Driving Excellence in Higher Education: Improving University's Reputation and Recognition

1. University’s Reputation: Improving Recognition DRIVING EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION Zoya Zaitseva January 2016

2. University on a global arena • Managing Reputation & Perception • B2B & B2C Events • Online Marketing

3. QS Mission: To enable motivated people around the world to fulfil their potential by fostering international mobility, educational achievement and career development Education providers Companies Students & Young professionals Media State institutions, professional bodies, etc. Kids & Parents

4. Kazakhstan KEY CHALLENGES • Attractiveness asstudy and research destination • Recognition in the field and beyond • Conditions – political, social, economic

6. Choosing a university – key factors Source: TopUniversities.com Applicants Survey

7. Reputation and Recognition «Recognition and reputation do not come easily, quickly, or lightly to higher education institutions. The accomplishments of faculty and students have a direct impact. Yet in this age of information overload, universities must be intentional, consistent and persistentin telling their stories over a sustained period with messaging that is authentic with the reality of the institution.» Strategic Action Group Committee on Local, National, and Worldwide Recognition, University of Houston

8. What is Event Marketing? • Event marketing is a promotional strategy that involves face-to-face contact between providers and their customers at special events like concerts, fairs, etc. OR • Event marketing describes the process of developing a themed exhibit, display, or presentation to promote a product, service, cause, or organization leveraging in-person engagement. Events can occur online or offline, and can be participated in, hosted, or sponsored. 

14. Information channels

15. Forming perception Positive visibility • Gap analysis – current perception vs desired • Continuous assessment of PR & Marketing impact Materials • Analyze materials & messages based on the gap survey Quality of faculty • Monitoring, public recognition and PR of achievements • Nurture your“talking heads”

16. Forming perception • Internationalization • Of programs, students, faculty members and other staff • Selective admissions • Analyse the market based on your mid- and long-term goals • Monitor your campaigns, know your ROI • Connection with alumni – life-long experience • Family-feel: area on the web site, CRM, newsletters, career updates • Events for alums: networking, guest speakers, focus groups • Endowment fund is not the only thing you can get from alums

17. Forming perception • Reputation via your staff members and talking heads: • International projects • Presentations at B2B events • Be OPEN, INTERACTIVE and APPROACHABLE via • Social networks • Interactive tools on your own web site • Professional networks

19. EVENTS • Strategic & Specialized • Planning and Executing an Event • Online Marketing

20. Goals GENERATE LEADS ENGAGEMENT BRAND AWARENESS EDUCATE / TRAIN DRIVE DEMAND & UPSELL Your Logo

21. Traditional vs New Marketing • Inbound Marketing • Search Engine Optimization • Blogging • Social Media • RSS feeds • Free tools / trials • Video • Permission based • Outbound Marketing • Telemarketing • Fairs • Direct mail • Email shots • Print • TV / Radio • Interruption based

22. Goals • Get your data • Google Analytics • Facebook Insights • Social media monitoring • Event registration • Ads campaign reports • CRM / Salesforce • Data files from web forms • Tracking “How did you hear?” • Define your goals • Brand exposure • Brand engagement • Enquiries • Applications • Enrolments • Conversion rate / cost • Quality of conversion • Diversification

23. KeyB2B events Going Global, NAFSA, EAIE, IREG, QS-APPLE, MoveOn, European Commission, etc. Typical: • Plenary and parallel sessions, fair • Topics: Internationalization, academic mobility, student recruitment, joint programs, etc. What to look for: - Access to the delegates lists in advance • Plan your schedule – sessions, meetings • Follow up – FAST!

24. First Russian avenue 2012

25. KeyB2C events • Interstate collaborations – like Beijing fair • Direct recruitment – Begin Group, Education USA, Study in the UK, QS World Grad School Tour, etc • What to look for: • Booth or table • Panel discussion, presentation, workshop • Promo campaign • Social media referrals • Access to all registered candidates, not just the ones collected • Follow up – instantly!

