With more higher education institutions competing for the pool of potential students, creating enticing and engaging social experiences that deliver results have never been more important. This session ties social media activity to the science of landing page analytics to deliver a digital user experience that gets results. Specifically, we will look at increasing social-driven conversions through data-driven analysis of visitor behavior and applying the insights learned to site and page design.

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#DataDrivenWeb4Ed
Data-driven design for higher education to
increase applicant engagement and
conversions

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Introduction & Company
Overview
eduUser Journey Research
Q&A
Agenda

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Sean Rusinko
• VP, Digital Strategy
• Focus on Building & Executing the
Strategic Direction of Client Digital
Marketing Initiatives
• Frequent speaker at MITX, BIMA, Gilbane,
Sitecore Symposium, NEDMA, and others
• Northeastern University, BS in Marketing &
Advertising
Jll Grozalsky
• Digital Strategist
• Previously worked at Qorvis Communications
as a leader in general and crisis social media
strategies
• Focus on big picture strategic goals for
websites and overall online presence
• University of Maryland, BA in General
Communications
Speaker Bios

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Some Clients: Some Partners:
• Award Winning Digital Agency
• Since 1998
• Headquartered in Boston
• 100 + Full-time Employees
• More than 260 Active Clients
• Deep Technical Background
• Diverse Client Portfolio
About Verndale

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Digital Strategy
Technology
Digital Marketing Content
Orchestratio
n
Experience
Design
define
planpromote
measure
build
suppor
t
train
Digital Maintenance
Our Service Offerings

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The eduUser Journey

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Marketers need to reach students in the right channels — and look beyond traditional
enrollment periods — with a constant presence online.
• Nine in ten enrolled students have used the
Internet to research higher education institutions
(Goolge, Compete Study)
• 77% of education seekers will first visit a school’s
website at least two weeks — and often two
months — before taking action
• Half of conversions occur 2+ months after time of
Search Referral
• Over 1/3 of eduSearchers use mobile devices
• 60% of students have little to no certainty as to
where they’ll end up when they begin research
• 57% of students watch a YouTube video created
by a school
1. Measure by value-per-visit
2. The journey is multi-screen
3. Seeing is believing
4. Learn the new landscape
Digital Use in Choosing Schools
Source: Google Think

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Google’s eduSearcher
http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-
purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca

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Google’s eduSearcher
http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-
purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca

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Affect of Marketing Channels
Marketing channels (Such as email, paid ads, social and direct visits)
influence the customer at different points in their decision-making process
http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-
purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca

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Affect of Marketing Channels
Which channels play more of an “assist” or “last interaction” role?
http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-
purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca

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The eduUser Journey: Search

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More Searches, More Often

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Search Drives Edu Conversions
http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-
purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca

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Only 19% of first queries by eduSearchers are branded
There’s Branding Work to be Done
Converters
Brand
19%
Non-Brand
81%
Query Path of
Converters; 2010
Query 1
http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-
purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca

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eduSearchers are Seeking Brand Info
In 2010, more than 25% of education queries were branded vs. 15% in 2009
http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-
purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca

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Online Content Plays a Large, Recurring Role
Of those converters referred by the Google Display Network (GDN):
88% are referred
2+ times
17% are referred
10+ times
http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-
purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca

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The eduUser Journey: Convert

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Early Touch Points are Critical
http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-
purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca

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% of
Converters
Referred by
Search
Days before Conversion
eduSearchers Initiate Research Early On
Total
Half of conversions occur 2+ months after time of search referral

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Research Contributes to Conversions
http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-
purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca

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The Impact of Video
http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-
purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca

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• Don’t force users down a path.
• Mobilize your brand
• Widen the scope of your message
• Assign value to upper funnel touch
points
Key Implications for the New Reality

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The eduUser Journey: Social

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Social is the gateway to a
school’s website and admissions
information
Social Today

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•96% of college students are on Facebook
•91% of college professors engage in social media as part
of their job
•29% of Higher Education Institutes do not have a social
media plan
•Social media is one of the easiest ways to amplify any
grassroots efforts and increase funding
•38% of Higher Education Institutes attribute increased
applications to social media
http://www.umassd.edu/media/umassdartmouth/cmr/studiesandresearch/images/socialmediag
amechanger/SocialMediaEfficiency.pdf
http://blog.tunheim.com/2012/03/09/how-college-students-use-social-media/129#.UffEb421Gzp
Social Today

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•39% of students connected/chatted with current
students through social media
•22% admit strongly considering applying to a
school based on a recommendation from a social
media site
•2% of students report that a school’s social
presence had a negative impact on their
application interest
Out of 20,000+ polled high school
seniors:
http://www.maguireassoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/CDIS-Report-2011.pdf
Why Social?

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Social Today
Percentage of students who consider particular social media functions
moderately or extremely important
http://www.maguireassoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/CDIS-Report-2011.pdf

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Social Referral Volume
http://www.google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-
purchase.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=mayadvanced&utm_content=ca

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Social Success: Harvard
• Real-time updates from social
media
• Easy-to-use social media directory
to highlight all channels
• Featured news to advance
traditional marketing efforts
• Consistent and timely social
updates

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Social Campaign: OSU
• Multiple options and touch points
so users aren’t forced into one
method
• Creates transparency
• Allows OSU to listen to prospective
students and tailor content
accordingly; gauge intentions

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Social Mobile: USC
• Virtual campus tour
• Provides “insider tips” allowing
prospective students to get a
more realistic view of campus
• Easy to navigate both online and
on campus
• Motivates prospective students to
connect via other social channels

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Thanks.Thanks.
Let’s Connect!
@Seanrus
@Cuisine_Queen