Education Marketer’s Guide to Remote Content

Our rapidly changing global situation means that institutions across the education and training sector in Australia have had to shift their higher education recruitment marketing strategies – fast. The process of delivering lectures, tutorials, classes, events and meetings in online settings are something many of us are still getting used to.

We’ve observed, researched, and consulted our clients about some of the most popular platforms being used by different institutions and narrowed it down to our Top 5. Many of these are not necessarily new strategies in higher education marketing but they are tried and true programs whose applications we should further explore.

From recruitment to course delivery, here’s a quick comparison of Top 5 platforms helping institutions adapt:

ZOOM

Best for: Consultations, tutorials and classroom-type settings

Zoom is a video conferencing platform that users can join from anywhere, on any device (desktop and mobile).

We have had a few enquiries regarding how to proceed with recruitment activities without the ability to run info sessions and 1:1 consultations in a face-to-face setting. We strongly believe that institutions need to continue running these sessions. In fact, it’s more important than ever to connect and engage with students as they weigh up their future study options. 

The platform’s screen sharing feature is a particular highlight, making it an excellent choice for virtual classrooms. Not only can users share screens, they can also annotate the screen, record the session, save transcriptions and ask questions using the team chat functionality. Snippets of these can then be cut together to create reels for your marketing campaigns. 

Great to note as well that Zoom has data servers in Melbourne and Sydney, so all data captured is stored within Australia.

GOTOWEBINAR

Best for: Information sessions or demonstrational videos

GoTo Webinar is a great alternative setting for info sessions and ‘how to’ instructional guides (e.g. showing students how they use a specific tool like your student portal).

The software provides templates for users, as well as scheduling features and intuitive reporting capabilities which allow you to easily view the number of attendees. You can even pre-record webinars/sessions, a feature which is handy for higher education marketing teams working remotely.

GoToWebinar also natively integrates with most Marketing Automation platforms, including Marketo, SFMC, Pardot, Eloqua, allowing you to seamlessly align your communications strategies pre and post event.

FACEBOOK LIVE

Best for: Q & A type sessions

Facebook Live is great for engaging your existing audience and creating content at the same time. It is quick and easy to set-up plus the session can be communicated to the target audience through Facebook events (with notifications for those following the page). Facebook Live videos are also automatically recorded and saved on the Facebook page as a video. 

They are also great for nurturing the wider community through personalised interactions via Facebook comments since viewers can ask questions that you can respond to in real-time. You can then re-engage your most engaged audience members by referring them back to your Facebook page. Use this chance to maintain, engage and grow your audiences!

FACEBOOK GROUPS

Best for: Connecting with peers in more informal setting

Keep your class connected and encouraged with Facebook Groups. Some of our team have experienced firsthand the power of using Facebook Groups in classroom settings whilst studying an online course last year. It’s a convenient and familiar platform that encourages pro-active collaboration amongst cohorts. 

Though groups do require at least one person to be an Admin, that responsibility can be minimised depending on the circumstance. Nevertheless, Facebook groups remain an easy option for community building that shouldn’t be underestimated. 

VFAIRS

Best for: Larger events such as a virtual Open Day

vFairs is a dream when it comes to higher ed marketing tools. It is a virtual events platform that includes a virtual lobby, information desk, and stalls – all hosted online. By using vFairs, you can host images, brochures, data sheets and play videos to bring your “booth” to life. This platform also helps manage the operational aspects of hosting an online event, including managing RSVPs, uploading content, and post-event processing. Live support is even available during your event to ensure the day runs smoothly! 

If you want to learn more about any of the above platforms, or how Social Garden can support your team transition your recruitment process into an online format, please reach out.

We are always keen to have a chat about how we can help your institution shift your education marketing strategies to actively navigate these rapidly changing circumstances.