Digital Conversion: User-Generated Content in Higher Education

Relying on polished videos and heavily branded advertising to convert prospective students? It might be time to double check how well your campaign is actually doing.

As the impact of social media influencers enters a decline, user-generated content (UGC) proves to be an effective alternative to speak directly with your audience. Combined with the acceleration of UGC in higher education marketing, it could be that traditional branded advertising is on borrowed time.

We’ve been working closely with one of our major clients to drive engagement across social advertising for its new teaching program, and UGC has been an essential element for success.

When it comes to the launch of innovative learning programs like our client’s, critical conversations with students start on digital platforms. Here you can tap into students’ creativity and optimise your strategy through UGC.

In the school-leaver market, the mean average click-through rate for UGC on Instagram stories outperformed other Instagram creative by more than double. When students take creative control and are allowed to breathe with a brand, results follow. And it’s essential for education providers to understand this shift in attention.

People buy from people, and students in particular are highly influenced by their immediate social circle and family. In this respect, UGC is a natural fit for higher education.

Understanding social advertising as a vehicle for student-to-student conversation has allowed our client to not only substantially increase their advertising engagement, but amplify their sense of student community within advertising itself.

This is particularly the case for Snapchat, which currently offers the best value for money in the social advertising space. Given the cost of a Snapchat ad is almost 42% less than Facebook, it’s hard to ignore its potential as an arbitrage.

Within the same campaign, UGC content on Snapchat achieved a 59% higher completion rate and a 25% higher swipe up rate than non-UGC creative.

As a certified Bronze Snapchat Partner we’re passionate about educating clients on the power of investing in UGC advertising. Social channels act as a critical avenue to overcome barriers of brand authenticity and should be front and centre in your campaign.

UGC is perfect for delivering the messages of higher education institutions. It’s genuine, often passionate and new content is constantly being made. In your modern marketing strategy, this is an essential mix.