Google AI’s Impact on SEO

Google AI’s Impact on SEO

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has forever changed the digital landscape, and its rapidly evolving development makes it almost impossible to keep track of these changes. As different tech companies race to create their own AI systems, one major player that has the power to affect our everyday lives has risen to the top: Google AI. Officially formed in 2017, Google AI has found itself in the spotlight recently as Google begins to integrate the system into their search engine.

HIGHER ED DIGITAL MARKETING: GOOGLE AI & SEO

AI vs. SEO: Google’s Self-Made Problem

“Looking something up” on the internet is now ubiquitous with Google, so a sudden change in the appearance of the search engine results page (SERP) in the spring of 2024 drew worldwide attention. While some AI enthusiasts are excited to see such a large, real-world application in use, industry leaders, politicians, and countless others around the world have voiced their concerns. A main topic of discussion has been Google AI’s impact on search engine optimization (SEO) and how organic web traffic will be affected.  

For years, Google has pushed SEO as the key to achieving a high search ranking, stressing keyword optimization, titles, meta descriptions, and more. When your website shows up on the first page of Google, you can expect more organic traffic and a larger number of visitors to your site compared to those on later pages. Now, with Google AI’s “direct answers,” the system attempts to answer the user’s question in a short summary displayed below the search bar and above the search results. If this summary answers the user’s question sufficiently, they no longer have a need to click on any of the search results, leading to a rise in zero-click searches.

So, How Will This Impact Organic Traffic?

Aleyda Solis, founder of SEO consultancy firm Orainti, conducted a risk assessment on three types of Google AI snapshots (formerly SGE, or Search Generative Experience) and concluded that the risk varied by type: 

1. Direct Answer Snapshots: Websites that give straightforward answers to user’s questions. Pages like these that previously benefited from high traffic volumes might see traffic drop up to 50%. 
2. Exploration Snapshots: Websites that provide multiple perspectives on a topic could see a potential reduction in click-through rates by 30-40% as users can get diverse answers directly from the search page. 
3. Deep Dive Snapshots: Websites that give in-depth coverage of a topic might experience a 25-35% reduction in organic traffic as the need for further clicks is minimized.  

These snapshot categories can be used to help determine search intent, which is the main goal a user has when making a query with a search engine. The search “How to replace a sink” carries a different intent and sense of urgency than “How to replace a leaking sink,” as does “How to stop a leaking sink now.” Google AI uses this to inform the type of answer it gives the user.  

During a two-week observation period, SEO Clarity found that Google AI answers appeared in 6.85% of education-related searches, compared to an average of 9.78% across all industries. Although this is a small sample, it is an interesting glimpse at how it’s harder for AI to pull generalized answers for a complicated industry such as higher education. This indicates that having a comprehensive and SEO-optimized website is still extremely important. 

How Can This Impact Be Minimized?

Making the most of the preview space available for your website on the SERP is crucial. Optimizing featured snippets, callouts, headlines, and descriptions serves two purposes.  This is where to highlight your institution’s strongest differentiators. What will draw students in to make them click on your website from just a glance? Google AI pulls from these fields to populate its direct answers, so the stronger the content, the better chance your website will be the one used to answer a user’s question, hopefully guiding them to continue their search in some form. In the more traditional route, good copy and a high SEO ranking will get your website below Google AI’s direct answer but still at the top of the SERP.   

Get creative! Once a visitor is on your website you want them to stay, so how can you catch their attention further? Use strong visuals that align with your brand identity while showing off your campus and what student life looks like.  

Google prioritizes websites that use mobile-friendly indexing, so ensuring your site is both visually and user-friendly from a mobile device is extremely important. Page speed optimization is also a contributor, so compress files where possible, and leverage browser caching. The better your site is performing, the better it will rank!

Trust Your Audience!

A simple yet easy-to-overlook factor is trust in your audience. Trust that the right people are hungry enough for knowledge to explore further and look beyond generic AI summaries. In the ever-increasing digital age, people are looking for personalized connections; being able to provide that can give your institution an advantage. Ensuring contact and visit information is up to date and that social platforms and other networks are listed on your website gives students other ways to connect with your institution.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessie Arnold, with a BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, transitioned her artistic roots into a dynamic career encompassing design, social media, and marketing. Her creative prowess has become the cornerstone of crafting seamless campaigns that captivate diverse audiences. With expertise spanning content creation, social media advertising, and web design, she wields a wealth of strategies to elevate both client-partner and audience satisfaction. You can reach Jessie anytime at Jessie.Arnold@enrollmentFUEL.com. 

Octane—Does Direct Mail Make Sense?

Octane—Does Direct Mail Make Sense?

In 2016, Harris Diamond, CEO of the McCann advertising agency, spoke at the National Postal Forum. Harris said, “Today’s media events are more complex than they were 100 years ago. There are many more hurdles due to fragmentation. But in a world in which people are endlessly bombarded with electronic messages, direct mail is now the most welcome houseguest.”¹

THE IMPORTANCE OF DIRECT MAIL

The instant in time when we pick up our mail and look through it has been labeled “The Mail Moment” by McCann, the agency of record for the United States Postal Office. The USPS previously released a major research study about our interaction with mail titled, “USPS Mail Moments, 2016 Review.”¹  The findings included:

• 47% of consumers like to discover what the mail brings every day, and consider the time they spend looking at and reading their mail as time well spent
• Overall mail engagement has increased since 2012
• Regardless of age, most consumers get their mail and sort through it at the first opportunity – an indicator that mail has value

Mail & the Endowment Effect

One of our most commonly used expressions at enrollmentFUEL is the mail moment. We use it because we realize the impact that mail still has in a life that is hurried and fast-paced.  Think about your own day and that moment when you slow down to look at what came in your mailbox, slice open envelopes, and decide what to keep and toss. In this article, we explore the actual feel of mail and how people respond. Dr. David Eagleman is a neuroscientist, author, and the creator of the PBS series, “The Brain.” He studies haptics, the science of touch. 

