In this episode, we chat with Michelle McMahon, Digital Marketing Officer at the University of Limerick. Michelle brings a wealth of experience, including her time as a journalist, radio presenter, and head of social innovation at Fleischmann Hillard. At UL, Michelle oversees innovative projects like the student-led social media officer program and the award-winning Stay Curious campaign.

Michelle shares how her team creates impactful storytelling campaigns, integrates video-first strategies, and empowers students to lead content creation. From heartwarming Christmas videos to showcasing groundbreaking research, Michelle reveals how her small but agile team manages to stand out in higher ed marketing.

Key Takeaways:

• The Power of Storytelling: Leading with human-centered narratives is more impactful than focusing solely on course attributes. “Who cares, and why should they care?” is the guiding question for Michelle’s team.

• Video-First Strategy: UL adopts a cinematic approach for brand campaigns while leveraging lo-fi, student-led content for platforms like TikTok, ensuring authenticity and relatability.

• Collaborative Marketing Models: A small, centralized team with a decentralized structure can excel by fostering collaboration and respecting expertise across departments.

• Student-Led Content Creation: UL's innovative approach to empowering students on TikTok and Instagram leads to engaging, fun, and peer-to-peer content that resonates with younger audiences.

• The Magic of Christmas Campaigns: UL’s heartfelt holiday video proved that storytelling can boost internal morale and inspire pride while showcasing institutional values.

• Metrics That Matter: Reach and engagement drive UL’s brand awareness campaigns, with comments offering valuable insights into audience sentiment and resonance.

Featured Campaigns:

1. Stay Curious Postgraduate Campaign – A campaign featuring inspiring stories like Alison Sweeney’s journey from music teacher to senior music therapist.

2. Research Series – Showcasing UL researchers’ work under four pillars: smarter, inclusive, healthier, and sustainable societies.

3. Student-Led Social Media Content – Fun, authentic TikTok and Instagram videos created by UL’s student social media officers.

4. Christmas Video 2023 – A heartwarming story celebrating childhood dreams and UL’s role in making them a reality.

Resources mentioned:

• Alumna’s Alison Sweeney’s story of music therapy

• Student content creator program on TikTok 

• Research storytelling video

• Christmas video

Connect with Michelle:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-mc-mahon-6893475/

• X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/mcmahonmichelle

Connect with UL:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/universityoflimerick/

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@universityoflimerick

Connect with Host John Azoni:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is Amy West, Associate Vice President for Marketing and Brand Strategy at Bowling Green State University. With over 25 years at BGSU, Amy has led her team to national recognition through innovative, data-driven marketing and a collaborative, “social-first” approach.

In this episode, Amy shares insights into how she built a high-performing marketing team that is both passionate and innovative. She discusses her approach to building a “social-first” strategy, the importance of storytelling that resonates with prospective students and parents, and how BGSU’s success on social media has supported increased enrollment and retention rates.

Key Takeaways:

• Shifting to a “social-first” strategy has been crucial for BGSU’s growth, with an expanded social media team and content tailored for each platform.

• Data-driven decisions guide content, with tools like Sprout Social helping track performance and prioritize high-impact storytelling.

• Successful campaigns, including influencer-led “Speed Tours” and creative video series like “Selling BGSU,” appeal to both students and parents, amplifying engagement and campus visits.

• Building a collaborative, creative team culture is a priority, with a balance of generalists and specialists who support each other’s strengths.

• Content that resonates with students’ lives beyond academics, such as research impacts on daily life, helps BGSU demonstrate the value of higher education.

• Embracing bold and innovative content strategies, such as partnering with TikTok influencers, has set BGSU apart from competitors and earned national recognition.

• With BGSU’s enrollment up by 23% and retention rates at a record high, Amy shares actionable strategies for marketing teams aiming to increase engagement and drive student interest.

