Walk through any college campus and you’ll see hundreds of students walking to and from class with a smartphone in their hand. Mobile phones are the hub of communication, and for the younger generations, the idea of being without their smartphone for any length of time feels impossible. Not only are mobile phones used for connecting with people, but also research, checking the weather, following up on sports, looking up grades and so forth.
Considering that your audience is constantly on their smartphones, you don’t have to look far to find them. But, are you using the right channels to connect with students? With today’s young people increasingly engaged on mobile devices, you need to make sure that your institution is reaching prospective students on the right channels.
According to a recent study by Global Social Media Impact, younger people (ages 16-18) are slowly leaving Facebook and turning to simpler services like Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. They prefer the simple, intuitive and visually attractive formats that fare well on mobile devices. However, the younger generation isn’t completely abandoning Facebook. It’s still the largest social media platform out there, and these potential students can be remarketed to on the social networks after they leave your website–this is a strategy to cut down on the disconnect between institutions and students.
Beyond social media, there’s also a disconnect between how colleges are communicating with their students. You may be used to reading and sending emails, but more young people are moving away from traditional email because they find it tedious to check on mobile phones. Email marketing does have a place, but only if your emails are optimized for mobile devices, providing a better user experience for the the potential student.
To boost enrollment, a comprehensive mobile strategy is the best approach. Is your website optimized for mobile? What about your advertising strategy – where are you paying for your ads to be seen? Don’t forget the more popular social channels like Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and WhatsApp. By using these channels, you can stay connected to new and existing students and build onto your social presence.
Although it can seem difficult at times, reaching students, creating engagement and boosting enrollment is possible when you use the right mobile strategy.