In partnership with Sappi Paper, Dr. Eagleman took a hard look at printed communications to determine how such media shapes how brands are perceived. A specific area had to do with psychological phenomena called The Endowment Effect, where people attribute higher levels of value to items and experiences when they feel a sense of ownership.

Dr. Eagleman discovered that the haptic experience of holding a piece of paper and looking at a printed image could trigger The Endowment Effect.²  When potential students look at a picture of your campus on a postcard, it is a different experience than looking at the same picture on a computer screen. By involving touch, the postcard invokes the real world, prompting recipients to create more realistic imagery as they think about your school. A more accurate picture of life on campus can create the endowment effect, giving prospective students the sense that your campus has a high degree of value and prompting them to take the next step. 

Haptics helps explain why paper catalogs are making a comeback, according to Dr. Eagleman. According to an article in the New York Times, retailer Land’s End decreased the number of catalogs in 2000 and, as a result, experienced a $100 million drop in sales. By surveying online shoppers, Land’s End discovered that 75% of the customers who made purchases had first reviewed the catalog.³

Dr. Eagleman’s conclusions are supported by a joint study conducted by the Canadian postal system and True Impact Marketing, a leading neuromarketing firm. They conducted scientific experiments to determine which was more effective when it came to prompting consumers to take action—mail or digital media based on the relative impacts on the brain. When research subjects were presented with information, two techniques were used to measure the interaction. Electroencephalography (EEG) mapped the electrical activities in the brain, and eye-tracking tests showed what captured the subject’s attention.

The study found that our brains visually process direct mail more quickly than digital media. Mail requires less cognitive effort, elicits higher brand recall, and prompted a 20% higher motivation response.⁴

Paper vs. Pixels: Comprehension Studies

Since the 1980’s, there have been more than 100 studies looking at how people read on screens versus reading on paper. Ferris Jabra reviewed the research and shared the findings in a Scientific American article titled, “Why the Brain Prefers Paper.”⁵  

When it comes to comprehension and retention of information, paper wins. One reason for that appears to be that people often use a lower amount of mental effort when viewing information on a screen.

The message is static. There are no pop-ups, notifications, or hotlinks, which are generally distracting. When your direct mail piece catches the eye of a potential student, you benefit because you are more likely to get a higher level of attention. 

Marketing guru Seth Godin says, “Marketing is a contest for people’s attention.” Mail is a medium that helps you win. The challenge for educational marketers today is understanding your audience and crafting a strategy that combines the right message, the right types of touches, and the right timing and frequency—all within your budget. Mail is tangible and touchable, and research shows the information presented on a sheet of paper often outperforms digital information when it comes to comprehension.

¹ DMN. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.dmnews.com/mccann-ceo-direct-mails-moment-has-come-again/ 

² Sappi Neuroscience Shorts. (2015) Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpch3ff8ERs

³ The New York Times. (2015) Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/26/business/media/catalogs-after-years-of-decline-are-revamped-for-changing-times.html?_r=0

⁴ Canada Post. (2019) Retrieved from https://trueimpact.ca/case-studies/canada-post-neuroscience-research-into-the-power-of-direct-mail/ 

⁵Ferris J. (2013) Why the brain prefers paper. Scientific American, 48-53.

Empowering Enrollment Staff Through Professional Development

Empowering Enrollment Staff Through Professional Development

We all know the value of ongoing professional development for employees at every level of an organization, but the potential team-wide benefits for today’s higher education enrollment office are often overlooked.

After all, the enrollment team encompasses a wide range of roles, each requiring its own specific skill sets. Often tasked with recruiting more students with fewer resources, many enrollment teams require at least some staff members to wear more than one hat, which makes keeping professional development top-of-mind more challenging than ever. However, savvy SEM leaders have not lost sight of its importance.

Let’s explore the value of ongoing professional development for enrollment staff in higher education institutions.

BENEFITS OF CONTINUOUS HIGHER ED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Understanding the Evolving Landscape of Higher Education

In today’s rapidly changing higher education landscape, it is crucial for enrollment staff to have a deep understanding of the evolving trends and challenges. The dynamics of higher education are constantly shifting, with advancements in technology, changes in student demographics, and evolving expectations from students and stakeholders.

By staying on top of the latest developments in the field, enrollment staff can adapt their strategies and approaches to serve students better and meet their enrollment goals. Keeping up with the latest research and best practices empowers enrollment staff to make informed decisions, implement effective strategies, and provide valuable guidance to prospective students. Further, understanding the evolving landscape of higher education enables enrollment staff to position themselves as trusted experts and thought leaders in their field. And, as any coach will tell you, a team of confident and capable players should be a priority when facing a challenging season. 

Benefits of Professional Development for Enrollment Staff

1: ACQUISITION OF NEW SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

One of the primary benefits of professional development is the acquisition of new skills and knowledge. Through workshops, conferences, and training programs, enrollment staff can enhance their expertise in areas such as student recruitment, admissions processes, data analysis, and student support. These new skills enable them to perform their roles more effectively and efficiently, resulting in improved enrollment outcomes.

2: FOSTERS A CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS LEARNING

Professional development also fosters a culture of continuous learning within the enrollment office. It encourages staff to stay updated on the latest trends and advancements in higher education, ensuring that their strategies remain relevant and effective. Additionally, ongoing development opportunities help staff stay motivated and engaged in their work, leading to increased job satisfaction and retention.

3: NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

Furthermore, professional development provides networking opportunities for enrollment staff. Team-wide training opportunities build stronger relationships within, while conferences and workshops bring together professionals from different institutions. Both allow for the exchange of ideas, collaboration, and the establishment of valuable professional connections. These connections can be instrumental in finding innovative solutions to common challenges and staying connected to the broader higher education community.

Importance of Providing Opportunities to Retrain Staff—Even on the Basics

While professional development often focuses on acquiring new skills and knowledge, it is equally important to provide opportunities for staff to retrain on the basics. Even experienced enrollment professionals can benefit from refreshing their foundational knowledge and skills. Plus, it helps ensure the entire team stays up to date with any changes or updates in enrollment processes and regulations. 

