When evaluating a school’s content marketing system (CMS), it’s easy for higher ed marketers to get tunnel vision when defining their target audience. But as Kat Liendgens (https://www.linkedin.com/in/katliendgens/), CEO of Hannon Hill (https://www.hannonhill.com/), reminds us, the national pool of traditional college students is shrinking fast. That means marketing teams need to get with the times and bring a diversity of voice into their CMS strategy. Kat explains why colleges and universities need to start appealing to a broader array of personas, including the people who influence young students’ choices the most — their parents. Join us as we discuss: - Incorporating diversity of voice in school websites and CRMs (5:09) - Setting content contributors up for success in your CMS (11:53) - How higher ed content compares to other industry verticals (18:23) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - kat@hannonhill.com (mailto:kat@hannonhill.com) - Hannon Hill (https://www.hannonhill.com/) To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-higher-ed-marketer/id1552804442), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1u1F4gOhYuZYk2odcMkVjP?si=651cc489750e48ee), or our website (https://www.higheredmarketerpodcast.com/) or search for The Higher Edge in your favorite podcast player.  

So many small and mid-sized colleges and universities are caught up in trying to spread brand awareness that they’ve forgotten their core purpose — meeting the needs of prospective students. Philip Smith (https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippjsmith/), Founder and CMO of Education Marketing Agency (https://educationmarketingagency.co/), thinks it’s time for higher ed institutions to stop trying to impress their competition and get back to the basics. Philip joins us from Ireland to give us the inside scoop on how he helps schools in the UK with his Student Intake Optimization Strategy. Join us as we discuss: - The 5 steps of the Student Intake Optimization Strategy (4:23) - Why schools need to start engaging students with video (20:18) - How fractional CMOs help struggling marketing teams (27:15) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Philip Smith (https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippjsmith/) - Education Marketing Agency (https://educationmarketingagency.co/) - PhilipSmithCMO.com (https://philipsmithcmo.com/) - Uni Vid (https://uni-vid.com/) To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-higher-ed-marketer/id1552804442), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1u1F4gOhYuZYk2odcMkVjP?si=651cc489750e48ee), or our website (https://www.higheredmarketerpodcast.com/) or search for The Higher Edge in your favorite podcast player. 

Since 2017, the Pepperdine University - Graduate School of Education & Psychology (https://gsep.pepperdine.edu/) has nearly tripled its enrollment from about 1,500 students to over 4,000. So how did they do it? According to Luke Phillips (https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillipsluke/), the school’s Executive Director of Marketing and Enrollment, they did it by avoiding the weeds and taking a strategic approach to their enrollment funnel. It isn’t enough for marketing teams to just focus on clinching the sale — they need to step outside the box and look at the big picture. You won’t want to miss the incredible practical insight Luke shares on emphasizing strategic thinking toward growth and their winning formula for converting student leads.   Join us as we discuss: -Strategic growth and execution of market research (5:19) - Distilling actionable data through SWOT analysis (15:06) - How successful enrollment marketing opens up opportunities (23:02) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/) (IPEDS) - Survey Monkey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/?ut_source=sem_lp&ut_source2=sem&ut_source3=header) - Salary.com (https://www.salary.com/) - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/) - Pepperdine University - Graduate School of Education & Psychology (https://gsep.pepperdine.edu/) - luke.phillips2@pepperdine.edu To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-higher-ed-marketer/id1552804442), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1u1F4gOhYuZYk2odcMkVjP?si=651cc489750e48ee), or our website (https://www.higheredmarketerpodcast.com/) or search for The Higher Edge in your favorite podcast player. 

