This article was featured in the May issue of mStoner’s e-newsletter, Intelligence. Don’t miss the June issue, sign up now!
Want to increase engagement among newly enrolled students during the days of summer? You can drive traffic to your website and social media channels with the right content. Here are four ideas to remind your incoming class why they belong at your institution:
1. Talk dorm decor. If you’re not allocating some content space to dorm decor you’re missing out on a large block of summer visitors. The May-to-August appetite for this topic is insatiable, there are entire blogs, retail stores, and Pinterest boards dedicated to decorating your dorm room. This is the perfect topic for student bloggers and summer tour guides. Interview, photograph, and video tour the coolest rooms. Look at Vanderbilt’s “A-Dore-able Dorms” board for content ideas. Syracuse University also has a compelling “Dorm Sweet Dorm” board.
2. Think like Buzzfeed. The top 10 places to study on campus. The five most romantic spots around town. The 25 things every student must do before they graduate. You know you’re a college student when … . Teens like easy-to-share and digestible content, and lists hit the mark. Tips of ensuring your lists are successful: include high-quality images, share on social media with a well-crafted cover photo, embed links to other content and helpful resources, and keep the writing light-hearted. See the University of Colorado’s Top Ten Things to Do Before You Graduate and Macalester’s 102 Things to Do Before you Graduate.
3. Pump up move-in. For a college student, move-in day is a rite of passage that rivals prom and remains in the mind like one’s first kiss. Consider a rollout of move-in tips, an announcement on orientation plans/activities, roommate profiles, and more. Check out this great move-in guide microsite at Indiana University – Bloomington. Dickinson College’s site has a comprehensive orientation section that teases all things move-in.
4. Tell alumni stories. The piece of content that everyone talks about — but few actually produce — is the outcome story. Students tell us that they want to see and hear about what happens after they attend your institution. Your new batch of enrolled students are looking for this content! In the lull of summer you can give these pieces the time they deserve. Consider creating videos or infographics to help tell the stories. The College of Wooster, for example, has a bank of alumni stories, organized by professional field. The College of Creative Studies in Detroit has a video-rich section feature alumni outcome stories. Bonus: Admissions can also leverage these stories on blogs and social media, connecting outcomes with prospective students.