So to improve enrollment rates, your institution must think of parents and students as modern-day customers.
Understanding Liquid Expectations
Think of a brand you had a good experience with. Have you caught yourself asking why other companies can’t be more like that brand — even if they don’t belong in the same industry?
You have what’s called liquid or fluid expectations. These are perceived gaps between a customer’s previous experiences and their current experience, even if they interact with completely different brands from completely different industries.
For instance, a consumer might expect the same level of customer service from a local café and a clothing store. They might expect the same level of check-in efficiency from an airline and an Airbnb. Customers might want the same quick waiting time at a wax salon and a doctor’s visit.
The expectations are liquid, such that they compare experiences from industries that may not be related to one another. Therefore, there’s greater pressure on sectors that might not be big on customer service before, including educational institutions.
Traditionally, the educational sector doesn’t zero in on customer experience as much as the retail and e-commerce industries do. But given the modern consumers’ liquid expectations, schools and universities must improve their enrollment experience and be at par with client-centric companies.
Improve Your Website Experience
The first order of business is to improve your website experience; this is the part where you can leave a positive impression with the parents.
- Speedy Site. Parents and students, just like the average consumer, are not patient. And if Google recommends a two-second load time for all websites, then a school’s digital portal should also follow that guideline. A fast website prevents the user from leaving the page and moving on to another school’s site.
- Mobile-Responsive. Students use their phones for a majority of tasks, like exploring schools they’d like to attend. Parents are following suit, as well. In fact, Smart Insights reports that overall, mobile traffic will increase by 25% by 2025. Now is the best time to ensure that your site is mobile-responsive.
- Professional Design. More than any other sector, educational institutions must have professional-looking websites. Parents can easily correlate the quality of your digital portal with the education their children will get.
Leverage SEO and PPC
Schools might think that SEO and PPC are reserved for retail, food and beverage, and similar industries. However, educational institutions have much to gain by investing in these marketing channels.
Take SEO, for instance. This improves your ranking in the search engine results. There are three main reasons to invest in SEO:
For people who look for your school
These are parents and students who look for your specific school name. Often, they’re qualified prospects who are interested in enrolling.
For people who look for schools like yours
These are parents and students looking for a new school because they moved to a new address, want a specific type of school, or are no longer satisfied with their current educational institution. If they can easily find you, your school may be included in their shortlist.
For people who want specific information about your school
These are parents and students who might be looking for enrollment requirements, key dates, tuition fee information, and more.
While SEO builds a solid foundation for digital visibility, PPC offers a quick way to reach your target audience and increase enrollment inquiries. For instance, programmatic advertising expands your reach and allows you to reach more young students who are always online.
PPC also:
- Targets specific types of parents and students
- Gives you control over your budget
- Delivers measurable results
Leverage Content Marketing
Out of all types of digital marketing, content marketing may be the best-suited for universities and colleges. Content marketing helps you bring more traffic to your site, generate qualified leads, and increase enrollment rates.
More importantly, content marketing builds your school’s authority. It’s a chance to:
- Share stories about student life and allow prospective enrollees to visualize themselves as a student in your organization
- Provide relevant and valuable information that parents can use
- Announce the milestones and achievements of your institutions
With a stronger pressure to provide excellent digital experiences, schools are investing heavily in their digital channels and marketing strategies. Follow this guide to ensure that your school is not left behind.
As people move forward into an increasingly digital world, consumers have high expectations of their digital transactions. Whether they’re shopping online or talking with a customer representative, they want the experience to be seamless, quick, and efficient. It doesn’t matter what industry they’re dealing with; they expect a good experience.
Educational institutions are not spared from these customer expectations. Although the educational landscape is a far cry in purpose and structure from, say, the retail sector, today’s consumers expect no less convenience.
So to improve enrollment rates, your institution must think of parents and students as modern-day customers.
Understanding Liquid Expectations
Think of a brand you had a good experience with. Have you caught yourself asking why other companies can’t be more like that brand — even if they don’t belong in the same industry?
You have what’s called liquid or fluid expectations. These are perceived gaps between a customer’s previous experiences and their current experience, even if they interact with completely different brands from completely different industries.
For instance, a consumer might expect the same level of customer service from a local café and a clothing store. They might expect the same level of check-in efficiency from an airline and an Airbnb. Customers might want the same quick waiting time at a wax salon and a doctor’s visit.
The expectations are liquid, such that they compare experiences from industries that may not be related to one another. Therefore, there’s greater pressure on sectors that might not be big on customer service before, including educational institutions.
Traditionally, the educational sector doesn’t zero in on customer experience as much as the retail and e-commerce industries do. But given the modern consumers’ liquid expectations, schools and universities must improve their enrollment experience and be at par with client-centric companies.
Improve Your Website Experience
The first order of business is to improve your website experience; this is the part where you can leave a positive impression with the parents.
- Speedy Site. Parents and students, just like the average consumer, are not patient. And if Google recommends a two-second load time for all websites, then a school’s digital portal should also follow that guideline. A fast website prevents the user from leaving the page and moving on to another school’s site.
- Mobile-Responsive. Students use their phones for a majority of tasks, like exploring schools they’d like to attend. Parents are following suit, as well. In fact, Smart Insights reports that overall, mobile traffic will increase by 25% by 2025. Now is the best time to ensure that your site is mobile-responsive.
- Professional Design. More than any other sector, educational institutions must have professional-looking websites. Parents can easily correlate the quality of your digital portal with the education their children will get.
Leverage SEO and PPC
Schools might think that SEO and PPC are reserved for retail, food and beverage, and similar industries. However, educational institutions have much to gain by investing in these marketing channels.
Take SEO, for instance. This improves your ranking in the search engine results. There are three main reasons to invest in SEO:
For people who look for your school
These are parents and students who look for your specific school name. Often, they’re qualified prospects who are interested in enrolling.
For people who look for schools like yours
These are parents and students looking for a new school because they moved to a new address, want a specific type of school, or are no longer satisfied with their current educational institution. If they can easily find you, your school may be included in their shortlist.
For people who want specific information about your school
These are parents and students who might be looking for enrollment requirements, key dates, tuition fee information, and more.
While SEO builds a solid foundation for digital visibility, PPC offers a quick way to reach your target audience and increase enrollment inquiries. For instance, programmatic advertising expands your reach and allows you to reach more young students who are always online.
PPC also:
- Targets specific types of parents and students
- Gives you control over your budget
- Delivers measurable results
Leverage Content Marketing
Out of all types of digital marketing, content marketing may be the best-suited for universities and colleges. Content marketing helps you bring more traffic to your site, generate qualified leads, and increase enrollment rates.
More importantly, content marketing builds your school’s authority. It’s a chance to:
- Share stories about student life and allow prospective enrollees to visualize themselves as a student in your organization
- Provide relevant and valuable information that parents can use
- Announce the milestones and achievements of your institutions
With a stronger pressure to provide excellent digital experiences, schools are investing heavily in their digital channels and marketing strategies. Follow this guide to ensure that your school is not left behind.
