As the new academic year begins, Arizona educational institutions are challenged to connect with Generation Z students in the ever-changing digital landscape. The 2024 Higher Education Marketing Report, a joint project between LaneTerralever and Convince & Convert, offers plenty of insight into student preferences and the strategies needed to reach them.
Understanding Generation Z: What do students want?
The report shows that 82% of students pursue higher education primarily for its career opportunities, with academic reputation and cost being secondary factors. This career-focused mindset shows that institutions need to adapt their programs and marketing efforts to the demands of the job market.
Lauren Hillery, a higher education marketing expert, emphasized the importance of knowing student preferences. “Students especially trust content and information from sources that are more similar and feel like them,” she said. “Seventy percent of students are interested in content from ‘students like me,’ student representatives, and even admissions staff.” This can highlight the importance of user-generated content and authentic storytelling in student outreach.
The role of AI in higher education marketing
The report also talks about the increasing role of AI or artificial intelligence in marketing. 38% of higher education marketers use AI on a daily basis, primarily for personalized website content and ad creation. However, there is a clear gap in the use of AI for student storytelling. This gap can present opportunities, but it also comes with some risks.
“The most effective way marketers can and should use AI now is to make their processes more effective and efficient,” Hillery said. “Students, especially the younger generations, have a keen eye for AI-generated content, which can sometimes undermine trust if not used carefully.”
Hillery says AI should be used as a tool to improve marketing effectiveness, not as a replacement for authentic content. “Marketers should focus on collecting user-generated content and speaking directly to students to ensure their content remains authentic,” she said.
Tradition and innovation
One of the report’s most surprising findings is the power of traditional communication methods. Despite the rise of social media and digital platforms, 55% of students still prefer email over text messages in the application process. Yet many marketers tend not to invest as much in email marketing, believing it doesn’t resonate well with Generation Z.
“I suspect that marketers have been a little hesitant to seek budget approval for email campaigns because recent research suggests that younger generations aren’t using the same channels they once did,” Hillery said. However, this report proves that email is still an effective tool, especially when used at the right time in a student’s life.”
Economic impact on the Arizona labor market
As AI becomes more integrated into higher education marketing, its impact on the local job market is becoming an important factor. Hillery says that while AI could lead to some displacement in the market, it can also offer many benefits.
“In terms of economic impact, I think we’re going to see marketers who can use AI as a means to become more efficient, make them better marketers by being able to focus on spending less time on the grunt work and more time on the strategic thinking and strategy. They’re going to be stronger marketers with better job prospects,” she said.
The 2024 Higher Education Marketing Report provides guidance for Arizona colleges and universities on how to reach Generation Z students. These insights will be very important to ensure that institutions remain competitive and can continue to attract and retain the next generation of students, and also drive economic growth in the state.
Photo courtesy of Jernej Furman of Slovenia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