Retraining on the basics also helps identify any knowledge gaps or areas for improvement among staff members. It allows institutions to address these gaps through targeted training, ensuring that all staff have the necessary skills to excel in their roles.

By offering retraining opportunities, institutions ensure that their enrollment staff has a solid understanding of the fundamental principles and best practices in their field, which will help maintain consistency in processes and ensure that staff members are equipped to handle both routine tasks and unexpected challenges.

Effective Strategies for Implementing Professional Development Programs

Implementing an effective professional development program requires careful planning and consideration. Here are some strategies to ensure successful implementation:

1: NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Conduct a thorough needs assessment to identify the specific professional development needs of the enrollment staff. This can be done through surveys, interviews, and performance evaluations. By understanding the areas where staff members require development, institutions can tailor their programs to address those needs effectively.

2: DIVERSE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Offer a variety of learning opportunities to cater to different learning styles and preferences. This can include workshops, webinars, online courses, mentoring programs, and conferences. By providing diverse options, institutions can accommodate the individual learning needs of their staff members and maximize the impact of professional development initiatives.

3: SUPPORTIVE CULTURE

Foster a supportive culture that values continuous learning and encourages staff to actively engage in professional development. This can be achieved by recognizing and rewarding staff members who participate in development programs, creating dedicated time for learning activities, and providing resources and support for staff to pursue their learning goals.

4: EVALUATION & FEEDBACK

Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of professional development programs and collect feedback from staff members. This feedback can help identify areas for improvement and inform future program offerings. By involving staff in the evaluation process, institutions can ensure that their professional development initiatives align with the needs and expectations of the enrollment staff.

By implementing these strategies, institutions can create a culture of continuous learning and professional growth within their enrollment offices.

Future Trends in Professional Development for Enrollment Staff

The field of professional development for enrollment staff is continuously evolving to meet the changing needs and demands of higher education. Here are some future trends to watch:

1: PERSONALIZED LEARNING

With advancements in technology, personalized learning experiences are becoming more prevalent. We’re starting to see institutions leverage their online platforms and learning management systems to offer customized professional development opportunities tailored to the specific needs and interests of individual staff members.

2: MICROLEARNING

Microlearning refers to the delivery of content in small, bite-sized modules that can be consumed at the learner’s convenience. This trend allows staff members to engage in short, focused learning activities that fit into their busy schedules.

3: DATA-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT

Institutions are increasingly using data analytics to identify skill gaps and development needs among their enrollment staff. By analyzing performance data and feedback, institutions can design targeted development programs that address specific areas for improvement.

4: COLLABORATION & PARTNERSHIPS

Professional development doesn’t have to be limited to individual institutions. Collaborative efforts and partnerships between institutions, industry organizations, and professional associations allow for the sharing of resources, expertise, and best practices, resulting in more comprehensive and impactful development opportunities for enrollment staff.

CONCLUSION

As higher education continues to evolve at what seems like an ever-rapid pace, institutions must stay proactive and adaptable to ensure their enrollment staff receives the most relevant and effective professional development opportunities so their teams are equipped to succeed. enrollmentFUEL—a teaching-learning organization— puts professional development and training as one of our top priorities. If you’re looking for a simple but powerful resource for your staff, all of our REV Learning Series content is designed to facilitate easy and effective training and development opportunities for today’s busy enrollment teams.

Optimizing Your Enrollment Strategy with enrollmentFUEL’s Budget-Friendly Solutions

Optimizing Your Enrollment Strategy with enrollmentFUEL’s Budget-Friendly Solutions

As the fiscal year draws to a close, many higher education institutions find themselves with a bit of unspent budget. Rather than letting these funds go unused, why not invest them in ways that can significantly boost your enrollment strategy for the upcoming recruitment cycle? At enrollmentFUEL, we offer a range of powerful, cost-effective solutions that can be implemented, many for under $10,000. Here’s how you can make the most of your remaining budget.

BUDGET-FRIENDLY ENROLLMENT STRATEGY SERVICES

Slate Optimization for the Next Recruitment Cycle

A robust CRM system is the cornerstone of any efficient admission process, and Slate stands out as a top choice for many institutions. However, your Slate setup must be optimized regularly to fully leverage its capabilities. enrollmentFUEL can help optimize your Slate instance, ensuring it is primed for the next recruitment cycle. Our team will fine-tune your workflows, forms, and communication triggers, making sure that you’re set up for success and ready to engage prospective students more effectively from day one.

Communication Flow Audit

Effective communication is key to capturing the attention of prospective students. With our Comm Flow audit service, we delve into your existing communication strategy for a designated audience to identify areas of improvement and opportunity—especially targeting distinct groups such as transfer students, parents, or inquiries for individual graduate programs. This targeted audit will assess your messaging for the designated pipeline you select, ensuring it resonates well with the intended audience and stands out in a crowded marketplace.

SEM Effectiveness Study

Say goodbye to guesswork in your strategic enrollment management (SEM) planning. Our SEM Effectiveness Study offers a data-driven analysis of your current strategies and their outcomes. We’ll provide you with actionable insights and clear metrics that highlight what’s working and what can be improved. This study helps you reallocate resources more effectively, ensuring that every dollar you spend is an investment toward measurable outcomes.

Telecounseling or Ringless Voicemail Campaigns

Free up your admissions team’s time with our Telecounseling or Ringless Voicemail services. These tools automate the more transactional aspects of student recruitment communication, allowing your team to focus on building meaningful relationships with prospective students. By removing routine tasks from their workload, your counselors can concentrate on having transformative interactions with prospective students that will drive enrollment.

WHY CHOOSE enrollmentFUEL?

At enrollmentFUEL, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities faced by educational institutions in today’s competitive environment. Our solutions are designed to be affordable, effective, and customized to meet your institution’s specific needs. Whether it’s through optimizing technology, refining communication strategies, training your team, or employing advanced data analytics, we are here to FUEL your enrollment success.

