Game-Changing Advice For Higher Ed Content Marketers

On this episode, Jeremy is joined by Olivia White, Senior Assistant Director of Marketing & Content Strategy for St. Lawrence University. Olivia shares valuable insights and strategies to help higher education marketers understand the value of utilizing current students in their marketing, messaging, and social media campaigns. She also shares some pros and cons of working remotely. Key takeaways include:

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Key Takeaways

• Your Brand is Your People: Current students are the most authentic and effective storytellers for prospective students. Their voices resonate more than institutional taglines.
• Leverage Student Marketing Teams: Empowering students to create content fosters authenticity, builds their skills, and showcases the university experience in a relatable way.
• Social Listening Matters: Monitoring trends and feedback allows universities to craft engaging, timely content that meets prospective students where they are.
• Content Repurposing is Key: Successful campaigns often adapt content for multiple platforms, like YouTube, Instagram, and targeted emails, to maximize reach and impact.
• Remote Work Requires Intentionality: Flexibility in remote work is valuable, but regular campus visits are vital for maintaining connections and understanding the institution’s culture.

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Episode Summary

Current Students as Brand Ambassadors

Olivia emphasizes that no one can tell a university’s story better than its current students. Whether it’s through Instagram reels or day-in-the-life videos, their lived experiences resonate deeply with prospective students. St. Lawrence University’s approach includes building a student marketing team that mirrors their professional communications staff, empowering students to create content about campus traditions, daily life, and academics.

• Example: A video documenting the beloved Sunday brunch tradition at St. Lawrence highlighted community camaraderie and engaged both current students and alumni.
• Tip: Authenticity shines when students take creative ownership of their work and showcase their unique perspectives.

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Building and Managing a Student Marketing Team

Creating a successful student marketing team requires identifying students who are passionate about the university, teaching them the brand’s messaging, and giving them room to innovate. Olivia shared how St. Lawrence trains students to align their voices with the university's tone while maintaining creative freedom.

• Strategy: Pair students with different strengths—photography, video editing, or writing—to create a collaborative and versatile team.
• Challenge: Students are often busy with academics and extracurriculars, so scheduling and prioritization are key.
• Pro Tip: Treat student marketing positions as professional internships to ensure commitment and growth.

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Measuring Content Impact

Olivia discussed the importance of tracking engagement metrics like shares and saves on Instagram, which indicate how well content resonates. Social listening and focus groups with first-year students also help evaluate which types of content influenced their decision-making.

• Most Impactful Content: “Day in the Life” videos and campus tradition features consistently perform well, capturing what prospective students are most curious about.
• Future Goal: Expand focus on YouTube to create more engaging, student-driven video content.

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Navigating Remote Work in Higher Ed

As a remote employee, Olivia shared the importance of regular campus visits to maintain strong connections with colleagues and immerse herself in the institution’s culture. While remote work offers flexibility, in-person interactions reinforce team collaboration and commitment to shared goals.

• Pro Tip: Use periodic on-campus retreats or events to stay connected with the institution’s mission and people.

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About the Enrollify Podcast Network 

Mission Admission is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!  

Our podcast network is growing by the month and we’ve got a plethora of marketing, admissions, and higher ed technology shows that are jam packed with stories, ideas, and frameworks all designed to empower you to be a better higher ed professional. Our shows feature a selection of the industry’s best as your hosts. Learn from Mickey Baines, Zach Busekrus, Jaime Hunt, Corynn Myers, Jaime Gleason and many more. 

Learn more about The Enrollify Podcast Network at podcasts.enrollify.org. Our shows help higher ed marketers and admissions professionals find their next big idea — come and find yours!