In today’s ever-evolving higher education landscape, capturing the attention of Gen Z is a challenge that higher ed marketers face. With their unique digital habits and preferences, effectively marketing to this generation requires a strategic approach that leverages the power of social and digital media platforms.

During SparkThink@JAM 2023, we teamed up for a presentation called, “Finding Students Where They Are: Fueling Enrollment and Building Brand Awareness Among Gen Z.” We explored the importance of marketing to Gen Z on social media, discussed strategies for building brand awareness, and delved into how digital media can fuel enrollment. We even shared an example of an institutional partner that has implemented all of these tactics and has seen an excellent return for their investment and efforts. Read on for some of the key points we discussed with the group.

A mid-tier public university in the southeast that we’ve worked with for several years approached Spark451 in 2019 to help boost their digital footprint. They had lofty goals and needed help finding a vision to get to the finish line. We were tasked with helping them increase the university’s brand awareness in regional and national markets with an enrollment focus. Just as campaigns were picking up speed, a pandemic was added to the mix! We set out to hit and exceed their digital marketing expectations and goals — and learned a lot along the way.

The average Gen Z social media user spends an average of nine hours a day in front of digital devices (Source: Forbes), many of which are on social media apps. To connect with Gen Z, we must first understand their digital presence and patterns. They practically live on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. These platforms are more than just entertainment; they’re influential spaces where trends are born, stories are shared, and brands find their voices.

“The typical Gen Z-er’s media diet starts with casually scrolling TikTok and Reels in the morning, switching to YouTube around lunchtime, and turning to Netflix or Hulu in the evening…”

(Source: LA Times)

With our university partner, we carefully studied their historical enrollment; their primary, secondary, and tertiary markets; and made strategic decisions for media buys that aligned with geographic and platform usage for our audience. We didn’t want to waste any budget on placements or platforms that didn’t align. Achieving this required a great understanding of the market and our Gen Z audience’s habits in order to be a success.

Gen Z values authenticity above all else. They can spot a disingenuous marketing ploy from miles away. To make an impact, higher ed marketers must embrace genuine storytelling and highlight the unique attributes of their institutions. For example, showcasing real student experiences through vlogs or testimonials can create an emotional connection that resonates with Gen Z’s desire for authenticity. Ask your student ambassadors or tour guides to snap a few pictures or videos during the next student event on campus — these assets will resonate with your social media audience more than any stock image ever could.

Gen Z craves involvement and actively participates in shaping online narratives. Encourage students, alumni, and even faculty to share their experiences using hashtags or hosting contests. By incorporating user-generated content into your digital marketing strategy, you create a sense of community and encourage engagement, while simultaneously showcasing the vibrant culture of your institution.

While TikTok videos are fun and engaging, they must also be organic, authentic, and relevant. This can be hard to generate without the proper help from your students. Our university partner has been able to quickly embrace TikTok trends as they come up. Their student ambassadors take videos on their phones while attending activities on campus, or even while they are just working in the admissions office! These materials have been a hit with our target audience, and they show prospective students that this school is not only a fun place, but that it embraces trends and doesn’t shy away from innovation. This subtext is extremely important to this audience base!

The university partner we referenced above is just one of our partner institutions to take on the digital space so keenly to support their enrollment marketing goals — and the proof is in the numbers. In the 2022–2023 enrollment cycle, our joint efforts in paid media have resulted in 21M+ impressions across 10 media platforms, with 3,198 brand new student and parent leads across these platforms. For the Fall 2023 enrollment year, we were able to bring in 1,404 unique prospect leads from a first source of paid media through our partnership, with nearly 25% of those leads applying for Fall 2023 entry, and 120 students enrolled — all purely from our paid digital efforts!

Marketing to Gen Z on social media is a powerful tool for building brand awareness and fueling enrollment in higher education institutions. By authentically engaging with this generation through storytelling, user-generated content, and strategic planning, you can create a dynamic and relatable online presence.