Higher Ed Marketing Insider

Strategic Partnerships, Influencers, and Student Success - Trends in Higher Education Marketing

• Will Scott

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đź“Ś Episode Description:
In this episode, we explore the fast-evolving landscape of higher education marketing. Discover how top institutions are staying competitive through strategic partnerships—like Carnegie’s collaboration with Foundation Marketing—and the increasing impact of student influencer programs.

We also unpack the challenges of rising tuition and the importance of flexible payment options, along with the decreasing international student interest in the U.S. market. Learn why microcredentials and modular learning are gaining traction and how values-based leadership is shaping both internal culture and outward messaging.

Finally, we examine how technology, including CRM systems, supports student success and retention, with a broader redefinition of what “student success” really means in today’s digital-first academic environment.

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction to Higher Education Marketing
00:31 – Strategic Partnerships in Higher Ed
01:43 – Leveraging Student Influencers
04:19 – Addressing Rising Tuition Costs
05:39 – Decline in International Student Interest
08:01 – Values-Based Influence in Higher Ed
09:08 – The Rise of Microcredentials
10:23 – Enhancing Recruitment and Onboarding
12:12 – Out-of-Home Advertising Strategies
13:30 – Defining and Supporting Student Success
15:46 – Key Takeaways for Higher Ed Marketers

đź’ˇ Keywords:
Higher education marketing, student influencers, strategic partnerships, microcredentials, tuition strategies, international students, CRM in higher ed, student success, values-based marketing, modular learning.

Learn more about the Higher Education Marketing Institute:

  • Website: https://highereducationmarketinginstitute.com/
  • X: https://x.com/HEMInstitute
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/higher-education-marketing-institute/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HigherEducationMarketing
Jill:

Welcome everyone. Today we're taking a look at the, uh, really dynamic world of higher education marketing. It's definitely a competitive space out there.

Jack:

It really is. And staying ahead, well, it means understanding what's working now, what the trends are telling us.

Jill:

So we've gathered quite a bit of material press releases, blogs, some reports to try and pull out the key insights for you.

Jack:

Exactly. The goal is to find those actionable ideas. Those, you know, aha. Moments that can really help shape marketing and enrollment strategies going forward.

Jill:

Okay, great. Let's start with strategic partnerships. There was some news about Carnegie and foundation marketing teaming up. What's the story there?

Jack:

Yeah. This one's interesting. Carnegie obviously a big name in connecting students and colleges. They've partnered with Foundation Marketing

Jill:

and Foundation marketing. They're known for content, right?

Jack:

Precisely. But it's a specific kind.

Jill:

Mm-hmm.

Jack:

Very research, heavy content marketing. They handle the creation. Sure. Also distribution, optimization, the whole life cycle.

Jill:

Hmm. So it's a deep dive into content effectiveness.

Jack:

Right. And it really highlights how crucial sophisticated content is becoming. It's not just about having something out there, especially, you know, with generative AI search, changing how students find information.

Jill:

That's a really good point. Just having a website isn't enough anymore. Your content needs to actually answer questions to surface in those AI results.

Jack:

Absolutely. The idea for institutions partnering like this is, well first, better visibility in search, more organic traffic, obviously,

Jill:

which leads to more engagement,

Jack:

hopefully. Yes, more engagement with the right audience, and ultimately a better return on that marketing spend.

Jill:

Gary Collin from Carnegie mentioned that too, didn't he? Calling their approach cutting edge for higher ed.

Jack:

He did, he specifically highlighted the bd.

Jill:

Okay. Moving from partnerships to, uh, maybe leveraging internal resources, student influencer marketing, that feels like something with a lot of potential.

Jack:

Oh, definitely. It's maybe an overlooked powerhouse for enrollment. We know application volumes need to jump significantly just to keep enrollment steady, right? EAB pointed that out, right? And influencer marketing. Well, McKinsey's definition fits in source wonders and B2C and student recruitment has a lot of B2C elements.

Jill:

It's about trust, isn't it? Peer-to-peer trust.

Jack:

Exactly. Authenticity is key. Students trust other students far more than they trust, you know, official marketing messages sometimes,

Jill:

and there's proof it works. Appe saw that huge jump, 162% in registrations from organic social after starting their influencer strategy.

Jack:

That's a massive number. Mm-hmm. And Apple E's approach gives us some good pointers. First they say, work with creators who genuinely connect with your prospects.

