Your Higher Education Marketing Newsletter… November 2009

Hello from Denmark where the J.Boye Aarhus09 conference starts on Tuesday. I am here to give a report on what students, current and future, like and do not like about their experiences at higher education websites.

See the presentation now at www.slideshare.net/bestbob/students-rating-higher-education-websites including a screen shot of a St. Edward’s University page that everyone should consider adding ASAP.

Looking forward to the 20th anniversary edition of the Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education in Boston this month. Register at bit.ly/qaRqs and include my Sunday tutorial.

“Writing Right for the Web” remains one of the best ways to improve the web experience for your visitors. Register for the December 8 webinar at bit.ly/10OtOC and invite everyone on your campus who prepares web content.

And now here are your marketing news and notes for November.
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Pumpkin Special for Social Media Fans

If you like carved pumpkins visit the Mashable site and see 12 social media carvings, starting with the Fail Whale. Some clever work at bit.ly/26FmN4
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UPhoenix Enrollment Climbs; Stock Price Falls

Enrollment at University of Phoenix rose to 443,000 in August, a 22 percent gain from a year ago. The major reason was an increase in associate degree enrollments.

But the stock price plunged in the last week on news that the SEC is taking an “informal” look at how revenues are reported for the university.

More details at www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/10/28/phoenix
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Your Viewbook and E-Readers

New news on e-readers is coming out every week or so now. The latest is that Barnes and Noble is taking online orders for the most advanced model priced at $259 and due out before the end of this month.

B&N plans another version for business users early in 2010.

See what will be available soon from B&N at bit.ly/WWZG9

Delivering e-book versions of your viewbook and similar recruitment publications ordered from your website admissions page gets closer and closer.
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How “Top 100” Schools Use Twitter

It had to happen. Here is a review of how the Top 100 US News colleges and universities use Twitter.

Over 70 percent have more than 10 Twitter accounts, but very few have more than 15. University of Florida leads with 24 micro blogs.

Prestige counts for Twitter followers. Highest numbers are at the most prestigious privates and flagship publics.

More details of the research at universitiesandcolleges.org/top-100-colleges-twitter/
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Who Uses Twitter and Similar Services?

With all those higher education Twitter accounts, it makes great good sense to monitor who uses them and who does not. That is just what the folks at Pew Internet and American Life Project do on a regular basis.

Pew has just reported that 19 percent of Internet users include Twitter or a similar site in their regular activities. That is up quite a bit from the 11 percent reported in December 2008 and April 2009. The key question, of course, is how high the percent will climb.

See details of the report at pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/17-Twitter-and-Status-Updating-Fall-2009.aspx
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Facebook in the Future

To help keep a balance on the role of social media in marketing, visit the column by Robert Lockard that asks if Facebook is “falling apart” and links to a recent NY Times story on people leaving Facebook.

Privacy concerns are an important issue, feeding into a feeling that Facebook is Big Brother paying too much attention to what members due as it seeks to expand advertising revenue.

An article worth reading at www.site-reference.com/articles/General/Is-Facebook-Falling-Apart.html

Remember when MySpace ruled the social media world?
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Web Analytics in Higher Education

Shelby Thayer has a great article on why colleges and universities should pay more attention to web analytics. Do not let anyone at your school tell you not to bother with analytics because the information is not needed or not reliable. While it might not be perfect, it is one of the most valuable marketing tools you have to measure how well you are connecting with potential students.

One point Thayer makes is especially important for recruitment marketers: give careful attention to the “bounce rate” for new or first-time visitors to your site. Those wise words and more are at ow.ly/2brBXr

If first-time visitors to your first admissions page bounce at 30 percent or more, you have a real problem.

Web Analytics: A Guide for Higher Education Marketers is the most popular of my 14 presentations on SlideShare. Make a visit at bit.ly/tNmt8
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New WOMMA Higher Education Group

Deborah Maue at DePaul University sent word a few days ago that she is leading a new Higher Education Learning Council within the Word of Mouth Marketing Association.

The WOMMA summit this year is in Las Vegas on November 18-20. Program details a
re at womma.org/summit09/

Congrats to Deb for helping to create a higher education presence within WOMMA. To learn more about her plans and how you might help, contact her at DMAUE1@depaul.edu
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NACAC 2009 Admissions Report

The annual NACAC admissions report is ready for downloading. Free for NACAC members and $25 for the rest of us.

A rapid shift to online applications continues. Paperless apps were 72 percent in 2008, up from 68 percent in 2007 and 58 percent in 2006. How easy is it to complete an online application at your website?

Highlights are in a press release at bit.ly/Zy47S where you’ll find stats on acceptance and yield rates, expansion of Early Decision applications and more.
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Admissions Selectivity is Falling

Elite schools aside, admissions selectivity is decreasing according to a new research report.

Conclusions are based on analysis of a database that starts with 1960s SAT data. One point highlighted: an increased willingness of students to venture further from home to find a college.

See more details at www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/10/27/hoxby where you can link to a PDF download of the entire report for $5.
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Predicting Student Success

Good, objective information about student success would be a boon to higher education marketers in the era of growing accountability demands. Depending, of course, on how successful your students are.

Rio Salado College is embarking on a promising effort to predict success in both in-class and online courses based on a student’s activity early in the course. Check the details at www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/10/30/predict
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Web Content Coordinator at SUNY Orange

It is always good to see people filling positions like this. If you are interested in applying or just want to see the responsibilities, requirements, and minimum salary, visit www.sunyorange.edu/human_resources/opportunities/posdetails.php?pos_id=284&postype_id=
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SUNY CUAD Call for Papers by 6 November

Advancement people take note. The call for papers for the 2010 SUNYCUAD conference is online now at www.sunycuad.org/call

Paper proposals are due by November 6. SUNYCUAD will waive your registration fee and pay your travel expenses and one night at the conference hotel if your proposal is selected.

The 2010 meeting is in Buffalo, June 9 to 11.
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Upcoming Presentations in 2009

Share questions and answers with people like yourself who are building a competitive edge in higher education marketing. Join me for one or more of these events.

November 3-5, Aarhus, Denmark: J. Boye Conference: Aarhus09, “Improving Higher Education Websites: Lessons from the Student Experience.” Conference program and registration at www.jboye.com/conferences/aarhus09/higher-education

November 15-17, Boston, MA: AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education, “Marketing in a World without Paper: Creating a Recruitment Communications Plan in a World without Paper” (3.5 hour Sunday afternoon tutorial). Details at www.marketingpower.com/Calendar/Pages/marketingevent_highereducation_2009.aspx

December 3, Ames, IA: Iowa State University, Social Media Marketing Summit

December 8, Webinar: “Writing Right for the Web.” Program outline and registration at www.academicimpressions.com/web_conferences/1209-web-writing.php

Increase ROI from your online marketing. Expand the writing, editing, and search marketing skills of people on your campus. Host a campus workshop on online marketing.

Contact me at bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.com
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That’s All for Now

Be a marketing champion on your campus.

Bob Johnson, Ph.D. (bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.com)
President and Senior Consultant
Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC
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Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC

Increase your online marketing success with these 6 services.
• Customer Carewords Research with Gerry McGovern
• Writing Right for the Web On-Campus Workshops
• Marketing Communications Website Review
• Competitive Website Reviews
• Content Copywriting Services
• Usability Analysis

Start now at www.bobjohnsonconsulting.com/whatwedo.html

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