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Your Higher Education Marketing Newsletter
26 April 2006
Celebrate spring! Here in southern Michigan, the daffodils are open, the tulips are not far behind, and the grass is greening. And best wishes for those of you who collect enrollment deposits that your numbers are growing with equal vigor as we move close to May 1.
I’m just back from the CASE Internet Marketing conference in Denver last week. No time for a strict comparison with last year’s meeting, but the titles of the record number of people attending reflect a continuing shift of resources and responsibilities toward improvement of website communication capabilities. And that is a delightful development that truly means a better web experience for people who use the sites.
With a few days without travel, I’m working this week on my June 23 “Day with an Expert” in NYC to search out the latest and best information on electronic marketing. Full details of this Carol Aslanian event are at www.aslaniangroup.com/events/default.asp. Join me there.
If engaging alumni on your website is of special interest, attend the Academic Impressions conference in Vail on June 26-27. I’ll do “Generating Alumni Loyalty: 12 Tips for Success in an Electronic World.” Visit www.academicimpressions.com/conferences/0606-alumni-engagement.php#overview for complete program details.
Do a favor for a friend. Send them to www.bobjohnsonconsulting.com for their own subscription to my newsletter. Name, email, and 10 seconds of time are all it takes.
50 Videos and 500 Blogs about Colleges
For a powerful lesson in the inability of colleges and universities to control the messages that are out and about the countryside, visit “The U: Everything you wanted to know about college but were afraid to ask” at www.theu.com and see if your college is included.
You can buy one or all of 50 DVDs about individual schools, visit one or more of 500 student blogs about 62 schools or pour over individual student reviews. The site is actively seeking more blogs and reviews, fueled by $150 weekly awards for the “most informative” review. Recent winners were from Lehigh University (PA) and Ramapo College (NJ).
College counselors at high schools are invited to send for a free sneak preview of the DVD collection. Interested in the Ivy League? Buy a DVD for $14.95. Four other similarly priced DVDs cover the Northeast, the Midwest, the South and the West.
Sneak previews of DVDs are available at the website.
MySpace.com and the MBA
How are colleges and universities using MySpace.com for Internet advertising? In next few weeks I’ll explore the answer to that question through my new MySpace membership.
In my first visit, the search box seemed a natural place to ask about “MBA” and the sponsored responses at the top of the page, many would agree, are at opposite ends of the MBA spectrum.
First was Argosy University at www.argosyu.edu/index.asp.
Second was the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern at www.kellogg.northwestern.edu.
At the end of the page were three more sponsored schools: DeVry University, Regis University, and University of Phoenix.
Rebirth of Email Marketing in 2006
That’s the message at www.marketingsherpa.com/sample.cfm?contentID=3238 from the Wrap-up Report on the 2006 Email Marketing Summit. After a few years of disarray from the avalanche of email spam, genuine email marketers have emerged with new strength to continue to benefit from the ongoing interest in email communication.
You’ll find a nice overview of what makes email effective today. Some of the “new basics” include simplicity and directness of copy, avoidance of graphics that interfere with the message in the copy, and the return of “double opt-in” steps to help build in-house email lists.
One emerging practical tip: a trend to large font size for basic text. Expect to see more email using 12 point fonts this year, reflecting the fact that text content is the most important element.
New Pew Internet Report on “The Strength of Internet Ties”
Go to www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/172/report_display.asp for this “must read” report on how the Internet and email are increasing social networking in a world of “networked individualism” that marketers have to understand to plan effective communication strategies.
You’ll find a 65-page PDF to read or print. That’s obviously too long to summarize here but perhaps the most important finding is this: “The Internet does not stand alone but as part of an overall communication system in which people use many means to communicate.” The many means include landline phones, personal contact, instant messaging and more.
60 million people used the Internet to help with a major life decision. Most common topic at 21 million people was “getting additional training for your career.” Tied for second place at 17 million people was “choosing a school for yourself or a child.”
If you have an Integrated Marketing team on your campus, members should be discussing this.
560 Colleges in 2006 National Student Engagement Survey
Are any of your competitors joining the National Survey of Student Engagement schools this year?
Visit nsse.iub.edu/html/institutions.cfm to download a list of participants. NSSE reports a record 560 schools will administer the undergraduate survey this year, up from 529 in 2005. Approximately 970,000 students are expected to respond.
Does Your President Blog?
It may not be rampant yet, but expect a continued growth in the number of college and university presidents who blog. And that, of course, is a natural attraction for audiences that include parents, donors, media, and more.
As with so many things in electronic communications, there is no pattern to the type of institution where you find presidents with a passion for connecting with people in new ways.
At Cedarville University (OH), you’ll find Bill Brown writing about the “bittersweet” ending of another academic year at www.xanga.com/billbrown.
At Michigan State University, Lou Anna K. Simon writes about the “bioeconomy” at president.msu.edu.
How long before your president blogs?
79% Increase in Google Ad Revenue
That’s the increase for first quarter this year over first quarter results a year ago reported at adage.com/article?article_id=108722 to produce $2.2 billion in ad revenue. Results for all of 2005 were $6 billion, up from $3 billion in 2004.
Read or scroll to the bottom of the article to the brief reference to a Merrill Lynch prediction that online advertising will pass magazine advertising by the end of 2006.
