It’s no secret that the market for prospective students is more competitive than ever. There are so many different factors affecting college enrollment today — nontraditional students seeking flexible programs to study part-time while working full-time, an increase in diverse student populations leading to unique needs like additional financial aid, or a recent drop in international student applications to name a few.
Despite the shrinking pool of prospects, student influence on campuswide initiatives continues to grow. This makes sense though, right? Considering the fact that without students, there would be no need for college campuses or higher education as a whole — we should always be putting students first. Students are the foundation of an institution’s underlying success, and with increased competition to attract and retain them, it’s time to shift our perspective and refocus our strategies to create a seamless student experience.
For more on creating a seamless student experience with technology, check out our eBook on Redesigning the Student Experience.
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Instead of simply meeting students where they are, the institutions that create their digital experience in anticipation of where students will be are at an absolute advantage. We all know that Millennials and Gen Z are addicted to their smartphones, so it’s essential for institutions to employ digital marketing tactics and optimize their website for mobile to cater to these student populations. But, how do we take this a step further?
For starters, consider the way your digital efforts are positioned and fine tune strategies from there. Most people sleep with their phones right next to their bed — it’s the last thing they look at before falling asleep and the first thing they look at when they wake up. Take advantage of this! Make sure you are scheduling personalized email campaigns first thing in the morning to targeted prospects for higher visibility.
We’ve created the infographic below to highlight more tips and tricks for leveraging mobile-first strategies to create a seamless student experience. Learn why being mobile-first, and not just mobile-friendly, really matters in recruiting and retaining today’s students.
