Could Snapchat Be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing?

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Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing? Slide 1 Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing?

description

Social media marketing has become a necessary resource in the realm of student recruitment but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a constant challenge to stay on top of the latest trends. It sometimes seems like a giant game of tag, chasing students and prospects to the next hot platform for a chance to communicate with them. - See more at: http://www.higher-education-marketing.com/blog/snapchat-big-trend-student-marketing?

Transcript of Could Snapchat Be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing?

Page 1: Could Snapchat Be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing?

Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student

Marketing?

Slide 1

Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in

Student Marketing?

Page 3: Could Snapchat Be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing?

Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student

Marketing?

Slide 3

The major appeal of Snapchat is that sent photos and micro-

videos “self-destruct” one to ten seconds after being viewed

(determined by the sender), thereby eliminating the potential

long-term consequences of incriminating photos later being

seen by parents, teachers, employers, etc.

The company seems eager to find a viable revenue model as it

enters its third year, and provides a business development team to

help brands get started.

It already has access to users’ personal information, such as age

and location, that can potentially be leveraged for targeted

messaging in the future.

The “My Story” feature, launched last fall, will likely be of most

interest for colleges and universities. It allows users to combine a

series of image or video “snaps” in chronological order to tell a story,

promoting the message universally to all their followers.

1. Make Your Story Snappy

Source: Higher Education Marketing – Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing?

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Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student

Marketing?

Slide 4

In this fast-paced world, services like Snapchat that can

quickly, easily and succinctly transmit messages have an

intuitive appeal, but best practices are still emerging

regarding its marketing potential.

1. Leverage other networks & provide an inside look at

campus life

A good first step is to announce and promote your Snapchat feed on

your other social networks and then begin posting pictures to

accumulate a following – perhaps an inside look at campus, insights

into programs and extracurricular activities or quick news tidbits.

Due to the vastly more ephemeral nature of Snapchat compared to

other social media networks, the timing of posts is particularly

important to engage the highest possible number of followers.

Offering a daily snap at a certain time will develop expectation

among your followers and increased interaction for education lead

generation.

2. Snapchat Recruitment Strategies

Source: Higher Education Marketing – Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing?

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Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student

Marketing?

Slide 5

2. Generate excitement with exclusive previews

Snapchat can be a great tool for creating a perception of exclusivity,

such as providing sneak previews of a new building or logo design.

The student demographic takes pride in being trendspotters, being

the first to break news to their followers, and the tease of a brief

snap (or a strategically timed series of snaps) might be enough to

ignite a wave of excitement that propels a story to go viral.

Companies like McDonald’s, for example, have successfully

introduced a new product and launch date with exclusive and

interactive touch points throughout the day, concluding their

Snapchat Story with a request for friends to follow them on Twitter.

2. Snapchat Recruitment Strategies

Source: Higher Education Marketing – Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing?

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Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student

Marketing?

Slide 6

3. Offer discounts or other incentives

Some pundits observe that the introduction of ads that risk infringing

on the fun social elements that initially brought the service popularity

could be its downfall.

Facebook has experienced some backlash since targeted ads began

cluttering newsfeeds and privacy advocates have recently asked

U.S. regulators to halt its $19 billion acquisition of messaging service

WhatsApp until there is a clearer understanding of how the company

plans to exploit the personal data of the latter’s 450 million users.

That being said, studies have shown a majority of users responding

positively to promotions, discounts and coupons sent via Snapchat

in exchange for customer loyalty.

Vanishing snaps can give new meaning to “limited time offers” for

university bookstore discounts, athletics tickets or even enrolment

referral bonuses for admissions departments.

The key is keeping the tone fun and in the spirit of Snapchat

spontaneity.

2. Snapchat Recruitment Strategies

Source: Higher Education Marketing – Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing?

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Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student

Marketing?

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4. Encourage creative submissions

One of the best marketing applications of Snapchat is to call on the

creative skills of your followers by inspiring submissions for contests

or job postings.

A 10 second Snapchat video is a creative opportunity to accept

pitches for brainstorming ideas or some portion of a job interview.

Keep in mind that after the brief time limit expires it would be

impossible to reassess submissions, so it might be more of a PR

stunt than sustainably viable tool.

Photo or micro-video contests can be effectively carried out with

Snapchat, cross-promoted with other social media channels,

capitalizing on timely events like a big game or graduation

ceremonies.

Consider playing up the fleeting moments by providing incentives for

“the first 25 who send us a snap of…” or run a campus scavenger

hunt based on a series of clues that encourage interaction.

2. Snapchat Recruitment Strategies

Source: Higher Education Marketing – Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing?

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Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student

Marketing?

Slide 8

When it was first revealed that teens were fleeing Facebook

in favour of mobile apps like Snapchat, many found it

interesting but assumed that it wouldn’t be useful for

marketing initiatives.

However, creative brands have already found success by taking

advantage of the uniquely temporary, casual nature of the platform.

Consider enlisting the help of students that specialize in

“snapsterpieces” that will make your audience laugh with ridiculous

doodles on pictures, or other quirky flourishes that challenge

preconceptions and capture attentions of the younger demographic.

As social media networks wax and wane in popularity, seek to

develop strategies for fluidly reallocating resources to make the most

of what is hot right now, as Snapchat certainly is.

Admissions departments may be wary of another new platform to

divert their precious time but it is always advisable to understand

what your prospects are currently interested in and regularly freshen

up your marketing mix to better appeal to them.

3. Conclusions

Source: Higher Education Marketing – Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing?

Page 9: Could Snapchat Be the Next Big Trend in Student Marketing?

Could Snapchat be the Next Big Trend in Student

Marketing?

Slide 9

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