Jill:

So finding students who are already kind of doing this naturally,

Jack:

sort of, yeah, people creating relatable stuff. Campus event highlights, maybe their financial aid journey, dorm tips, you know, using the right hashtags, asking current ambassadors for ideas, even using tools like Collab Street or tiktoks Creator Marketplace.

Jill:

Makes sense. Find the authentic voices. What's the second tip?

Jack:

It's about balance. Yeah. Give the influencers freedom. Let them be themselves, but also provide some guidance.

Jill:

Guidance. Like a content guide.

Jack:

Yeah. Apple uses one. It covers the school's mission. Maybe some calls to action, suggested themes, target audience info, basic video tips, but. And this is critical. You have to trust their voice.

Jill:

Don't over script them.

Jack:

Right? If it feels too polished or forced, you lose that authenticity that makes it work. They're seen as advocates, not spokespeople,

Jill:

which ties into their third point. I guess letting go of strict brand standards. That might be tough for some marketing teams.

Jack:

It can be a hurdle definitely. But the advice is clear. Authenticity beats perfect branding year. Provide guidelines, sure, but let their personality shine through. Students can spot an overly branded message. A mile off

Jill:

show. Don't just tell through their experience.

Jack:

Exactly. And the final point of integration, influencer marketing shouldn't live in a silo.

Jill:

It needs to be part of the bigger picture.

Jack:

Precisely think multichannel. A student journey often involves lots of touchpoints. So maybe an influencer does a TikTok, another does a YouTube deep dive, and that's supported by blog posts, emails, social ads from the marketing team, all around a theme like decision day,

Jill:

creating a cohesive experience across platforms.

Jack:

Yeah, nurturing that interest all the way through.

Jill:

Okay. Another big factor influencing students and something marketers have to address is cost. Tuition keeps rising.

Jack:

It's a huge barrier and it makes flexible payment options really critical. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found nearly 4 million students are using payment arrangements each term.

Jill:

4 million. Wow. So offering flexibility isn't just nice to have. It can directly impact enrollment and retention.

Jack:

Absolutely. We're talking standard plans, spreading payments out, but also maybe past due plans to help students through rough patches

Jill:

and international options too.

Jack:

That's increasingly important. Letting international students pay easily in their own currency is a big convenience factor,

Jill:

and it's not just having the plans, it's communicating them clearly, right? Making them easy to use.

Jack:

Communication is key. Things like automated reminders really helps students avoid late fees. Recurring payment options are super convenient.

Jill:

Set it and forget it

Jack:

exactly. And just making sure staff are available and helpful if questions come up, you know, Investopedia noted delinquent payments are rising so good notifications can make a real difference

Jill:

and we need to support the staff managing this too. Give them the right tools,

Jack:

definitely efficient tools for managing payments free up staff time for more, you know, student-focused support. It's all about creating an environment where students can actually focus on their studies, not just financial stress.

Jill:

Now shifting gears a bit, there's some concerning data about international student interest in the us, particularly for postgraduate studies.

Jack:

Yeah, this is pretty stark. Study portals data showed a, um, a 44% drop in interest since mid-January 2025. That's significant.

Jill:

44%. That's huge. Which student groups are most affected?

Jack:

The biggest declines were seen among students from India and Bangladesh and overall America's market share as a study destination dipped quite a bit in the first quarter of 2025.

Jill:

What's driving this decline? It sounds complex.

Jack:

It seems to be a mix of factors. Cuts to university research funding. Um, reported attacks on academic freedom. Visa issues including revocations are all mentioned

Jill:

and it's hitting specific countries. Hard.

Jack:

Yes, sharp drops from places like Iran, France, Germany, Canada. This seems linked to broader international tensions, ongoing visa problems, and maybe even the rollback of some DEI programs. Is

Jill:

there any bright spots?

Jack:

Well, there was some growth in interest from Brazil and Kenya, but the numbers there are smaller, so it doesn't really offset the big drops elsewhere.

Jill:

Is the decline across all subjects or concentrated in certain areas?

Jack:

It's more concentrated business and management, engineering and technology applied sciences, those saw the biggest drops.

Jill:

Which makes sense given the decline from India, for instance.

Jack:

Right. Sonam Aurora from the UK's National Indian students and Alumni Union pointed that out. The strong link between Indian student decline and those STEM business fields.

Jill:

She also used the phrase, real sense of fear among prospective students. That's worrying.

Jack:

It really is. Students are apparently worried about the whole US experience. Visa stability is a big one. With things like that lawsuit from the Indian student whose visa was revoked unexpectedly, even reports of universities advising against travel,

Jill:

a feeling of being let down maybe, especially for those who saw the US as the dream destination.