Reminder to Beware of Hype
Copywriter Marcia Yudkin wrote the article at www.yudkin.com/hype.htm in 2004. Her excellent admonitions deserve at least an annual review. The seven danger points include two of my favorites, “Unsupported and extreme superlatives” and “Overexcited tone.”
In this day of reality marketing, be sure that you can provide believable evidence for any claim you make in print or web copy. Give your editor the power to temper claims and make sure your agency keeps both feet on the ground.
7 Best Practices to Deliver Your Email
Direct Marketing News gives you seven tips to ensure that as many of your email as possible end up where you send them. Visit www.dmnews.com/cgi-bin/artprevbot.cgi?article_id=36329.
The warning to “Avoid ‘Spammy’ Gimmicks” that include all caps, exclamation points and more is my favorite.
Search Box or Trigger Words for the Front Page?
How important is the search engine on your website? Is Google really driving people to avoid your artful positioning of key elements and use your search box instead? Do you even have a search box that’s easy to find?
Smart people will differ. Visit www.uie.com/brainsparks/2006/04/05/home-page-googlization/ for an initial article by Jared Spool where he expresses skepticism that search will replace the value of “trigger” words on most website front pages anytime soon. Read along with reader responses and add your own if you wish.
Of course, getting the right “trigger” words is important. And the only way to do that is to research what resonates with your key audiences. And then fit those words on your front page. If you aren’t doing audience research, then you are relying on some form of conventional wisdom. That’s a scary thing and the results just might drive people to look for your search engine box.
How Important is SEO?
That’s the question asked at www.searchengineguide.com/degeyter/007360.html.
Stoney deGeyter notes that while rankings are not unimportant, too much attention has been paid to that element of a marketing campaign and not enough to conversions after a prospect visits your website. deGeyter wisely adds that the key evaluation figure here is percent of conversion, not number of conversions. If you only focus on increasing traffic to your website and not on also increasing the conversion percent from your visitors, you are abandoning marketing opportunity.
If you need ammunition to convince anyone on your campus that creating special landing pages in indeed a wise investment of time and money, have them read this article.
New Web Seminars to Remove Campus Obstacles
It was clear from the comments of people in the TargetX seminar in Las Vegas. A major obstacle to improving the quality of electronic communications on many campuses is the simple fact that older administrators (read: many people over 30 years of age) don’t understand RSS and IM and podcasts. And they are just a little afraid of blogs and what people might say in them.
If you know people like that who are willing to invest a little time to learn what’s happening and why, have them review the four seminars at www.targetx.com/webinar/ on blogs and diaries, IM, podcasts, and RSS. It just might smooth your forward road to a stronger electronic communication program.
eduWeb Conference Set for Baltimore
If you’re looking for a concentrated program on website development, check the program events at www.eduwebconference.com/schedule/schedule.htm for the 2006 eduWeb conference in Baltimore. First day is July 31.
My Upcoming Presentations in 2006
Plan now to attend an upcoming event. Share questions and answers with people like yourself who are building a competitive edge in higher education marketing. Hope to meet you soon!
June 14-15, Kerhonksen, NY: SUNY CUAD, “Getting and Keeping Alumni Loyalty: 11 Tips for Success in an Electronic World” and “Writing for the Web.”
June 21-23, New York City: Aslanian Group, Day with an Expert Series: “Guide to Success in the Interactive World.” Details of the Day as well as days with Carol Aslanian and Patti Georgevitch are at www.aslaniangroup.com/events/default.asp.
June 27, Vail, CO: Academic Impressions Alumni Engagement, Enriching Your Online Presence: “Generating Alumni Loyalty: 12 Tips to Engage Alumni in an Electronic World.” Program and registration details are at www.academicimpressions.com/conferences/0606-alumni-engagement.php.
July 14, Washington, D.C.: Law School Admissions Council, workshop on recruiting and communicating with Millennials.
July 19-21, Chicago, IL: ACT Enrollment Planners Conference. Session details will come along later. Early information is at www.act.org/epc.
New On-Campus Presentation
May 17, Austin, TX: St. Edward’s University, Writing for the Web
Start a marketing buzz on your campus. Select from the topics here or ask about creating a seminar especially for you. Write to me at bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.com.
That’s All for Now
Be a marketing champion on your campus.
Bob Johnson, Ph.D. (bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.com)
President and Senior Consultant
Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC
Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC
We stand outside your forest, review your marketing plans and communication materials, and recommend strategies to enhance your competitive strength. We specialize in short term, cost effective consulting assignments that jump start key ventures on your campus and identify barriers that might slow your progress.
We work directly with colleges and universities and together with the marketing experts at these partner firms:
Aslanian Group offers market research and enrollment management services to colleges and universities to increase their market share of adult students. Learn more at www.aslaniangroup.com.
Creative Communication Associates is a 22-year leader in the design and implementation of marketing communication strategies for colleges and universities. Learn more about CCA at www.ccanewyork.com.
mStoner helps colleges and universities with Internet strategies and website development to meet changing audience expectations, technologies, market pressures, and institutional positioning. For the details, visit www.mstoner.com.
TargetX brings the power of the Internet to recruit students and communicate with alumni through higher education’s only integrated suite of online tools. Explore what’s possible at www.targetx.com.
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