Recruiting college students is challenging at the best of times. Today’s university marketing departments are facing a tumultuous environment and an extremely competitive marketplace. Enlisting the help of a skilled media and PR agency can make all the difference. But what kind of firm will produce the best return on investment? Are higher education digital marketing agencies worth the cost?
Does our digital environment call for digital solutions?
It’s no secret that we live in an increasingly digital landscape. Remote work, Facetime calls with friends and family, and online education have become commonplace. Young adults spend hours a day on their smartphones. It’s natural for college marketing departments to turn to higher education digital marketing agencies for help. But are their services worth the investment?
“Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.”
– ANTHONY ROBBINS
Consider the cost of digital advertising.
If higher ed recruiters want to focus their advertising budget in the digital space, they need serious money. Consider the current CPM (cost per thousand impressions) for some of the top digital advertising options.
- Google Display Ads CPM: $3.12
- Google Display Ads CPM: $38.40
- Facebook Ads CPM: $8.60
Not to mention, digital ad fatigue is a real thing. This state of weariness and disengagement with digital advertising can significantly impact the effectiveness of online campaigns. Meanwhile, with proper creative and great positioning, out-of-home advertising (OOH) has massive reach and frequency. Best of all, CPM for OOH is about $6.
Which marketing solutions provide the best ROI?
OOH is truly the best bang for the buck when it comes to recruiting students. These advertising opportunities run the gamut from billboards to transit ads, outdoor kiosks to bus shelters, and digital screens to posters.
+ Learn the top 5 campus advertising strategies for college recruitment.
Of course, while OOH advertising is of primary importance, you’ll definitely want to include digital marketing in your student recruitment campaign if you can afford it. After all, an integrated marketing strategy extends your reach while each part of your marketing campaign amplifies the efforts of the others.
Unfortunately higher education digital marketing agencies don’t provide the knowledge or the services that OOH marketing requires. A skilled media and PR agency that provides traditional media, digital media and integrated campaign services, however, can do wonders for your student recruitment efforts.
+ Learn more about what a skilled integrated media and PR agency can do for you.
See our complete guide: Recruiting Students – A Marketing Plan to Increase College Enrollment.
Here at MSS Media, Inc., we’ve been providing Education, Government, Real Estate & Lifestyle clients with succinct, optimized, and successful marketing solutions for more than 15 years. Consider MSS Media, Inc. a full-service, one-stop shop for all your Media and Public Relations needs. Your goals are our motivation. And our mission is to propel your message, further and faster, to achieve the outcomes you’re looking for. If you found this blog post helpful, please share!
