Video: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1448386 A presentation from MACAC 2009 in Grand Rapids, MI on recruiting students using new media.

1. How to Recruit Students using
New Media Outlets
ANDREW MEYERS - HOPE COLLEGE
BRAD J WARD - BLUEFUEGO

2. Twitter Hashtag: #macac

3. Evolution of Communication

19. Communication changes.

20. The medium changes.

21. The recruitment game has
changed.

22. traditional recruitment
1980s until now

23. 1980s 1990s
paper applications
paper applications
telephone
telephone
brochures/letters
brochures/letters
magazine ads
magazine ads
television presence (athletics)
television presence (athletics)
Posters
VHS Promo Tapes
(more of the same)

24. early 2000s mid 2000s
online application online application
primitive email email communication (HTML)
communication online advertising (banner ads,
online advertising Google Adsense)
Promo DVDs

25. a major shift
2004-2009

26. 2004 2005
HTML email campaigns more online application continues to
plausible grow
online application takes hold YouTube launches
Flickr launches

27. 2006 2007
Google Apps for Education Facebook Pages become
introduced available
Twitter launches iTunes U launches
Zinch launches

28. 2008 2009
email campaigns grow online application becomes
online application takes hold standard
schools begin to experiment twitter explodes in popularity
with new media facebook becomes #1
youtube EDU launches

29. changes to Butler
2007 to present

30. where I came in
new position: electronic communication coordinator
search process: outsourced
website: go.butler.edu/cs
monitor/participate in all social media
email marketing, usability testing, trends/research, data analysis

31. changes to Hope
2006 to present

32. where I came in
email campaign: header image, text
online application: outsourced
website: hope.edu/admissions
online presence: petersons, et al
webmail: outsourced

33. traditional buy-in:
OUTCOME
INDIVIDUAL
“cool idea!” some success, some frustration
STAFF MEETING
“should we do this?”
COMMITTEE
“yeah, we should do this”
BOSS
“hmm, I don’t know”
INDIVIDUAL
“this is too much work”
timeline: 1 month

34. new buy-in:
OUTCOME
INDIVIDUAL
“cool idea!” definite success, little frustration
INDIVIDUAL
“I’m going to try it out”
INDIVIDUAL
“nice. works and costs nothing!”
BOSS
“great work! what’s next?”
timeline: 1 hour

35. why is it this way?
✓ the ‘millenial’ generation or
‘generation Y’
✓ We’re on the fringe -- do the math!
✓ includes individuals born between
1980 and 2000
✓ expectation that things should happen
more quickly than they do
✓ “impatient and eager to live life
now.”
✓ optimistic about life 5 years out
1Erickson, Tamara. Plugged in. Boston: Harvard Business School
Press, 2008.

36. You can only offer so much offline.

37. Relationships > Technology

38. PRINT
ELECTRONIC

39. facebook statistics
Michigan

40. facebook
76% of Michigan schools have a presence on Facebook
Average: 2804 fans (Without MSU and UM: 1060)
High Ratio of Institution Comments to Fan Comments:
Davenport University
Kettering University
Cornerstone University
Ferris State University
Wayne State University
Michigan State University

41. facebook
64% of schools open to ‘Boxes’ tab
36% of schools open to ‘Wall’ tab
Schools that open to Wall tab average 21% more conversation.
60% of MI schools not on Facebook are XS Private.
90% of MI schools not on Facebook are Private.

42. hope college admissions
what we’ve been up to

47. • started using in fall 2008
• no HD from YouTube or Facebook at that point
• YouTube → questionable content
• now, YouTube for Edu
• syndicating our content across all 3 platforms

48. video example

57. butler university admissions
what we were up to

61. the email

62. the metrics

63. the results
T

64. personal shift
• attended Innovative Educators’ conference in
Cincinnati (July 2008)
• networked with other individuals in the field
• got connected on Twitter
• started a professional blog to share my thoughts
(admittedlydutch.com)
• productivity has noticeably increased

65. personal shift
• attended Stamats conference in Philadelphia (October 2006)
• began experimenting with new media sites
• Used Twitter as my ‘personal brand platform’
• started a professional blog to share my thoughts
(squaredpeg.com)
• Saw the benefits and results of web-based recruiting

66. other things Hope is
• monthly video updates (shot, created, and edited in-house)
• using services like Zinch and Cappex to connect with
students online
• email campaign series
• used Ning to develop a closed social network for our
admitted students
• starting to work on using Twitter
• currently making a vendor selection for CRM

67. how can you stay on top
• be networking with us on Twitter
• @bradjward and @andrewmeyers
• follow a select group of blogs, RSS
• start with bloghighed.org
• read some good books (http://bit.ly/
hebooks)
• keep attending conferences
• check out eduWeb and NACAC Annual
Conference

68. who has the first
question?

69. contact us
Andrew Meyers
Office of Admissions, Hope College
meyers[at]hope.edu
twitter.com/andrewmeyers
Brad Ward
Chief Explosion Officer, BlueFuego
brad[at]bluefuego.com
twitter.com/bradjward