Connect with Amy:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-west-7291042a/

• Email: amywest@bgsu.edu

Connect with BGSU:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialbgsu/

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@officialbgsu

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC06mUpFwhpETnNi0fQjSMfQ

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is Dr. Meghan Grace, a generational expert, researcher, speaker, consultant, and podcast host. Meghan has spent a decade studying what shapes generations and makes them tick. She is the co-author of multiple books on Generation Z, including "Generation Z Goes to College."

In this episode, Meghan discusses strategies for creating content that resonates with Gen Z audiences in higher education marketing. She shares insights on Gen Z's skepticism of institutions, their content preferences, and effective approaches for colleges to connect with this generation.

Key Takeaways:

• Gen Z's skepticism of higher education stems from informed consumerism and a desire for worthwhile investments of time and money

• Short-form, personalized, and authentic content tends to resonate most with Gen Z audiences

• Content should showcase real student experiences and impact rather than focusing solely on institutional achievements

• Episodic content and "day in the life" videos can effectively engage prospective students

• Colleges should create content that bridges multiple audience segments, including current students, prospective students, and alumni

• High-production commercials may resonate more with alumni than prospective students

• User-generated and authentic "man on the street" style content can be highly effective for connecting with Gen Z
  

Resources mentioned:

• The Campus of Tomorrow (article)- https://ologie.com/full-circle/2021/08/the-campus-of-tomorrow/

• Dr. Meghan’s book: “Generation Z Goes to College” - https://amzn.to/4eoOCrG

Connect With Meghan:

• Website: https://www.meghanmgrace.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanmgrace/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meghanmgrace
  

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is Alana Villemez, Founder & CEO of Most Likely to Succeed, an advisory firm for community college enrollment marketing.

In this episode, Alana shares her insights on community college branding and marketing, discussing common branding blunders and strategies for effective brand perception.

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of aligning brand perception with mission and values

• Three common branding blunders: brand dilution, brand undervaluation, and brand exaggeration

• The value of conducting perception surveys to understand brand alignment

• The need for authenticity and honesty in marketing to Gen Z and Gen Alpha

Topics Discussed:

• Alana's background and experience with community colleges

• The Community College Promise Framework

• The brand pyramid concept for effective branding

• Challenges in community college marketing compared to four-year universities

• Examples of successful community college branding

Resources mentioned:

• “How to Fix Branding Blunders: Perception's Effect on Community College Success” - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-fix-branding-blunders-perceptions-effect-college-success-alana-hp87c/?trackingId=M%2F2SX8PVQDuLEdKrX0KnFQ%3D%3D

Connect With Alana:

• Website: https://mltsucceed.com

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanavillemez/

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is Maria Kuntz, Director of Creative Communications and Services for University Advancement at University of Colorado, Boulder.

In this episode, Maria shares her personal and professional journey, discussing her experiences as a student, single parent, and higher education professional. She provides insights on storytelling in higher education marketing, the challenges faced by students and caregivers, and the importance of understanding individual student needs.

Key Takeaways:

• Personal experiences shape our approach to storytelling and marketing in higher education

• The importance of understanding and addressing the diverse needs of students, including caregivers

• The power of language and framing in shaping narratives and perceptions

• The potential of AI in higher education marketing and student support
  

Topics Discussed:

• Maria's background in theater, French, and international studies

• Challenges faced as a student and single parent pursuing graduate education

• The importance of time and support for caregivers in higher education

• Approaches to storytelling that respect individual experiences and avoid assumptions

• The concept of universal design in student support services

• The use of AI in higher education marketing and student support
  

Strategies and Examples Discussed:

• Asking students what's important to them when telling their stories

• Using AI for qualitative analysis of interview transcripts

• Exploring different storytelling constructs beyond the hero's journey

• The potential of custom GPTs for brand-aligned content creation
  

Connect With Maria:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariakuntz/
  

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is Jarrett Smith, Senior Vice President of Strategy at Echo Delta, an education marketing agency solving higher ed's most pressing marketing problems with strategies designed for success.

In this episode, Jarrett discusses Echo Delta's recent report on how politics affect students' college decisions and what that means for higher ed marketing and content creation. He shares insights on the extent to which state and campus politics influence student choice, students' key concerns, and how institutions can address these issues in their marketing efforts.