As you mull over how to allocate your remaining budget, consider the long-term benefits of enhancing your recruitment strategy. Investing in these cost-effective solutions maximizes your leftover funds and sets you up for success in the upcoming academic year and beyond.

Ready to get started? Contact us today to learn more about how we can help transform your enrollment strategy and make the most of your budget. Let’s turn your unspent dollars into valuable investments for your institution’s future!

5 Critical Considerations When Scheduling an External SEM Study

5 Critical Considerations When Scheduling an External SEM Study

In these unusual times, colleges and universities face complex challenges. The educational landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, with declining demographics, economic pressures, and changing tools, all while institutional resources dwindle. Amid these trials, enrollment management processes must evolve, and adapting to new market realities is crucial. That’s why an external Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) study can be a game-changer. Although some may fear the implications of seeking external help, it’s time to set aside those concerns and focus on what’s best for success.

In this article, we will explore the benefits of external evaluations and discuss finding the right partner to navigate these turbulent waters. After all, taking action now can give your institution the best chance to thrive in the years to come.

1: UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES ARE THE NEW NORMAL

These are not normal times. Colleges and universities often struggle to maintain or increase enrollment, but the market conditions now (and for the foreseeable future) are incredibly challenging.

The Demographic Cliff is Real & It’s Going to Get Worse

The customer base, especially for traditional students, is declining and will continue declining. The industry is overbuilt, given trending birth rates, high school graduation trends, and the growing numbers of families who no longer see value in higher education.

The Economy is Not Helping

Inflation is hurting families’ ability to pay for college. Financial challenges create real pressure for price increases at colleges and universities.  

Federal & State Funding for Financial Aid is Simply Not Keeping Pace

As aggregate financial need grows and funding stays relatively flat, the gaps in the ability to pay mean institutions must increase institutional aid expenditures or lose prospective students because of inadequate financial aid packages.

Traditional Tools are Changing

Colleges must continuously respond to technological changes, social media, and all communication mechanisms. Recent changes at the testing agencies will decrease the number of student names available for Student Search.

Institutional Resources are Becoming Even More Scarce

Given inflation, rising financial aid costs, declining endowments, and the demand for salary equity, obtaining the resources needed to succeed is only getting more challenging. Enrollment leaders are expected to accomplish more with fewer human and fiscal resources.

2: ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT PROCESSES MUST EVOLVE

The enrollment management environment is constantly changing and at a rate much faster than in previous years. Too often, enrollment managers face drops in applications, acceptances, and yield, yet have little time to evaluate every aspect of the recruitment and financial aid plan to make timely and impactful changes.

Regardless of time, resource, or personnel constraints, enrollment management plans must change in response to new market realities. Continuing with the same strategies and tactics when recent history demonstrates that they may no longer be effective is ill-advised.

3: ASSESS THE BENEFITS OF EXTERNAL REVIEWS

Deciding to engage an external entity to conduct a detailed study is a big step. Some enrollment managers fear such an engagement will make it appear they are not qualified for the job, and some may fear implications that there are weaknesses in the current approach.

It is time to set those fears aside and do what is best to help you succeed. There are real benefits to an external evaluation.

Broad Array of Experience

Enrollment management consultants bring a broad array of experience to the table. Consultants benefit from working with dozens (if not hundreds) of colleges and universities, which qualifies them to identify weaknesses in a variety of operations and provides access to innovative practices.  

An Opportunity to Ask Your Questions

An external audit allows you to ask specific questions about your operation. External consultants create a safe space for sharing known challenges you may not know how to resolve. Discuss your ideas and initiatives to uncover flaws and identify opportunities.

Credibility Garners Support

External experts can come to the table with greater credibility than internal operators. Take advantage of their credibility to garner outside support for needed resources or confirmation of initiatives you may struggle to sell to leadership.

4: FINDING THE RIGHT CONSULTING FIRM

Once you have decided to bring in outside experts to improve your policies, processes, and outcomes, identifying the right consultant for you and your institution is essential.

Experience Matters

Find a company with significant experience. How many colleges and universities has the company served? Do they provide a one-size fits all solution, or are they customizing the study for you?

Who Have They Worked with in the Past?

Generic experience is terrific, but specific work with other colleges and universities like yours is critical. A company whose clients are mostly large public institutions may not be the best fit for a small liberal arts college.

Look for a Company with Demonstrated Success

Company X may have worked with 100 colleges and universities, but can they provide examples of material success? Did the number of viable applications increase? Did more students get accepted? Keep in mind that success in generating applications and acceptances is meaningless unless the firm can also point to material increases in enrollment.

Find a Partner Who Will be an Advocate

If you are a Vice President for Enrollment or a Director of Admission or Financial Aid, seek a company that will act as a real partner and advocate. A reliable partner understands that your institution’s success is their success. They will work closely with you, taking the time to understand your specific needs, challenges, and goals. This level of partnership goes beyond a transactional relationship; it’s about forming a collaborative alliance built on trust, mutual respect, and shared objectives. An advocate will champion your cause within your organization, leveraging their experience working with numerous colleges and universities to identify weaknesses, provide innovative solutions, and help you make informed decisions. A partner and advocate can help you gain credibility and support from key stakeholders within your institution. They bring an external perspective and expertise that can inform and persuade internal stakeholders. 

5: SELLING THE INVESTMENT TO YOUR PRESIDENT & SENIOR ADMINISTRATORS

Enrollment managers may need financial resources from the cabinet or President if the departmental budget is insufficient to fund a study.

It’s Good Business & Best Practice

An external study is good business and a best practice. Even a college or university performing well in the current environment can benefit from the opinions of external experts.

Weigh the Costs Against the Potential Benefits

While costs may vary significantly as a function of project size and scope, even modest success can cover the cost of the investment. Consider the net revenue generated by a single new student at your institution. How many additional students would it take to cover the cost of the study?

