Inbound Marketing for Colleges: Why it’s so Important

Inbound marketing is one of the most important aspects of any business, and colleges are no exception. By using inbound marketing techniques, colleges can attract new students and increase their enrollment numbers. 

But how do you incorporate inbound marketing into your campaigns? In this blog post, we will break down the inbound marketing methodology and buyer's journey. Understanding these concepts will help you use the inbound methodology in the enrollment journey.

What is Inbound Marketing for Colleges?  

The Inbound Marketing Methodology is a set of best practices designed to attract, engage, and delight prospective students through intelligent digital content. It helps you build lasting relationships with your audience by providing valuable content that educates them about their needs and helps them solve their problems. Unlike outbound marketing methods like cold calling or direct mail, inbound marketing attracts customers through interesting and valuable content. 

The inbound marketing methodology can be broken down into three stages: attracting students, engaging students, and delighting students. Each stage has its own set of tactics that colleges can use to reach their target audience. Here's how: 

1) Attract 

Attracting is the first step in any inbound marketing campaign, and colleges need to be creative when doing so. You need to create valuable content that establishes you as an authority and, at the same time, catches the attention of students and makes them want to learn more. You can have content answering queries such as "what are the highest-paying careers in my region?"

To attract or draw students, you also need to ensure that your content is easily accessible. This means publishing your content on channels where your target audience hangs out online, such as social media platforms or forums. You should also confirm your website is optimized so it shows up in search engine results pages (SERPs) when students search for educational content related to what you offer.  

2) Engage 

After you attract a student, the next step is to engage them. You can do this by providing more content that addresses why they might be interested in your school and what makes it stand out from competitors. Ideal channels to use in this stage include email marketing and social media.  

You should also provide other methods of engagement, such as phone numbers or email, where students can contact you directly with questions about their application process. The main aim of this stage is to nurture your leads and build lasting relationships by providing insights and solutions to their problems.  

3) Delight 

After engaging the students and building a relationship with them, it is time to delight your leads. This means providing an outstanding experience that goes beyond their expectations. Aim to provide extra value by offering students other services, such as helping in their application process or providing career advice. These engagements will make your school stand out from competitors, making it easier for potential students to choose your school. 

Another great way to delight your new students is by providing them with continued value even after enrollment. You can do this by providing fresh educational content on your blog, social media channels, or through email. This will help students stay engaged with the school and increase their satisfaction level, which leads to higher retention rates for returning students. 

- 5 INBOUND MARKETING MISTAKES TO AVOID IN SCHOOL WEBSITE DESIGN - 

The Buyer's Journey 

Now that we understand the inbound marketing methodology, let's take a look at the buyer's journey. The buyer's journey is a process that potential customers go through when they're considering a purchase. It has three stages: awareness stage, consideration stage, and decision stage.  

1) Awareness Stage 

In this stage, the customer is just starting to become aware of their need to join a college that offers specific courses. Yet, they might not know that your school exists. Focus on providing content that is helpful and informative without being too “salesy.” 

So how do you ensure they become aware of your school? You create content that will make them discover your school. Use social media (72% of the public use some form of social media), blog posts (this is an asset that's crawlable by search engines and discoverable by users), use white papers, educational webinars, how-to-videos, and landing pages. 

2) Consideration Stage 

In this stage, the customer has identified their need and is researching options. They have identified they want to attend a school but have not decided on which school to attend. They might be reading articles, watching videos, or even talking to friends and family about their choices. 

This is where you need to provide content that helps them compare your school against others. Aim to provide content that not only shows your expertise but also showcases your school's unique selling points. This can be done by creating blog posts, articles, infographics, or videos that answer common questions about your school.  

At this point, you should also start using email marketing and targeted ads. Remember to provide easy access for students to contact your school directly with questions about their application process.  

3) Decision Stage 

The customer has now decided on your school as their preferred choice for the courses they desire. At this stage, it's important to continue providing valuable content that will help them make the final decision. 

You could create content that describes your financial aid programs or student support services in detail. This could be case studies, testimonials, or even pricing information. 

Key Takeaway 

Inbound marketing is a great way to attract students and build lasting relationships. It's a more effective and less intrusive alternative to outbound methods, like cold calling or direct mail. By using inbound marketing strategies, you can ensure that potential students are aware of your school, engaged with your content, and delighted with your services.  

If you would like to learn more about inbound marketing for your college or university, think Sonority Group. We can assist you with all your higher education marketing efforts. Let's chat today.  

FAQ Recap:

What is inbound marketing, and why is it important for colleges?

Inbound marketing is a strategy focused on attracting, engaging, and delighting prospective students through valuable and relevant content. It helps colleges build relationships with their audience, differentiate themselves from competitors, and increase enrollment numbers in a less intrusive manner than traditional outbound methods.

How can colleges incorporate inbound marketing into their recruitment efforts?

Colleges can incorporate inbound marketing by following the methodology of attracting, engaging, and delighting prospective students. This involves creating valuable content, optimizing it for search engines and social media, nurturing leads through email marketing, and providing exceptional experiences throughout the enrollment journey.

What are the stages of the inbound marketing methodology for colleges?

The stages of the inbound marketing methodology for colleges include attracting students, engaging students, and delighting students.

• Attraction involves creating valuable content to catch the attention of prospective students.

• Engagement involves nurturing leads with relevant information and channels like email and social media.

• Delight involves providing outstanding experiences to exceed expectations and build lasting relationships.

How can colleges use the buyer's journey to guide their inbound marketing strategies?

The buyer's journey consists of the awareness stage, consideration stage, and decision stage. Colleges can use this framework to tailor their content and interactions with prospective students at each stage. This involves providing helpful and informative content in the awareness stage, showcasing unique selling points and comparisons in the consideration stage, and providing detailed information and support in the decision stage.

What are some common mistakes to avoid in inbound marketing for colleges?

Common mistakes to avoid in inbound marketing for colleges include being too salesy in content, neglecting social media and blog posts as valuable assets, failing to provide easy contact options for prospective students, overlooking the importance of email marketing and targeted ads, and not continuing to provide value after enrollment.

How can Sonority Group assist colleges with their inbound marketing efforts?

Sonority Group specializes in higher education marketing and offers expertise in implementing effective inbound marketing strategies for colleges and universities. From content creation and optimization to email marketing and analytics, Sonority Group can help colleges attract, engage, and delight prospective students throughout the enrollment journey.

What are some key takeaways from using inbound marketing for colleges?

Inbound marketing is a powerful tool for colleges to attract students, differentiate themselves, and build lasting relationships with prospective students. It offers a more effective and less intrusive alternative to traditional outbound methods and can help colleges increase enrollment and satisfaction rates. Partnering with experienced professionals like Sonority Group can further enhance the effectiveness of inbound marketing efforts.