26. Planning an event

27. Event marketing mistakes • Going in blind – plan, plan, plan! • Your data is old • Not knowing who exactly you need • Missing deadlines • Forgetting relevant conversations • Not standing out from the crowd • Not tracking the results • Spamming the planet • Disregard the calendar

28. What to remember before any event • Set realistic and targeted goals up front • Incorporate a strong theme and a cohesive look & feel • Be creative • Include multiple touches in your promotion • Segment your promotion to reach the right audience • Include social media in your event plans – in all stages • Be the first to follow-up with attendees & non-attendees • Measure ROI – basic, progressive, pipeline BUT! “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” Albert Einstein

29. Marketing an event Before the event • The event page or web site: • Compelling description – what, when, why; benefits; quotes • Speakers pictures and bios • Event images and videos • Curation of content - buzz • Pre-event Email • Subject line • Timing – send during the weekend or weekday? • Video thumbnail • Social proof – from previous events • Reminders – based on user behaviour

30. Online strategy priorities

31. Importance of social media by region

32. Marketing an event Social activity • Hashtag • Links in social media bios – in your existing profiles • Relevant people on Twitter, Facebook, etc – mention them • Schedule your messages in advance (HootSuite, Buffer, etc) • Registration Thank you! page – offer to share and include hashtag • Registration autoconfirmation email • Pre-event blog posts – use the speakers • Cross the streams – thank those who share on FB on Twitter • Use your partners – ask them to share pre-written posts

33. Examples of tweets • Registration opens • Early-bird registration is ending soon • Countdown: “Just X days until the event!” • Reminder of time and location • Thank your sponsors (mention sponsors) • “Just saw Jane’s presentation. Wow!” (mention speakers) • “See you at the event!” (mention registrants) • Thanks for sharing, posting and re-tweeting (mention anyone who shared) • Tweets with a testimonial quotes about a speaker (find these on LinkedIn) • Tweet to the pre-event blog post using a quote from the interview. (mention speaker) • “Thanks for registering! See you there!” (mention registrants, especially social media influencers)

34. Social media are there for you

35. Work with local media and industry web sites • Submit to local media outlets • Submit to relevant associations • Let the press know • Make friends with journalists • Ask local experts about what they read • Identify the influencers

36. Customise your communication

37. Who to make friends with Top 20 most searched universities by Google users worldwide, 2014

38. Research

39. Marketing an event SEO • Identify your keywords and target them • Title tags and headers • Search-friendly description SEO & Keyword tools • Wordtracker - freekeywords.wordtracker.com • Yahoo clues – clues.yahoo.com • Google insights www.google.co.uk/insights/search • SEObook – www.seobook.com

40. 981 Likes • 168 People were there • 5.0 out of 5 stars • 6 Reviews

41. During and Post-event Marketing During the event – tweet, check in, share, run contests and “make friends” After the event: • Thank you letters • Summary of presentations • Quotes • Gallery of event photos • Lists – top tweets, speakers, highlights. • Feedback surveys • Invite to follow you • Offer to keep notified of the future events

42. Old-style Visualisation still works

43. Planning an event

44. If Marketing Events is Your Job Make your life easier by helping your colleagues – create: • Useful links • Check-lists • Exhibit kits • Image gallery • Brandbook

45. How HE Marketing will change • Post-click personalization • Real-time, data-informed decision making • Mobile-ready marketing • Marketing through graduation • Know what you don’t know Evolllution.com

46. Keep Learning!

47. University Website • Digital Strategy • Personification & Interaction • Sell Experiences

48. Web site is your face for the rest of the world • Has to communicate: • Main mission • Research priorities • Quality content: • Your journals and publications • Media – video, webinars, virtual tours, etc. • Repository and archive • Social projects • Internationalization: • Multilanguage options • Guides for international students and faculty members • Intuitive structure • Multilanguage search 48

49. Best Homepage www.edustyle.net

50. Virtual tour http://www.youvisit.com/colleges