Market conditions are dire for many colleges and universities. Hardly a week goes by without another report of a longstanding college or university closing. While so many institutions are struggling, it is also clear that some are thriving. There will be winners and losers over the next several years. Act now to give your institution the best chance to be among the schools that thrive.

Powering Up: Enrollment Leaders Battle the Great Resignation

Powering Up: Enrollment Leaders Battle the Great Resignation

One of my all-time favorite movies is The Replacements with Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman. If you have never seen it, it’s the story of a fictional pro-football team that must scramble to find new players in the middle of the season due to a players’ strike. 

In just one week, their newly-hired coach puts together a ragtag team of replacement semi-pro players who nobody expects to succeed. Yet, as you might have guessed, by the end of the story, the replacements have molded themselves into a well-oiled machine winning not just their games, but also the hearts of those watching.

I keep thinking of Gene Hackman’s character’s brilliant strategy as a coach. He invested in individuals and he took time to train them. In an unthinkable situation, he created a team where there was none. Sound familiar? It feels like many Enrollment Management leaders have been finding themselves in similar situations over the past two years.

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly been one of the most influential events to shake up the industry since the advent of the Internet. The effects are far-reaching and continue to spread from the uncertainty among students and families, the campus closures and reopens, and the back-and-forth switch between online and in-person instruction, to enrollment declines and budgetary shortages, among many others. And now, we add on the Great Resignation.

As an enrollment partner, the enrollmentFUEL team has recently been working with numerous admissions, marketing, and financial aid offices that are severely understaffed. In the admissions world, there has always been an inside joke that staff turnover is a constantly revolving door, and we, as an industry, have embraced that to an extent. However, the past months have been, to use an exhausted description at this point, unprecedented. Nothing about what colleges and universities are facing feels like “business as usual” anymore.The only constant has been, ironically, change.

It’s the beginning of a new year, however, so what better time to take a breath and anchor ourselves in tangible actions—especially for the sake of anyone just entering the Enrollment Management profession.  

Below, we have compiled some ideas on specific actions that might help you develop your own successful team and address staff retention for the coming year (or five).

1: TAKE TRAINING & ONBOARDING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Training is a must; there is no doubt about that. The foundational knowledge an admission counselor needs to be successful in their position is often underestimated. On occasion, I have seen counselors’ onboarding take less than half a day, with a quick manual that tells them how to answer some questions and maybe how to use the systems, but nothing about why they are doing either. Instead, why not create a robust, scaffolded multi-day training program that helps any new hire connect the dots? It will take some work on the front end, but when you launch your program, record training sessions for future reference, whenever possible. That way, new admission staff can refer to the training later, and having the recordings handy can reduce the “lift” required in the future should you see more turnover.

2: INVOLVEMENT FROM THE START

Training is a must; there is no doubt about that. The foundational knowledge an admission counselor needs to be successful in their position is often underestimated. On occasion, I have seen counselors’ onboarding take less than half a day, with a quick manual that tells them how to answer some questions and maybe how to use the systems, but nothing about why they are doing either. Instead, why not create a robust, scaffolded multi-day training program that helps any new hire connect the dots? It will take some work on the front end, but when you launch your program, record training sessions for future reference, whenever possible. That way, new admission staff can refer to the training later, and having the recordings handy can reduce the “lift” required in the future should you see more turnover.

3: ALLOW FOR FLEXIBILITY

This one is a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also definitely a shift that started before March of 2020. Whether this means allowing for variable work hours, alternating between working in the office vs. work-from-home (WFH), or redefining workspaces, introduce flexibility where it makes sense for you and your team. If there’s one thing people appreciated about COVID, it was the additional flexibility working from home afforded them during the pandemic. There’s a real focus on work-life balance now, and it is likely here to stay.

4: PUT YOURSELF BACK IN THEIR TRAVEL SHOES

Maybe it’s been a few years (or a decade or two), but almost all enrollment leaders started their journey as “road warrior” admission counselors. Try to remember what it felt like to recruit a new class for the first time: the wide-eyed belief in the institution you represented, the excitement of travel season, the way meeting one great student at one college fair could make the whole week of sleeping in hotels feel worth it. Tell your stories to your staff and listen to theirs. Connections establish trust and validate their roles, and ultimately, that connection might be the reason they choose to stay on your staff or continue growing in the profession.

5: USE ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS SHORTAGES

If you’re short-staffed due to someone resigning, the intuitive thing to do is to redistribute responsibilities among the existing staff. I would encourage you to explore other alternatives. While you may consider leaning on the counselors who are still there, that might create more pressure, affect the quality of their work, and lead to burnout. Instead, engage your alumni whenever possible—in most cases, they will jump at the opportunity to help with recruitment efforts and relive the memories of their time on campus. Or, use strategic partnerships. Partners, like enrollmentFUEL, can now offer a variety of short and long-term solutions (from Student Search and lead generation to CRM consulting, calling campaigns, and digital marketing) that can help put your mind at ease and ensure that your counselors are not shouldering another part-time job for no extra pay. 

6: TRAIN YOUR OWN REPLACEMENTS

This might sound a bit impending, and it is. Do not underestimate the power of mentorship as professional development. We need to identify, build up, and promote the next generation of enrollment leaders—the “lifers,” if you will. They are probably already on your staff, so it’s important to sense who they are—the ones with a heart for Enrollment Management who you see as future directors and VPs. They might be the ones who spend a little longer with the families, who always run behind on their campus tours because they love to chat, or those who are first to volunteer for a Saturday Open House. They might come back from three months of travel energized and refreshed. See them, engage them, invest in them. Find those diamonds in the rough, your ragtag team of players with potential. The work that you put in this effort now will not be wasted. In fact, you will be actively rebuilding the future of Higher Education Enrollment Management.

