Creating meaningful arrivals content
Last week, thousands of students found out which universities they were heading to - and the majority of the UK education sector has been focused on helping some of them find places through Clearing. Now, they’re moving on to the next big milestone: arriving at university.
For students, this is an exciting and stressful time. Your arrivals content needs to help them navigate a whole new world. More importantly, it needs to set them up for sustained success at university.
They’ve been through a heck of a lot over the past few years. You’ll need to introduce them to your systems, teaching and life - alongside helping them with the usual learning curve of starting at university.
At its heart though, your content needs to see this as an extension of the application process. Your students’ experience doesn’t start now. It began months ago.
You need to make sure that you continue the energy that your Marketing and Admissions teams put into bringing them to your institution. Yes, that much effort. From their point of view, you’re one team - and why would your support drop once they’re on campus?
Part of that will be two-way conversations. One of the best ways to reach them will be creating content for where they already are: social media.
Introduce them to the key people at your institution, like the Director of Student Services. This will help them know more about the structure of your organisation and who will be working to support them.
Run Q&As to answer their questions. If an open, anything-goes style is too overwhelming (thinking of you, teams of one), run a series focusing on different key areas like sport, accommodation or societies.
Create POV guides to common scenarios. Show them what it’ll be like to pick up the keys for their halls room, or find their way to your Great Hall. Short explanations can help people set expectations and manage their anxieties during new processes.
If you maintain your enthusiasm and connection, they’ll know how much your institution cares about them. And once you have that bond, your students will begin to advocate for you.
We all know that the strongest incentive to shout about a brand is our own experience. Whether you’ve been left frustrated by a delivery, or helped by excellent customer service, it’s about more than content. You need to build a holistic approach to each student’s journey at your institution. Touchpoints to check in with progress, services to support them throughout, and clear communication to manage their expectations. All of this adds up to a roadmap, so they always know their next step towards where they want to go. Because that’s what’s at the heart of education, right? Building exciting futures for young people.
So when you’re welcoming new students to your campus, remember: this isn’t their first step on the road.
If you need help on creating a strategy or content for your arrivals, get in touch!
