Best Practices for Marketing in Higher Education

Higher education remains a crucial decision in a lifetime, not only for young adults graduating high school, but also for those looking to continue, restart, or begin their higher education journey later in life. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, there are currently 18 million students enrolled in degree-granting colleges and universities in the U.S.

The possibilities within higher ed are exciting, but they are also an investment. It’s an important decision for the students to ensure they are making the right decision for their future selves, and the school to have a solid curriculum and the student body to support continued improvements to its programs.

Marketing within higher education often looks different than in a traditional business, and the audiences drastically differ, as they see audiences not as consumers but as prospects. Think about it like this:


  1. Prospective students: It’s all in the name. These folks are truly the start of the higher education journey, with the university or college showing all the facets of what an experience at their organization is like. There’s a reason that many universities and colleges have separate recruitment departments for the university alone.
  2. Current students: Transfer rates are increasing. 13.2% of all continuing and recurring undergraduate students are transfers, up over 5% from 2022 (NSCRC). It’s essential to keep a higher education institution’s current student body engaged.
  3. Alumni: Think about the universities and colleges in your community or the U.S. with high alumni involvement. They are also the ones that have a great public brand, good academics, solid campus life, and generally good or even renowned sports programs. Marketing in higher ed can help drive this and create generations of loyal alumni your institution can depend on.
  4. Professors: The backbone of your university or college is your curriculum, and who better to bolster and boost that part of your brand than the folks who are shaping the minds of the students in your institution? Professors are just as important in shaping marketing messaging for recruitment, retention, and success in your programs.

    Higher education organizations develop and build relationships for all audiences, meaning multiple campaigns are usually essential. Here are a few steps to remember when creating campaigns in higher ed.

Know your brand

Do you know what your organization’s brand is? Your mission, benefits, and value and how that is useful for the audience you are trying to reach? Consistent communication of these to all audiences you are trying to reach will be the foundation behind branching out into further campaign development.


Go where they are

We’ve talked about types of audiences, but it’s also necessary to know where those audiences are and how to speak to them. A few examples include:

Prospective students: Does your undergraduate audience consist of many high school graduates? It’s probably best to ensure your social media marketing is up to par with short videos on TikTok and Instagram.

Alumni: Graduates of your university or college are also likely on social media but can vary with age and other demographics. A robust email marketing strategy is also recommended to ensure solid touchpoints for your audience.

Current students: On-site marketing, social media, and email marketing all offer ways to keep this audience engaged and in tune with your organization. This audience is also a great one to get involved in your marketing campaigns to increase peer communication and develop the human element of your educational experience.


Create content that matters to your audience

Audiences want value out of the content they are interacting with, so it’s crucial your campaign content is geared toward your audience’s interests, needs, and cares.

From a simple video to create laughs, to a guide that helps prospective students understand everything they need to have ready before applying to a university or college, the audience will want something from your campaign. Be ready to offer it to them in a way that makes them want to keep coming back again and again to your organization via multiple channels.

Higher education offers many people a way to expand their horizons, grow their network and knowledge, and create lasting memories. For universities and colleges looking to be part of those moments, your brand and marketing tactics must find the right people in the right place.