Student Loan Forgiveness for You, and You, and You

Student Loan Forgiveness for You, and You, and You

Student loan forgiveness has been a hot topic of conversation. It’s no wonder, given the announcement released by President Biden, Vice President Harris, and the U.S. Department of Education as part of the Student Debt Relief Plan. Yet, even with the amount of information available, the details can get somewhat convoluted and confusing. For instance, what do you do when you receive a phone call from a third-party debt relief service promising to lower your monthly payment? Tempting offer, is it not? Yet, after only a few minutes on the phone, you’d find that you have to pay for the “opportunity” to access their supposed debt relief program, something that is actually accessible for free to all federal student loan borrowers.

HIGHER ED STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS & THE STUDENT DEBT RELIEF PLAN

This is precisely what happened recently to Dr. Jacquelyn D. Elliott, enrollmentFUEL’s president, and to me. We are both blessed to have sufficient experience and knowledge to quickly recognize a scam, but that may not be the case for many young professionals. Third-party debt relief companies have become increasingly popular among student loan borrowers. Since the announcement of President Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Program, these third-party companies have taken advantage of the opportunity to make money from student loan borrowers.

I wanted to take a few moments to shed more light on the topic: let’s talk debt relief programs, options, and ways to access them for free. You see, the federal government supplies a free process to students for servicing their student loans, yet borrowers often use a pay-for-service student loan provider as an alternative. These programs can charge hundreds or thousands of dollars in sign-up and monthly maintenance fees for programs ALL federal student loan borrowers have access to with no fees.

What Should You Do When You Receive Calls Offering Student Loan Forgiveness?

• Ask them how they are affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education. If they do not provide a good answer, or any answer at all, discontinue the conversation immediately.
• Never provide your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) or federal student aid log-in information to anyone, ever.
• If you’re having difficulty making your student loan payments, you have options. Contact YOUR student loan servicers. If you’re having trouble finding your student loan servicers’ information, contact your school’s financial aid office.
• Only talk to your school or your student loan servicers regarding your federal student loans.
• There are already a variety of repayment plans available for students. See the information below—there may be a suitable plan waiting for you!

We are all likely to fall for a scam phone call when we do not have sufficient information on a subject. For that reason, we have summarized some useful information regarding the Loan Forgiveness Program and the upcoming changes, as well as some other things anyone in higher education should know about it. Feel free to use the information below both for personal benefit and as you continue working with students on an everyday basis. 

What is the Student Loan Forgiveness Program?

The Student Loan Forgiveness Program is pretty much what it sounds like: the chance to have a portion of one’s federal student loans forgiven, if the borrower meets certain requirements. There are a few key elements to the new Student Loan Forgiveness Program as it currently stands:

• There will be a one-time final extension of the federal student loan repayment pause, originally introduced as a result of COVID-19. Federal student loan payments will resume in January 2023.
• Additional student loan debt relief will be offered to low and middle-income families. Up to $20,000 of debt cancellation will be available for federal Pell Grant recipients, while non-Pell Grant recipients could be eligible for up to $10,000 in debt cancellation on federal student loans. Borrowers will be eligible for the relief if their individual income is less than $125,000 per year or their household income is less than $250,000 per year. Public service loan forgiveness is still an available option for those who may be eligible.
• Although there have been long-standing income-based repayment plans available for students, an additional repayment plan is being offered to low and middle-income families to substantially reduce future monthly payments for those borrowers. 

According to studentaid.gov, this new repayment plan would:

• Require borrowers to pay no more than 5% of their discretionary monthly income on undergraduate loans. This is down from the 10% available under the most recent income-driven repayment plan.
• Raise the amount of income that is considered non-discretionary income and therefore protected from repayment, guaranteeing that no borrower earning under 225% of the federal poverty level—about the annual equivalent of a $15 per hour minimum wage for a single borrower—will have to make a monthly payment.
• Forgive loan balances after ten years of on-time payments, instead of 20 years, for borrowers with loan balances of $12,000 or less.
• Cover the borrower’s unpaid monthly interest, so that unlike other existing income-driven repayment plans, no borrower’s loan balance will grow as long as they make their monthly payments—even when that monthly payment is $0 because their income is low.

To find out more information, click here: Biden-Harris Administration’s Student Debt Relief Plan.

Different Types of Repayment Plans

Some borrowers may not know that there are multiple types of repayment plans already available. It’s important to understand what they are and which one best fits each person’s unique financial, personal, and professional circumstances. 

While there is an additional income-driven repayment plan under the new program, as mentioned above, several repayment plan options currently exist. We’ve provided a brief overview of the different repayment plans below. More details on each plan can be found on the Repayment Plans web page of the Federal Student Aid website. 

STANDARD REPAYMENT PLAN

Payments are a fixed amount that ensures your loans are paid off within ten years (or within ten to 30 years for Consolidation Loans).

GRADUATED REPAYMENT PLAN

Payments are lower at first and then increase, usually every two years, and are for an amount that will ensure your loans are paid off within ten years (or within ten to 30 years for Consolidation Loans).

EXTENDED REPAYMENT PLAN

Payments may be fixed or graduated and will ensure that your loans are paid off within 25 years.

REVISED PAY-AS-YOU-EARN PAYMENT PLAN

• Your monthly payments will be 10% of your discretionary income.
• Any outstanding balance on your loan will be forgiven if you haven’t repaid your loan in full after 20 years (if all loans were taken out for undergraduate study) or 25 years (if any loans were taken out for graduate or professional study).
• Initial “pay as you earn” plan is similar without the debt forgiveness

INCOME-BASED REPAYMENT PLAN

• Your monthly payments will be either 10% or 15% of your discretionary income (depending on when you received your first loans), but never more than you would have paid under the ten-year Standard Repayment Plan.
• Any outstanding balance on your loan will be forgiven if you haven’t repaid your loan in full after 20 years or 25 years, depending on when you received your first loans.

INCOME-CONTINGENT REPAYMENT PLAN

• Payments will be 20% of your discretionary income, or the amount you would pay on a repayment plan with a fixed payment over 12 years, adjusted according to your income.
• Any outstanding balance will be forgiven if you haven’t repaid your loan in full after 25 years.