Mission-fit storytelling is an essential piece of higher ed content marketing. That sounds straightforward on paper, but many schools struggle to attract students by meeting them where they are. Neal Foard (https://www.linkedin.com/in/neal-foard-3727403/), Chief Marketing Officer at Within, Inc. (https://within-inc.com/), thinks too many marketing teams are adrift in a sea of algorithms and analytics and have lost sight of their true purpose. Neal believes marketers must stop chasing heroic individualism and come together to celebrate their students as a team, and that starts with addressing their students’ self-interests first.     Join us as we discuss: - The unintended consequences of marketing metrics (6:29) - Collaboration and the creative spirit in people’s differences (16:08) - Humanizing stories by putting the audience first (25:52)  Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - nealfoard@gmail.com (mailto:nealfoard@gmail.com) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@nealfoard/featured) - Nealfoard.com (https://www.nealfoard.com/) To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-higher-ed-marketer/id1552804442), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1u1F4gOhYuZYk2odcMkVjP?si=651cc489750e48ee), or our website (https://www.higheredmarketerpodcast.com/) or search for The Higher Edge in your favorite podcast player.  

Despite digital marketing’s evident impact on prospective students, social media managers are still some of the most undersupported members of many higher ed marketing teams. Any school administration should be able to clearly see Gen Z’s appetite for digital content, so why do these disconnects continue to happen? According to Santhana Naidu (https://www.linkedin.com/in/naidu/), VP of Marketing and Communications at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (https://www.rose-hulman.edu/), marketers must first educate their school’s internal audiences. Only then can they focus on telling their stories to external niche audiences. Santhana shares the success of their social media strategy and why more schools should embrace targeted digital advertising on streaming platforms. Join us as we discuss: - Using social media to edutain prospective STEM students (7:31) - The cost-benefit of OTT advertising on streaming platforms (15:57) - Educating the campus community on social media strategy (23:25) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - naidu1@rose-hulman.edu (mailto:naidu1@rose-hulman.edu) - Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (https://www.rose-hulman.edu/) - Rose-Hulman TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@rosehulman) - Rose-Hulman Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/rosehulman/?hl=en) - Rose-Hulman YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@rosehulman) To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-higher-ed-marketer/id1552804442), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1u1F4gOhYuZYk2odcMkVjP?si=651cc489750e48ee), or our website (https://www.higheredmarketerpodcast.com/) or search for The Higher Edge in your favorite podcast player.  

Community colleges are the front door of higher education for hundreds of thousands of students annually. They may be smaller than their 4-year counterparts, but schools like Butler Community College (https://www.butlercc.edu/) are leading the charge in innovating classrooms and workforce development programs. How are they doing it? It’s simple — by listening to students and their future employers and pivoting to their needs. Butler’s president, Dr. Kimberly Krull (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-krull-74999399/), and Director of College Relations and Marketing, Kelly Snedden (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-snedden-4621867/), tell us how they’re committing to graduating each student in digital literacy. Join us as we discuss: - Powering “high-flex” classrooms with the tech of tomorrow (13:03) - Getting students job-ready in workforce development programs (21:09) - How Butler is addressing the demographic enrollment cliff (34:51) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: krull@butlercc.edu (mailto:krull@butlercc.edu) ksnedden@butlercc.edu (mailto:ksnedden@butlercc.edu) Butler Community College (https://www.butlercc.edu/) To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-higher-ed-marketer/id1552804442), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1u1F4gOhYuZYk2odcMkVjP?si=651cc489750e48ee), or our website (https://www.higheredmarketerpodcast.com/) or search for The Higher Edge in your favorite podcast player.  