Key Takeaways:

• Politics is a significant factor for most students in their college decision, accounting for about 20% of the decision on average

• 64% of students say state politics differing from their views would be a factor, while 74% say campus politics would be a factor

• Top student concerns include personal safety, fear of not belonging, and concerns about harassment

• Left-leaning students were more likely to cite a wide range of concerns compared to moderate or conservative students

• Texas, Florida, and Alabama were the states of most concern, even among some moderate and conservative students

Strategies and Examples Discussed:

• Texas A&M's "Where You Belong" campaign showcasing student diversity through micro-stories and high production value

• Hillsdale College's conservative positioning and high-quality content production

• Penn State's "Social 119" YouTube channel featuring lectures on controversial topics

• University of Chicago's principles of free expression and how they communicate this in admissions content

Connect With Jarrett:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smithjarrett/

• Website: echodelta.co

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter:https://unveild.tv/newsletter
  

My guests today are Ashley Budd and Dayana Kibilds, co-authors of "Mailed It: A Guide to Crafting Emails that Build Relationships and Get Results." Ashley is a digital strategy expert at Cornell University, while Dayana is a strategist and researcher at Ology, an agency in the higher ed space.

In this episode, Ashley and Dayana discuss their new book "Mailed It" and share insights on effective email marketing strategies for higher education. They provide practical tips on crafting emails that engage readers and drive results.

Key Takeaways:

• Focus on the reader's needs and meet them where they are

• Use simple language and shorter sentences in emails

• Leverage the "F" reading pattern to place key information where readers will see it

• Test different email styles and formats to convince stakeholders of new approaches

• Treat email more like a conversation than an academic thesis

Strategies and Examples Discussed:

• Using polls and pop culture references to build relationships with readers

• Implementing the "F" email method for better readability

• Sending "breakup" emails to re-engage unresponsive contacts

• A/B testing different email styles to demonstrate effectiveness

Book Information:

• Title: "Mailed It! A Guide to Crafting Emails that Build Relationships and Get Results"

• Get on the book list: https://emailbook.co/

• Available at: emailbook.co, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and independent bookstores

Connect With Ashley:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleybudd/

• Website: https://ashleybudd.com/

Connect With Dayana:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayanakibilds/

• Website: https://kibilds.co/

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is Brianna Blackburn, Manager of Social Media Strategy at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), where she leads the social media team cultivating an audience of more than 350,000 across platforms.

In this episode, Brianna discusses BGSU's successful short-form video strategy on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. She shares insights on creating engaging content, navigating platform algorithms, and balancing fun trends with informational posts. Brianna also touches on the importance of leadership support and cross-campus collaboration in executing an effective social media strategy.

Key Takeaways:

• Create content with broad appeal to reach new audiences, then incorporate institution-specific elements

• Optimize content for each platform (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) using native features and trending sounds

• Balance fun, trendy content with informational posts by making all content entertaining

• Collaborate with campus partners to ensure accuracy and gather fresh content ideas

• Leadership trust and autonomy are crucial for social media teams to thrive and take calculated risks

• Strategies and Examples Discussed:

• Using the "Of Course" trend for both broad college appeal and BGSU-specific content

• Creating a Minecraft build of campus, which reached 1 million views on Instagram

• Highlighting staff stories, like a long-time photographer giving his son a diploma

• Conducting "Talent Talks" mini-interviews with students on trending topics

• Showcasing the university president in relatable, fun content

Resources Mentioned:

• Cheerleaders win two silver medals at national championships: https://www.tiktok.com/@officialbgsu/video/7190059959101639982

• Taylor Swift "talon talk": https://www.tiktok.com/@officialbgsu/video/7157071710548675883

• University photographer of 20+ years hands son diploma: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cg7lrAUguRk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

• We're.. of course trend.. Brand pride VS. Broad appeal content:

  • https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3QTs2ip085/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cz4PpG_OFFk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

• Starbucks on the first day!: https://www.tiktok.com/@officialbgsu/video/7135146263246359850

• Welcoming students for orientation: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7Sg_a4Onhh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

• COLLEGE on minecraft: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9VbFFMRutl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Connect With Brianna:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-blackburn-71289a150/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannalblackburn/

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannalblackburn

Checkout BGSU socials:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialbgsu/

• TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/@officialbgsu?lang=en

• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bgsu

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

John Azoni is the founder of the Higher Ed Storytelling Podcast and Unveild, a video branding agency that helps colleges and universities tell compelling institutional stories.