Jack:

Yeah, that sentiment was mentioned. It points to an erosion of trust, perhaps less in the universities themselves, but more in the broader US system legal. Political.

Jill:

So for institutions, what's the takeaway? Diversify, perhaps

Jack:

that seems to be the advice. Look at markets with better visa acceptance rates. Maybe explore transnational education partnerships more seriously. Mm-hmm. It's about managing risk in a changing landscape.

Jill:

This whole situation really underscores the importance of trust and maybe brings us to this idea of values-based influence in higher ed leadership and marketing.

Jack:

Exactly. It feels particularly relevant now. It's about leading with integrity. You know, building credibility through consistency, making sure your actions actually match your stated beliefs.

Jill:

So less about just image, more about substance,

Jack:

precisely prioritizing integrity over image, real collaboration over just checking compliance boxes and consistency over maybe flashy charisma.

Jill:

How can institutions, maybe marketing teams specifically cultivate that?

Jack:

Well, the sources suggest a few things doing a values audit. What values are actually driving decisions? Recognizing those informal leaders who already embody the values you want

Jill:

and getting everyone on the same page.

Jack:

Yes. Things like values, mapping exercises, and crucially aligning practices, hiring budget decisions with those core principles. For leaders, it's about clarifying their own values, modeling the behavior, and empowering others to lead from their values too.

Jill:

Building stronger, more trusting teams, which

Jack:

is vital. Both within marketing and across the whole institution.

Jill:

Okay. Another trend impacting programs is the rise of microcredentials and modular learning.

Jack:

Yeah. This came up in a recent U-P-C-E-A discussion. There's huge demand for these shorter, more flexible options, especially to meet workforce needs. I. Healthcare education was a big focus.

Jill:

What kinds of examples did they discuss?

Jack:

Well, places like Johns Hopkins Med School, Colorado Community College System, C-C-C-S-U-N-T, health Science Center, St. Cloud State, they all shared insights.

Jill:

Any specific initiative stand up.

Jack:

CCCS had these behavioral health micro pathways that lead straight to jobs, but can also stack into degrees. U-N-T-H-S-C is aligning non-credit courses with licensure requirements.

Jill:

So very practical career focused applications.

Jack:

Exactly. And there's a push for wider industry recognition of digital badges. Mm-hmm. And internally, like at Johns Hopkins, trying to clarity across the institution about what microcredentials mean and how they fit.

Jill:

But scaling these up must be a challenge, right? Maintaining quality.

Jack:

That's the key question. They talked about strategies like strong partnerships between faculty and instructional designers using external reviews like quality matters, ensuring accessibility, getting grants for development, linking with military or workforce benefits, even international collaborations, lots of angles to consider.

Jill:

Let's switch gears slightly to the student journey itself. Recruitment and onboarding. There's this A CIP framework,

Jack:

right? Ask connect, inspire plan. It comes from CCRC research, mostly focused on community colleges, but the ideas are broader. It's about shifting onboarding from just general welcome to colleges stuff. To

Jill:

something more program focused.

Jack:

Exactly. Helping students explore their interests and actually develop an educational plan much earlier, and recognizing that exploration isn't a one-time thing, it continues through that first year.

Jill:

Okay. Let's break down a CIP. First is ask.

Jack:

This means ongoing conversations, really talking with students about their interests, strengths, goals, life situation, to help them figure out potential programs and careers.

Jill:

Then connect building relationships.

Jack:

Yes. Connecting them with faculty. Current students in their field. Alumni, potential employers plus college support services, making those connections early

Jill:

inspire, getting them engaged academically from day one.

Jack:

Pretty much making sure every student takes at least one engaging college level course in an area they're interested in, right? In that first term.

Jill:

Finally plan, developing that roadmap.

Jack:

This is often the trickiest part for colleges to implement. Well, it means working with each student to build a full program plan, laying out the path to their goal.

Jill:

And these plans aren't just for the student, they help the college too.

Jack:

Definitely. They boost motivation, help advisors intervene effectively and make course scheduling more efficient. And crucially, A CIP isn't just for after enrollment,

Jill:

it extends into recruitment.

Jack:

Yeah. The idea is students are more likely to commit. If they see a clear path, so you can start those ask and connect conversations during recruitment.

Jill:

Even if the plan changes later, it provides that initial direction,

Jack:

right? It's about guidance and support throughout.

Jill:

Okay. Let's talk about a channel that sometimes gets maybe misused out of home advertising.