INCOME-SENSITIVE REPAYMENT PLAN

Your monthly payment is based on annual income, but your loan will be paid in full within 15 years.

For more information on student loans and student loan repayment programs, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) has a few articles full of great information. Check them out below: 

• Why Pay for What You Can Do for Free? ED Works to Educate Students on Third-Party Student Debt Companies
• BREAKING NEWS: ED Takes Action Against Third-Party Debt Relief Companies

Many student loan resources are available. Hopefully this article helps provide clarity on best practices for using those resources. Knowledge is powerful. Equip yourself with information and empower yourself, your students, and others in your life.

Yield Events Do’s & Don’ts: Lessons Learned from the enrollmentFUEL Yield Roundtable

Yield Events Do’s & Don’ts: Lessons Learned from the enrollmentFUEL Yield Roundtable

Enrollment management departments have wrapped up another yield season. Hopefully, for you and your team, it has been fruitful—that things went right, and you discovered new ways to connect with admitted students. As you kick off the new academic year, however, it’s not too early to start thinking about next spring when yield will once again be at the forefront of our minds. Early planning can yield early results (pun only slightly intended).

Lucky for you, we are here to share some Yield lessons, specifically about yield events, from EM leaders who gathered at our REV Roundtable event earlier this spring. The discussion, which also featured topics such as deposit incentives, timing of deposits, and admitted student communication, was attended by a broad spectrum of enrollmentFUEL partner institutions. 

A big focus in all of the breakout rooms was the efficiency and efficacy of yield events or, as many of us lovingly refer to them, Admitted Student Days (ASD). When asked in a poll, 95% of Roundtable participants said they have held or would be holding on-campus ASD events this year, and only 5% responded that they do not have any yield events planned. That being said, everyone around the Zoom table expressed concerns or doubts about whether the way they have always conducted these events is the best way.  

Ideas about improving on-campus admitted student events were buzzing on the Zoom screen, and since we are all about sharing, we wanted to pass along some of them so you, too, could make your next Yield Season pop.

DON’T USE A GENERIC, NONDESCRIPT NAME FOR THE EVENT—DO MAKE IT DIFFERENT; GIVE IT A MEMORABLE NAME!

Most events will, in fact, be called Admitted Student Days, but what if they are something different? Give your event an exciting name that tells students and their families what they should expect. Make it specific to your campus by using your mascot or another recognizable feature in the name. Below are a few examples:

• A Lion For a Day: An event that takes admitted students behind the scenes of what it’s like to be a student on your campus. 
• One-on-One with the Dolphins: An individualized experience that gives admitted students the chance to meet in person with financial aid, athletics, their future academic department or advisor, etc.
• Meet Your Quad Squad Day: Introduce admitted students to all the hangout spots around campus where they can engage with each other, potentially finding their future roommates.

Whatever name or theme you choose, make it memorable and make it yours! 

DON’T AIM FOR A LARGE CROWD—DO MAKE IT SMALLER

As EM professionals, we tend to measure success in volume. Yet, when it comes to events for admitted students, maybe there is a way to flip the script and rethink the ASD experience to make it as small and personal as possible. Instead of one four-hour block of time with a large group, have 1-1 events for admitted students over the period of a week. Engage them individually, roll out the red carpet (literal red carpet wins a bonus gold star!), or create the event around their personal interests. You will never hear students or their families complain that something was too personalized, so go all out! 

DON’T HOST THE TYPICAL ACADEMIC SESSION—DO RETHINK HOW OUTSIDE DEPARTMENTS CAN BE INVOLVED

Setting up rows of tables and having faculty staff them during an hour-long academic session at the gym is all right, but how about showcasing what your academic departments can do in a different way? Do an on-screen newscast for your Comms department, a speed-dating session for your Psychology department, an escape room organized by your Theatre department with all of their props, lift some fingerprints off of desks with your Chemistry department, or have an egg drop challenge with the Physics faculty. Imagining their academic experience as exciting and out-of-the-box will create lasting memories and attachments for the students and their families. 

DON’T FORGET TO ASK FOR COMMITMENT—DO MAKE THE ASK CONSISTENTLY AND PERSISTENTLY

Outside of size, the number of commitments collected is the other measure of a successful ASD event. So, plan for how you will make that ask, make it as easy as possible for the families to pay the deposit while at the event, and create a celebratory moment for all whenever a student says “Yes” to the College! Set up a photo booth station with a backdrop and the mascot standing by, call out the names of committed students during various events (with their permission, of course), hand out gift bags to deposited students AND have some ready to hand out to ones who make the decision during the event—all are great ways to provide fun incentives. Additionally, communicate the urgency behind deciding soon in various ways to all audiences: to students, to families, to students and families together. Make the ask and give them the chance to respond. 

DON’T LIMIT YOUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH ADMITTED STUDENTS—DO TREAT THEM LIKE INQUIRIES AGAIN

Yes, they have been through the entire funnel. They have filled out the application, received the acceptance letter, and reviewed their financial aid award letter. They have done all the transactional tasks that apply. Now, it’s time to bring them back to transformational messaging once again. Remind them why they looked at your campus in the first place. Show them how they will be welcomed and embraced by the campus community. Introduce them to who they will be working with/studying with/living with so they can see it in their mind. When you have them as a captive audience on campus, don’t just focus on their next steps; make the main message their next four years. 

Whatever direction you choose to take your next admitted student event or yield event, now is the time to rethink how to make it more COMPELLING. Our industry often becomes complacent, and it is hard to change or think outside the box. Yet, change and think outside the box we must! Students and families have been progressively becoming savvier consumers, and they expect more than a tour of campus and a session in an overcrowded auditorium before cafeteria lunch, especially if they are to do the same all over again next week at another college. While resources and budgets can be tight, and large portions of funds, time, and effort are often dedicated to the top stages of the funnel with Search, generating applications, and completing applications, yield should not be an afterthought. Planning ahead for your yield events and setting things in motion now for next spring can give you the advantage you need to convert your admitted pool into the class you would like to see on your campus next fall. 