Peer-to-peer marketing may be one of the most underutilized strategies for American colleges and universities today. Several studies show that current students are Gen Z’s most preferred source of information about prospective colleges and universities after school websites. Many students are ready and willing to answer their fellow Gen Z’s questions through peer-to-peer marketing, and the barrier to entry is much lower than you may think.     George Oleson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-olesen-34992a8b/), CEO of The Ambassador Platform (https://www.theambassadorplatform.com/), gives us the nitty-gritty on the present state of peer-to-peer marketing in higher ed and how schools should leverage this underrated strategy. Join us as we discuss: - Empowering students to safely represent your school (6:50) - Measuring your peer-to-peer campaign performance (14:40) - Engaging different personas and underrepresented groups (24:40) - Incentivizing students to participate in your ambassador program (31:32) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - george@theambassadorplatform.com (mailto:george@theambassadorplatform.com) - The Ambassador Platform (https://www.theambassadorplatform.com/) - Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World - and Why Things Are Better Than You Think (https://www.amazon.com/Factfulness-Reasons-World-Things-Better/dp/1250123828/ref=asc_df_1250123828/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=509199198673&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5697366328035874282&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015827&hvtargid=pla-910042097476&psc=1) To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-higher-ed-marketer/id1552804442), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1u1F4gOhYuZYk2odcMkVjP?si=651cc489750e48ee), or our website (https://www.higheredmarketerpodcast.com/) or search for The Higher Edge in your favorite podcast player.  

As regenerative AI takes the marketing world by storm, enrollment marketing teams continue to look for ways to boost engagement with prospective students. David Tal (https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtal/), Co-founder and CEO of Verse.io (https://verse.io/), suggests there’s a straightforward solution to getting your school’s message to student leads — and it’s already sitting in their pocket. David talks to us about the positive results colleges and universities are seeing with automated SMS texting by bringing authentic conversations straight to prospective students’ phones. Join us as we discuss: - Automating mundane tasks for in-house teams (6:19)  - Differences between SMS automation and traditional chatbots (14:17) - Success stories from two universities using automated texting (21:36) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - david@verse.io (mailto:david@verse.io) - Verse.io (https://verse.io/) To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-higher-ed-marketer/id1552804442), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1u1F4gOhYuZYk2odcMkVjP?si=651cc489750e48ee), or our website (https://www.higheredmarketerpodcast.com/) or search for The Higher Edge in your favorite podcast player.  

Higher ed marketers often get so caught up in promotion that they take a backseat in developing the other core components of their school’s brand. But as Carrie Phillips (https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriehphillips/), Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at the University of Arkansas - Little Rock (https://ualr.edu/), pointed out, marketers have the power to be change agents for their schools. As the enrollment cliff approaches, they’re going to need all the leverage they can muster. By building relationships with other departments and personalizing mission-fit content, marketing teams can take their voices back and elevate their institution’s brand. Join us as we discuss: - 3 key marketing tactics to avoid the enrollment cliff (5:46) - Addressing student needs through intentional listening (13:01) - How higher ed marketers can be change agents (16:57) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Carrie Phillips (https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriehphillips/) - University of Arkansas - Little Rock (https://ualr.edu/) To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-higher-ed-marketer/id1552804442), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1u1F4gOhYuZYk2odcMkVjP?si=651cc489750e48ee), or our website (https://www.higheredmarketerpodcast.com/) or search for The Higher Edge in your favorite podcast player.  

Enrollment marketing teams face new challenges every day as they work tirelessly to attract prospective students. Despite those obstacles, Teresa MacGregor (https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-macgregor-b6bb7a34/), VP of Enrollment Management at Jacksonville University (https://www.ju.edu/), and her colleagues are celebrating increased first-time enrollment at their school. And it’s not just because of the campus’s beachfront view. They did it by actively engaging with their students on campus and encouraging them to share their stories with the community. Teresa shares how her school’s administration is leading from the front to elevate the student experience.    Join us as we discuss: - Encouraging campus visits through a culture of storytelling (6:54) - An individualized approach to student recruitment (18:42) - The value narrative brewing around higher education (26:25) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - tmacgre@ju.edu (mailto:tmacgre@ju.edu) - Jacksonville University (https://www.ju.edu/) To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-higher-ed-marketer/id1552804442), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1u1F4gOhYuZYk2odcMkVjP?si=651cc489750e48ee), or our website (https://www.higheredmarketerpodcast.com/) or search for The Higher Edge in your favorite podcast player.