In this solo episode, John addresses the challenge of top-of-funnel content drought in higher education marketing. He discusses the importance of top-of-funnel content in higher education marketing and strategies for creating engaging video content that resonates with prospective students before they're ready to be sold to.

Key Takeaways:

• Many colleges lack top-of-funnel content that engages audiences without directly selling

• Leadership often struggles to approve budget for content that doesn't have a direct sales component

• Top-of-funnel content helps warm up prospective students before they're ready to consider specific schools

• Marketing drives familiarity, and familiarity drives preference

• Two recommended approaches for short-form videos:

  • "Man on the street" videos asking engaging questions to students

  • Thought leadership content featuring faculty lectures and discussions

• Repurposing existing events and lectures into video content can be an efficient strategy

• Balancing content across different stages of the marketing funnel is crucial

Examples Mentioned:

• Central Michigan University's successful TikTok asking "Where does up north start?"

• Boston University's Valentine's Day video of students calling their partners

• Harvard Business School's viral classroom debate video

• University of Chicago's political discussion video

Strategies for Limited Resources:

• Create "man on the street" videos with engaging questions using just a smartphone

• Film interesting lectures or discussions and break them into shareable snippets

• Look for opportunities to repurpose existing campus events into video content

Takeaway: Investing in top-of-funnel content is crucial for higher ed marketing success, even if it doesn't directly sell the institution. These strategies can help engage potential students earlier in their college search process and build familiarity with your school.

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is Andy Murphy, Associate Director of Marketing at Siena College. In this episode, Andy shares insights on building and managing a video content creation team that includes full-time staff and student interns.

Andy discusses Siena's approach to video marketing, leveraging both professional and student-created content to engage prospective students and showcase campus life.

Key Takeaways:

• Siena's video content team includes full-time staff and 10-15 student interns each semester.

• Student-created content helps capture authentic campus moments that resonate with prospective students.

• Analytics and A/B testing are used to teach interns about effective video marketing strategies.

• Viral TikTok success has raised the bar for consistent, high-performing content creation.

• Aerial video footage of campus events like Siena Fest has directly influenced enrollment decisions.

• Repurposing long-form video content into short-form clips for platforms like YouTube Shorts is an efficient strategy.

• Managing brand consistency and onboarding new student creators are ongoing challenges.

• User-generated content campaigns can yield highly effective marketing materials.

Connect With Andy:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amurphy-siena/

Viral "Dad on college tour" video:

• https://www.tiktok.com/@sienacollege/video/6995142764497325318?lang=en

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is Dr. Sheena C. Howard, an award-winning author, filmmaker, and professor of communication. In this episode, Dr. Howard discusses her book "Academic Branding: A Step-by-Step Guide to Increased Visibility, Authority, and Income," and how universities can empower their faculty to build their personal brands, which in turn benefits the institution.

Dr. Howard shares her nine-step process for faculty to build their personal brands, focusing on the first six steps that are most relevant to higher ed marketers. She emphasizes the importance of mindset, storytelling, and the long-term commitment required to build a successful online presence.

Key Takeaways:

• Faculty personal branding can directly benefit universities through increased visibility, citations, and student enrollment.

• Start by addressing faculty mindset - they need to understand that their work has value outside academia.

• Help faculty develop a clear vision for their online presence, focusing on one or two platforms where their audience is active.

• Brand building is more about crafting a compelling story around research than logos and colors.

• Storytelling is crucial - share struggles and failures, not just wins, to build a relatable brand.

