One of the most highly competitive environments in the world is in higher education services. This is not just true in the classroom but also in the business world.
Reputation and perceived quality are the biggest influences on educational decisions and loyalty.
Keep reading to learn how you can best brand your higher education services with a blog.
What’s the Point? To Be Relevant
You have a website and social media presence so why do you need a blog? A blog accomplishes things your other resources can’t.
A blog promoting your higher education services can drive traffic to your site. It also enables you to share new, unique information with visitors. It gives people a reason to keep coming back.
It’s also essential for search engine optimization. More pages for search engines to rate means more opportunities to rank higher in results.
The more focused energy you put into a blog, the better your brand reach and reputation.
The more relevant information you share, the more helpful you are to the sector and all who are interested in it.
It also means that search engines rank you higher in results. The more relevant information you share the more relevant you are. This is true to search engines and people.
A well-planned blog is one of the strongest marketing tools available. It is vital for your higher education services to reach their potential.
So What’s the Plan for Your Higher Education Services Blog?
There are millions of blogs out there. Thousands of them are from higher education institutions.
So how do you create a plan that will work for you?
A discussion on branding for higher education found key factors in successful online branding. They can be adapted for any educational institution.
Promote the mission, values, and quality of the educational experience
Let them know what you have to offer for courses and research development. They want to know what opportunities for involvement are available.
Share the values of your institution and the wisdom you can share. Tell them why they should put their faith in you to educate them.
Give them current, unique and relevant information. They don’t want to read an entire blog of sales pitches. They want to be entertained and informed.
Share Wisdom They Relate To
Potential students want to know you’re worth it. They need to be wooed into trusting you with their future. One of the best ways to do this is with alumni, present students, and success stories.
Online consumer reviews are the second most trusted source. Only behind word of mouth recommendations from friends and family. Guest posts and recommendations from students can be a powerful tool.
The education they receive is crucial but so is the overall experience they’ll have. Testimonials from those who’ve been there sway more students than any course brochure.
Enthusiasm in reviews can reach potential students on levels other marketing strategies can’t.
Connect With Everyone
It’s not enough to explain what you have to offer in general. You need to speak to the masses but reach the individual.
Parents are a major emotional and financial influence on higher education decisions. You have to reach out to them and meet their needs.
International students and those with other unique concerns must feel included as well.
Your content should connect with everyone be designed in a way that it meets the needs of each one.
This can be accomplished by hosting relevant guest posts or providing useful educational tools like a weighted GPA calculator.
Content can be focused on topics and searchable so that everyone can find what they need.
Harness the Power of Social Media
The power of social media to engage and attract customers is underestimated and it’s a shame. Millions of potential visitors don’t realize you exist. You’re not on their social media radar.
58.6% of American consumers interact with brands on social media at least once a day. You can be one of those brands. You just have to give them something to talk about.
Not Content with Fluff
Consumers don’t want you to waste their time. They want to feel like they got something out of the time they invested in you. Whether its years for their education or an hour reading your blog they want to be wiser when they leave.
They want to be informed and entertained by your blog. It can’t all be general information. They can get anywhere because they will find it someplace else. You need to give them what they want and leave them wanting to come back for more.
It’s important that you do your research so when they are doing theirs, you are the one they come to for answers.
You need to know what people are looking for and how they are doing it. Then you build your blog to meet those criteria. Search engine optimization, data-driven content, and a great marketing strategy for your blog can make you the go-to site. You will become known around the globe for higher education services.
Engage, Imagine and Think
You want visitors to engage and imagine a long-term relationship with your institution. You want them to think about your higher education services and to talk about you.
A higher education blog is an excellent way to do that. You can create content that persuades visitors to engage, imagine and think. Dynamic videos, heartfelt testimonials, and intriguing information will build your brand. You want to be on the tip of their tongue and top of the mind.
Your blog is the greatest tool for the future you want for your higher education services. It can help your students find the future they want too. The right blog can make all the difference. It can be the catalyst for the success of your brand, your potential students, and your future.
Check out our blog for more tips on making your blog work for you!
