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Digital marketing has completely changed the game when it comes to university marketing and recruitment campaigns.

Firstly, digital tools allow marketing departments to go green and cut costs by decreasing the amount of printed material needed. Digital recruitment strategies also have a further reach with the ability to target specific locations. These campaigns are carefully targeted so they won’t fall on deaf ears.

Here are five ways to build your digital marketing strategy and drive your international recruitment rates.

Start with A Solid Foundation

Building a strong digital strategy starts with building a strong website. This is true for any industry. Focus on usability. This may mean upgrading your website so that it’s compatible across all types of laptops and mobile devices.

Appearance and usability aren’t the only considerations. Make sure the content on your website is informative and useful. Anticipate common questions and have a detailed FAQ page to provide additional information.

If your focus is to recruit international students, it may be worthwhile to have a multi-language site to ensure that important information isn’t lost in translation. This is especially important if you offer ESL courses, as prospective students will be at different levels of English comprehension.

Use Targeted PPC Campaigns

When it comes to recruiting students internationally, AdWords is crucial for targeting prospects. With geo-targeted ads you can reach prospective students based on country, region, or city.

PPC offers a plethora of real time-data, and there are endless options when it comes to testing your campaign. With AdWords you can gain insight into what people are actually typing into the search bar, then create campaigns and ads based on real language to increase the effectiveness of your efforts.

Use Technology Creatively

In November of 2014, Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC conceived a campaign using Google Glass and a GoPro to create virtual campus experiences for prospective students. Current students acted as tour guides, wearing the Glass and a baseball hat outfitted with a GoPro, so that prospective students could attend lectures, walk around campus and engage in a Q&A session all in real-time.

As Royal Roads demonstrated, there really is no limit when it comes to marketing with technology. Using technology creatively can set your school apart, not to mention garnering a ton of buzz on social networking sites.

Integrate Social Media

Use your social channels as more than just an information stream. As we can see through the Royal Roads virtual tour, creating a unique digital experience is one of the best ways to get people talking on social media.

While social media attention may not directly account for the majority of overall recruitment rates, it can have a very far reach and get your school noticed by students around the world.

Measure, Measure, Measure… Then Measure Some More

Measuring your analytics data is the best way to strengthen your campaigns. You need to be vigilant about collecting your data and analyzing it. Installing an analytics dashboard isn’t enough.

The first step is to define the objective of your campaign and identify goals or targets you want to meet. Indicate the key performance indicators, or in other words, the numbers you’ll focus on. Then identify your market segments, which in this case could be determined based on country.

With clear goals and a focused campaign you will more likely know where to look when you are evaluating your campaigns.

To get help with crafting your digital marketing strategy feel free to reach out to us, we’ll be happy to collaborate and make your lead generation a huge success.