• Building a brand is a long-term commitment; it's not a quick fix or get-rich-quick scheme.

• Universities can support faculty by recording and repurposing their presentations for social media content.

Connect With Dr. Sheena Howard:

• Websites:

  • Personal: https://sheenachoward.com/

  • Company: https://poweryourresearch.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsheenahoward/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drsheenahoward/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsheenahoward/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drsheenahoward

• X (Twitter): https://x.com/DrSheenaHoward

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: "Academic Branding: A Step-by-Step Guide to Increased Visibility, Authority, and Income"

• YouTube Video: "How to Land a TEDx Talk" by Dr. Sheena Howard

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

John Azoni is the founder of the Higher Ed Storytelling Podcast and Unveild, a video branding agency that helps colleges and universities tell compelling institutional stories. In this solo episode, John discusses effective content creation strategies for higher education institutions. He covers several key points:

1. The Podcast Format Change John announces the podcast is moving to an every-other-week release schedule to allow more time to promote each episode. He encourages a "quality over quantity" mindset for content.

2. Upcoming Webinar with Rob Clark of "That Tall Family" John previews an upcoming webinar on June 27th with Rob Clark, the creator behind the popular "That Tall Family" accounts, on mastering short-form video content for higher ed.

3. Who is Your Content For? John emphasizes the importance of creating content that provides widespread benefit beyond just your existing students/alumni. Successful content resonates with and gets spread by a broader audience you want to attract.

4. Treat Your Platform Like a Business For platforms you want to prioritize, treat it like a business by studying what resonates with your audience, iterating, and delivering more of that content. Don't just use it as a hosting shelf.

5. Organic Reach Insights From researching higher ed video content, John found self-promotional "commercials" don't gain much organic traction. More successful are videos that entertain, inform, or cater to niche interests.

6. The "Who is This For?" Mindset Consistently ask yourself who you're creating a piece of content for. Is it genuinely exciting/beneficial for your target audience, or just for existing supporters like alumni?

7. Balance Promotion with Value While some straightforward promotional content is okay, the bulk should provide real value and interest for your desired audience. Experiment to find the right mix.

Key Takeaways:

• Focus content on benefiting your target audience, not just talking about yourself

• Study what content resonates organically and iterate to provide more of that

• Find the right balance of entertainment/information and self-promotion

• Consistently ask "who is this for?" when creating content

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is Joel Goodman, founder of Bravery Media. Joel helps colleges and universities increase their web conversion rates using hospitable design practices. In this episode, we discuss insights from the Simpson Scarborough CMO study and how it relates to budget constraints, staffing, and curating the best marketing communications team with the resources available.

Joel shares his background, including working in web marketing roles at two universities before starting Bravery Media in 2012. He advocates for a "hospitable design" approach that focuses on caring for the user's journey and reducing friction.

Key Takeaways:

• The study reveals significant variability in marketing budgets and staffing across institution sizes, directly impacting strategies and job satisfaction.

• Despite budget declines, website experience remains a priority with a focus on quality content for prospective students.

• Effective web governance, strategic digital investment, using analytics, and adapting to AI are crucial for meeting younger audiences' expectations.

• Salary levels for web roles are often too low to attract top talent, leading to subpar user experiences compared to other industries.

• Having an in-house video team can make sense for large institutions, but most lack the budget for a complete product team (producer, UX designers, developers).

• Hiring external partners can be more cost-effective and provide better quality for web design, video production, and content creation.

• AI tools should enhance research and data analysis, not replace authentic creative work that connects with prospective students.

Connect with Joel:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelgoodman/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joelgoodman/

Connect with Bravery Media:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braverymedia/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravery-media/

• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@braverymedia

• Website: https://bravery.co/

Connect with John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is Kristin Nichols, a higher education marketing consultant with over 20 years of experience at top universities in the Northeast. In this episode, Kristin discusses how implementing project management tools like Trello helped unite her marketing teams, facilitated cross-pollination between departments, and enabled an efficient "internal agency" approach.