Jack:

Ooh. Yeah, it's interesting. Often the expectation for Oage, billboards, posters, that kind of thing, is immediate direct conversions, and marketers get frustrated when they don't see that.

Jill:

But that's not really its main job, is it?

Jack:

Not primarily, no. Oh, is fundamentally an awareness tool. It's about building brand recognition

Jill:

and in higher ed with so much competition, awareness is pretty foundational,

Jack:

absolutely critical. You need to make those early impressions. Next grad, they do. OH inside high schools share data showing 92% of students notice the advertised schools

Jill:

and their clients keep increasing spend, which suggests it's working for them

Jack:

over 90% increased spend year over year. So they're seeing value. The ROI isn't always direct leads though.

Jill:

How does it work though? How does it fit into the funnel?

Jack:

Think of it as the top of the funnel. OOH builds that initial awareness and recall. Then when a student sees your digital ad or gets an email, they already recognize your name.

Jill:

So it makes other channels more effective.

Jack:

Exactly. It can improve engagement with digital ads, boost email open rates, make landing pages perform better. It strengthens the whole pipeline over time because you've built that familiarity. It's a core part of a full funnel strategy, not just an add-on.

Jill:

Makes sense. Finally, let's bring it all together by looking at how we define and support student success today. It's clearly more than just grades and graduation,

Jack:

or Absolutely. The definition is much broader now. It includes academic achievement, yes, but also mental and physical growth, developing key skills, feeling like they belong and being ready for a career.

Jill:

Helping students thrive holistically.

Jack:

That's the goal. And digital marketing and CRM tools are becoming really central to creating that supportive environment using data for outreach and personalized support.

Jill:

So what are the key pieces of this broader definition?

Jack:

Things like academic success, persistence here, attention still matter, but also personal development, critical thinking, communication skills. Mm-hmm. Engagement and belonging are huge. And of course, career readiness assays talks about blending tech and human connection here.

Jill:

How are we measuring this broader success?

Jack:

It's a mix. Traditional metrics like retention, graduation rates, GPA alongside newer ones like student engagement scores, satisfaction surveys, and post-graduation outcomes, jobs, further study.

Jill:

And how do marketing and CRM specifically help foster this? We see examples like M'S. Flight Path or Gonzaga's success, CRM,

Jack:

right? Digital marketing helps attract the right fit students initially. Sets the tone with personalized communication, ensures onboarding is smooth and uses feedback to improve support.

Jill:

And the CRM is the engine behind a lot of that support.

Jack:

It really can be. It centralizes the student view, so everyone involved has the context. It enables early alerts if a student seems to be struggling,

Jill:

automating some workflows.

Jack:

Yes, automating support workflows, providing data insights on what interventions work, streamlining admin tasks, even helping build community. King's College uses CRM advice for this kind of thing. Hams, modic, CRM and Student Portal are also tools designed for this,

Jill:

so it facilitates a more proactive, personalized approach.

Jack:

Exactly. Using data for outreach, having those early alert systems, integrating systems, communicating consistently, acting on feedback and training teams properly, these are key. Look at Georgia State's student Success 2.0. It's a great example of blending marketing CRM, and that essential human connection, authentic storytelling about success matters too.

Jill:

Okay, so weaving this all together, what are the big takeaways for higher ed marketers listening today?

Jack:

I think three things really stand out. First, the role of digital marketing is becoming much more strategic, much more integrated. Second, a deep understanding of student needs. Their motivations, their challenges is absolutely fundamental at every single stage

Jill:

from that first touch point all the way through to graduation and beyond.

Jack:

Right? And third, strategically using partnerships like the Carnegie example and leveraging technology, especially CRM, is crucial for both effective recruitment and importantly. Genuine student success. Oh, and briefly touching on the balance, SEO and paid search both remain vital, especially for things like online programs, SEO for the long haul, pay for immediate visibility. You really need both.

Jill:

It really paints a picture of a constantly shifting landscape. Adaptation and innovation seem non-negotiable.

Jack:

They really are. You have keep learning, keep trying new things, finding better ways to connect with prospective students and support the ones you have.

Jill:

So the call to action for listeners is maybe to reflect on these trends, see how they apply to their own context.

Jack:

Definitely think about how these insights might reshape your strategies. Maybe dig into some of the resources we mentioned for more detail, the direction seems clear, more personalized, more data informed and deeply student-centric marketing and support.

Jill:

A powerful thought to end on. Thank you for that insightful discussion.

Jack:

Thank you.