(Newswire.net — March 4, 2021) — We have a technology-oriented generation of students who do research on schools online before making a physical visit.
They use various digital platforms to determine the ideal courses to take and the universities to enroll in. They depend on social media and websites to familiarize themselves with learning institutions, and user-generated content is their preferred source.
It is a unique marketing tool that allows people to talk for you and create trust around your brand. It has become beneficial to schools, and they are increasingly leveraging it to market themselves, enhance engagement, and educate prospects.
Here is how you can leverage user-generated content on social media for increased enrollment.
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Use Hashtags
Hashtags are a good source of user-generated content. If your institution has a hashtag, type on social platforms like Twitter and Instagram to see if it is linked to any third-party posts. Repost them if the content shows you in a positive light.
This way, your institution will benefit in lead generation, brand awareness, and enhanced credibility. If your current student says they are happy with your school on Facebook, a potential student looking for a similar experience will be confident about enrolling for the same program.
If you don’t have hashtags, consider starting a campaign. The strategy has worked for authority brands like Starbucks as the campaigns have been among the most successful in creating a buzz around their products.
Today the #unicornfrappucino hashtag is connected to over 150 000 images on Instagram, and you can imagine how many sales Starbucks made from it. The hashtags allow the brand to share the experiences of their customers with regard to their products.
Start by asking students and alumni to share any form of content they have to create excitement about your school.
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Include Reviews
Not all platforms have a review section, but some like Facebook do. Before users consider purchasing a product or service, they will visit the review section for feedback from other customers. When a student is looking to pay for essay writing by EssayService for the first time, they will look at other students’ feedback before hiring them.
In the same way, prospective students will want to know the experience of others with your institution. Leveraging feedback and reviews can boost enrollment in the institution. Facebook review and rating systems allow users to leave feedback on your school page.
If the users make a public recommendation, it is factored in your page’s rating and, as a result, builds trust around your brand.
Learners will go to Facebook to look for school pages and groups, and they will trust what they see on the platform. Therefore, reviews on your socials can increase your enrollment rates.
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Engage Your Audience
Allowing students and alumni to participate on your platforms will help generate traffic. Include options that enable prospects to ask any questions related to your school. Also, encourage your current students and staff to respond to them.
Visitors want to hear from third parties in order to get unbiased feedback. For instance, if a prospective student asks about the registration process, a student that has been through it can answer to explain the steps.
If you run online coursework, prospects may ask how many hours of lectures you have every day. Another student can answer, highlighting that you also have flexible hours, and it is an option they can consider.
Ask your professors to help answer some of the questions, and the prospects might decide to register due to the support from the institution’s community.
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Tell a Story
Storytelling on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms is a great way to engage prospects and familiarize them with your school’s values. Telling a unique story about your college or university is a powerful way to motivate interaction.
Connecting with your prospects is an effective strategy to convert them. Through this, you can foster emotional attachment to your brand, action, and memory. Brands like Nike have leveraged storytelling to share their value of diversity and inclusion.
Facebook is ideal for storytelling as it does not have word count limits. You can use photos from alumni and even existing scholars. You can include their testimonials in the stories to showcase their experience with your institution.
That way, prospects considering enrolling in a program in your institution will share the experience of others and want to build their own in your school. The stories will help them see that you have what they are looking for, and they will be compelled to sign up.
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Use Your Students’ Fotos
You can celebrate your students on their graduation days when they win scholarships or achieve any milestones on your pages. This can be done by sharing their images and other relevant material, be it videos, audio, and even text.
Ask for their consent before posting, and use them to pique other prospects’ interests that share their goals and aspirations.
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Use Instagram Polls
Instagram polls are an effective way to create user-generated content. Create polls on Instagram by clicking on the poll sticker on the Instagram Story page. Ask engaging and exciting questions and share the results with your audience.
You can use the polls to learn more about your prospects and how best to pitch to them. It also gives them an opportunity to learn about your school.
Instagram polls can be used to draw attention to a new program or club and motivate enrollment. Through the polls, you can prompt prospects to go to your website and learn more about your institution. This will bring them a step closer to applying.
Conclusion
User-generated content does not only make learners feel that the institution values them, but it also gives you content for marketing your school. Using this content on social media provides exposure for the institution and creates an engaging experience for the existing students and alumni.
By reposting students’ images, texts, or videos through hashtags, you can increase your social media reach on Twitter and Instagram platforms. You can build awareness and trust about your school brand. Prospects are more likely to enroll if they trust you and hear the success stories of others who have studied in your institution.