Ring Ring! Automate Standardized Communications to Save Time & Money

Ring Ring! Automate Standardized Communications to Save Time & Money

Many colleges and universities face continuing staffing shortages and are finding themselves neck-deep in the struggle to maintain necessary but time-consuming standardized recruitment communications. When you’re in dire need of a few extra sets of hands, not all processes and operations can afford to come to a screeching halt. This is why automation has arguably become more necessary now than ever.

The first question that may come to mind is, “What areas can be automated?” For higher education institutions that understand the finite nature of their team’s available time, the first solution to consider is telecounseling. 

Let’s talk about some of the ways implementing a telecounseling service could take a huge weight off your staff’s shoulders and leave them more time to make valuable connections.

NO TIME? NO PROBLEM.

Automated processes can free up much-needed bandwidth for your staff to not only connect meaningfully with prospective students but also to think strategically about how best to recruit those students who are most likely to enroll and succeed at your institution. 

Every hour counts when you’re responsible for encouraging prospects to apply and shepherding applicants through the admissions process so they deposit and enroll. When an institution is tight on help, they may feel they have to choose which area of their operations is neglected. 

Telecounseling is not just a solution for lightening the load, but also for aiding in reducing the margin of error for missed opportunities and improving timeliness of responses.

When your staff is working hard and has a lot on their plates, mistakes will occur in their communications from time to time. Automating your telecounseling services means your dedicated call center team is wholly devoted to making sure the right calls and texts go to the right people at the right time. 

This leaves room for the one thing that automation can’t replace: fostering personal relationships with prospective students! Telecounseling helps keep the busywork to a minimum and gives your staff more face time!

ENOUGH TO GO AROUND

You may find strain on staff in various departments of your school, but telecounseling services are often versatile enough to provide relief to more than just your admissions and enrollment management teams. Improving operations is always an excellent goal, so why not start with a win-win?

Telecounseling is a great tool to expedite those necessary transactional processes, such as financial aid for pre-awarding scholarships, sharing standard information, answering frequently asked questions, and even connecting with students regarding missing information you still need from them. 

The more tasks you and your team can identify as “repeating yourself,” the more those time-consuming tasks can be pared down. Using automation leaves the rest to professionals, equipped with your approved scripted messaging, who dedicate their time and experience to you and your institution’s goals.

BOLSTER YOUR ADVERTISING & MARKETING

While it’s still best to save the customized and personal communications for conversations in person or over the phone, telecounseling is a terrific solution for general updates and simple broadcasting.

Automated calling and texting are perfect for spreading the word about a new program, event, or offering; sending reminders to campus residents without the message getting buried in their inbox; and notifying internal and external audiences about important content that deserves just a little extra personalization and attention. Telecounseling is ideal for various forms of calls-to-action, like a text message with a link to a quick survey, event registration, and deadline reminders.

If your institution is finding itself in the throes of the Great Resignation staffing struggle, remember: not every process has to face the deliberation of which engines get to keep running full throttle. Telecounseling is an excellent way to give more time back to your valued staff so they can do what they do best: make meaningful connections!

Reach out to us if you’re ready to put automation to work for you. enrollmentFUEL’s very own Telecounseling solution may be just the right approach for you! Our enrollment experts develop scripts, provide training, and monitor quality so your team will have more time and energy to keep recruiting!

Extend Your Recruitment Reach

Extend Your Recruitment Reach

Whether you are at a campus that feels like a ghost town in the summer or at one with a thriving summer enrollment, summer is always a great time to extend the reach of the enrollment department by partnering with your colleagues across campus.

TIPS TO BOOST SUMMER RECRUITMENT EFFORTS

Faculty

Before they leave campus in May, spend time talking with your faculty to see where they may be traveling in the summer or which virtual events they will be attending. Make sure those faculty have the resources they need (brochures, web links, PowerPoint presentations, etc.) and that you have developed a game plan with them about how they can assist with the recruitment process.

In the performing arts and science areas, you may have faculty judging competitions and/or attending camps or offsite auditions. Coordinate your efforts, so you are working as a team to get the information needed to successfully recruit students.

While international travel may be limited, faculty may spend their summer where they grew up or researching in another town that could open up opportunities to interact with college-bound students.

Coaches

Like faculty, coaches are active in their field in the summer, attending tournaments or hosting summer camps. Make sure when they are traveling to tournaments, they collect information on students and passing it to your office and taking brochures that may interest the parents in the stands.

If your coaches are hosting summer camps, ask if you can send an admission counselor to talk to the campers at least once each week. No need to talk for an hour or even 30 minutes. A five to 15-minute talk and a brochure in their camp bags are sure to drive some interest.

Events

Consider adding short opportunities to visit campus in the summer. Some campuses are lovely in the evening. Think about adding an evening tour option where families can tour and meet with an admission counselor once a month. For many campuses, this provides a cooler part of the day for tours in the summer and also an opportunity for families from out of town or those whose parents can’t get off work during the day.

Another event idea is to host a monthly summer tour in the afternoon along with an information session where students make various stops to take photos. Use a hashtag for the event to spread your reach on social media. Hand out sunglasses, fanny packs, and cool treats.

Camps & Conferences

Outside of athletic camps, your campus might host other camps and conferences. These may include church groups, Boys or Girls State, or STEM camps. Talk with the camps and conferences in your area to ensure you are in the loop with all external events coming to campus to determine if there are opportunities for soft recruiting.

Digital

Finally, consider how digital marketing can play a part in your summer recruitment. Use channels like TikTok and Instagram to showcase “day-in-the-life” videos of students, activities they participate in during the summer, or special events you host. Students are actively using social media as search engines, so having an active presence over the summer is crucial!

If you have the budget, pushing ads may also help in building your funnel and creating brand awareness about your school.

Regardless of your strategy, don’t miss these opportunities to grow your reach over the summer.