An Easy, Repeatable Higher Ed Content Strategy For Small Teams With Small Budgets
Most content strategies don’t fail because they’re bad ideas.
They fail because they’re too complicated out of the gate.
You’ve probably seen ambitious content distribution playbooks that look great on paper:
write a blog post → reformat for email → build a landing page → produce a long-form video → slice it into five short-form videos → distribute across every channel.
It’s not that that playbook isn’t helpful or accurate. It’s just not realistic for small teams with limited resources.
And that’s okay.
Instead of trying to launch a full content “ecosystem” on day one, start with something smaller and more sustainable.
Start with a seed.
Step 1: Choose One Core Format
Pick one content format you want to pursue and build a simple, repeatable system around it.
That could be:
A recurring “day in the life” video
A written student spotlight series
A monthly faculty profile
A short-form Q&A feature
The key is to choose one format and commit to it.
Step 2: Build a Simple, Repeatable System
Once you’ve picked the format, build a basic workflow:
Identify powerful stories to tell (students, alumni, faculty, staff).
Invite someone to be featured on a regular cadence.
Capture their story in your chosen format.
Publish it in one primary location where your audience can reliably find it.
For example, one approach might be:
A student films “a day in the life” as an engineering major.
Your team (or the student) edits it into a simple vertical video.
You write a short profile.
You publish the profile and embed the video on a dedicated landing page.
Example: University of Cincinnati’s “Day in the Life” Stories
The University of Cincinnati created a simple but effective content system by:
Featuring five different students from different programs
Highlighting different career paths
Putting all five stories on a single landing page
Each story includes:
A short written profile
An embedded “day in the life” video (pulled directly from Instagram)
Prospective students can visit this page to see varied perspectives on UC from real students, and even click through to each student’s Instagram to see more.
This is what a seed looks like:
One format
One destination
A system you can repeat
Step 3: Rinse and Repeat
Once the system is in place, the goal is consistency, not complexity.
Keep telling one story at a time.
Keep publishing to the same destination.
Keep the format recognizable.
Over time, this builds:
A reliable library of stories
A habit within your team
A clear, dependable experience for your audience
You’re not building an entire forest yet. You’re tending a single, healthy tree.
How Simple Systems Grow Into Bigger Strategies
When you invest in a seed instead of trying to manage an entire forest, a few things happen:
People start to see results.
Stakeholders get more excited.
Buy-in increases.
That’s when the natural “what ifs” start to emerge:
What if we repurposed these stories for email?
What if we cut a 15-second version for paid social?
What if we built a YouTube playlist around this series?
The strategy evolves because the system is working, not because a complex plan was forced from day one.
Pair the Seed With a Flexible Strategy
Every college still needs a broader content strategy so the pieces work together across:
Website
Email
Social
Video
Events
Paid media
But that strategy should be flexible enough to evolve as buy-in grows and results come in.
Practical approach:
This month: Get one simple content system off the ground (your seed).
Next month: Test a repurposing layer—e.g., turning those stories into a simple email series for prospective students.
Later: Add additional channels and formats where it makes sense.
Small, intentional steps beat big, unsustainable plans every time.
When You’re Ready for a Bigger Blueprint
Once a team has a working “seed” system, that’s the ideal time to zoom out and design a larger, integrated video and content strategy that matches:
Your team’s bandwidth
Your budget
Your goals across enrollment, advancement, and brand
A good blueprint doesn’t just list content ideas; it lays out a clear, realistic system for creation and distribution.
Learn more about our video strategy workshops where in just a 2-hour session with your team we can craft a larger plan that’s realistic for your budget and your resources.
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