The Future of Digital Advertising in Higher Education: Best Practices and Emerging Trends

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, higher education institutions face a complex challenge: effectively reaching prospective students across diverse platforms. The latest episode of the Lesson Learned virtual discussion series delves into digital advertising best practices that go beyond traditional metrics to maximize engagement and conversions. 

Keep reading as Eduvantis digital marketing experts Bahtyah Williams and Rich Funk explore actionable strategies that align with current trends and future-proof your campaigns.

Re-evaluating Metrics: Beyond the Click

Bahtyah Williams, Eduvantis’ Paid Media Strategist, emphasizes the importance of moving beyond basic click metrics to gauge the true value of ads. Platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest offer rich engagement features that, when analyzed correctly, provide valuable insights.

“Engagement actions on social media channels should be a core focus, as they reinforce the effectiveness of ads even if they don’t directly lead to conversions,” Bahtyah advises. “It’s not always about the immediate conversion; it’s about creating meaningful interactions that can lead to long-term loyalty and engagement.”

Williams highlights the importance of looking at deeper metrics like shares, comments, and time spent on content. These actions indicate genuine interest and provide a clearer picture of an ad’s impact — beyond just clicks.

Tailoring Content for Different Audiences

One-size-fits-all messaging is a common pitfall in higher education marketing. Williams stresses the importance of tailoring content to different student segments, ensuring landing page experiences are aligned with ad messaging. 

“Unsurprisingly, we find that tailored messaging resonates better with specific audiences, especially when addressing complex factors like parent influence and the need for personalized follow-up with leads,” she notes. “For instance, undergraduate prospects might be more interested in campus life and student experiences, while graduate students often focus on career outcomes and program-specific details.”

Customizing experiences requires understanding the unique needs of undergraduate, graduate, and even parent audiences. For example, messaging for parents should emphasize safety, program reputation, and career success, as they often play a significant role in the decision-making process.

Ultimately, leverage consistent, audience-specific messaging and then A|B testing that messaging over time leads to the best results. Williams emphasizes the need to allow time for testing messages without being quick to change strategies.

“In message testing, not having a clear winner can also be informative. It highlights areas needing more focus and refinement,” she explains. “Often, it’s not about finding a ‘winner’, but about understanding what resonates and iterating upon it for better engagement.”

Consistency should be maintained in tone and benefit highlighting, tailored to different audience segments. “The tone for prospective undergraduate students can be more engaging and dynamic, whereas for graduate students, a more professional and outcome-focused tone might be appropriate,” Williams advises.

The Decision-Making Funnel: Utilizing Different Channels

Funk also highlights the importance of aligning channel selection with the funnel stage. From awareness-building events to driving applications or enrollments, each stage requires targeted approaches.

“Event marketing — campus visits, info sessions, etc. — can be a powerful tool across different stages of the funnel. It’s about engaging prospective students where they are and moving them closer to conversion,” Funk elaborates. “Think about it in terms of touchpoints. Awareness-building events can grab attention, while specific webinars or Q&A sessions can address direct concerns and push towards a final decision.”

For effective event marketing, Funk suggests tracking event registrations, participant engagement, and post-event follow-ups. “Setting clear KPIs for each event and continuously optimizing based on those insights will help you measure and enhance the impact of your event marketing strategy,” he recommends.

Challenges of Awareness Channels: Measuring Success

One of the key challenges discussed is measuring the success of awareness channels like Pinterest, Spotify, and TikTok. Here, direct conversions and click-through rates can be elusive, making it difficult to quantify success.

“Although it involves a level of guesswork, tracking impressions, views, and potential impacts on search behavior on other platforms can provide some insights,” Funk acknowledges. “For instance, a spike in branded search terms following a TikTok campaign can be an indicator of awareness and interest generated.”

While there may be uncertainty, it is still essential to monitor these metrics to understand their broader impact on your brand. “It’s about constructing a narrative from the data—understanding how these awareness actions on platforms like TikTok can indirectly influence decisions when students search or visit your website later,” Funk explains.

The Role of Smart Budget Allocation and Measurement

Rich Funk, Eduvantis’ Director of Digital Media, provides a deep dive into the importance of effective remarketing and smart budget allocation. “Remarketing to website visitors who didn’t convert brings them back into the funnel. It’s essential to follow up with prospects in this way, pushing them towards the next step in their decision-making process,” he explains.

Funk underscores the need to consider program-specific factors, market demand, and competition when allocating funds, while also budgeting across platforms properly. “It’s about understanding where your high-intent audiences are and making sure you’re investing in the platforms and ad types that will drive them down the funnel,” Funk emphasizes.

Measurement strategies, like the implementation of UTM codes to track different campaigns and see which sources are driving the best results, are crucial.

Funk advises, “Segment your budget wisely—don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Diversify across platforms and allocate more funds towards programs with higher market demand and competition. Then, watch how those platforms perform down funnel, and refine accordingly.”

Embracing New Platforms and Competitive Dynamics

Ignoring emerging platforms, like TikTok, can be a missed opportunity. Both Williams and Funk agree that evolving user behavior must be acknowledged, and campaigns adapted accordingly.

Williams explains, “The interests of your audience will change as new platforms like TikTok gain popularity. Being early adopters can provide a competitive edge and allow you to build a presence before the space becomes overly saturated.”

However, Eduvantis advises a cautious approach when evaluating new channels. Before going all in, run a focused test and evaluate the results. Did the channel generate leads? Did those leads perform down funnel? 

Don’t just jump on a channel trend: develop a strategy, execute, and then measure the results.

Forward-Thinking for Digital Advertising Success

As the digital advertising landscape continues to evolve, these insights provide a roadmap for higher education institutions. From integrating engagement actions and tailoring content to smart budget allocation and embracing new platforms, these strategies ensure institutions remain agile and ahead of the curve.

Funk concludes, “The essence of effective digital marketing in higher education lies in continuous adaptation. Keep testing, learning, and optimizing to navigate the dynamic environment successfully.”

To explore these insights in greater detail, watch the latest episode of the Eduvantis Lessons Learned Virtual Discussion.