Kristin shares how she successfully implemented Trello at UMass Lowell, creating dedicated workspaces for each college, enrollment marketing, editorial, and more. This centralized system allowed teams to see all active projects, easily identify content to repurpose across channels, and ensure brand consistency.

Key Takeaways:

• Don't get bogged down as an order-taker. Position your marketing team as strategic brand stewards using an "internal agency" model.

• Establish a streamlined project request and approval process, limiting feedback rounds to 3 max to drive efficiency.

• Create content templates and approved vendor lists to empower distributed teams while protecting brand standards.

• Surface storylines and assets from across campus to repurpose content and create consistent thematic campaigns.

• Buy-in from leadership and practitioners is crucial. Forcing new processes without buy-in leads to failure.

• Use project management tools to showcase your team's work, justify budgets, and pull insightful analytics.

• Mental health storylines resonate; look for authentic examples showcasing how your university supports students holistically.

Connect With Kristin:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholskristin/

• Nichols Higher Education: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nicholshighered/

Resources Mentioned:

• Trello - Project management tool used at UMass Lowell Basecamp.

• Loom - Another popular project management platform. A screen recording tool for documenting processes.

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is R. Ethan Braden, Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Texas A&M University. In this episode, Ethan shares his vision for building a world-class marketing team and developing a national earned media strategy to amplify Texas A&M's brand.

Ethan discusses the five priorities he's established for his team: building a world-class marketing team, establishing a comprehensive insight-based brand platform, providing brand assets for the campus to execute the vision, cultivating a united marketing community, and pursuing a national earned media strategy.

Key Takeaways:

• Building a world-class marketing team involves hiring emotive storytellers, content strategists, and earned media experts who can "enchant" audiences with Texas A&M's stories.

• Having a distinct, insight-based brand platform allows everyone to "get in character" and consistently express the brand's essence across touchpoints.

• Providing a centralized library of high-quality branded assets (photos, videos, guidelines) enables campus partners to localize and execute marketing plans efficiently.

• Cultivating a united "marketing community" across campus fosters synergies, best practices, and a harmonious brand voice.

• Pursuing a national earned media strategy ensures Texas A&M is part of relevant national conversations, beyond just a regional reputation.

• Focus content creation on owning key subject matter spaces (e.g. Texas A&M's meat sciences department owning BBQ/smoking content on YouTube).

Connect With Ethan:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertethanbraden/

• Texas A&M University: https://www.tamu.edu/

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is Joshua Charles, a senior marketing and communications leader at Rutgers Business School and board member for HighEdWeb, a professional development network for digital professionals in higher education.

In this episode, we discuss Joshua's role at Rutgers, the structure and collaboration within his marketing team, their content strategy, use of marketing technology, and breaking down organizational silos. Joshua shares insights on the following topics.

Key Takeaways:

• Keeping the web and marketing teams integrated rather than separating web under IT to maintain a cohesive vision and workflow

• The importance of clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and processes for team collaboration and morale

• Their approach to the marketing tech stack spanning web hosting, CMS, CRM, marketing automation, advertising platforms and more

• Aligning content strategy by talking directly with students to understand their needs and journeys

• Managing changes and budget considerations when incorporating new marketing technology platforms

• Building relationships and lines of communication across student-facing departments to break down silos

On The Future of Higher Ed Marketing:

Joshua sees opportunities in continuing to learn from others in the higher ed community, carefully exploring AI applications while keeping the focus on the student experience, and positively influencing the narrative around the transformative value of higher education.

Connect with Joshua:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuacharles/

Connect with HighEdWeb:

• Website: https://www.highedweb.org/

• HighEdWeb 2024 Annual Conference: https://events.highedweb.org/heweb24

Connect with John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

In this episode, Host John Azoni shares many tips for successful relationships with external videographers and as well as building in-house teams.

Key Takeaways:

• Hire good editors who can create a compelling story and vibe that draws viewers in. Editing is where a video can fall apart, so prioritize finding videographers who are skilled editors.

• Look for videographers who are collaborative partners, both creatively and logistically. They should take scheduling and coordination off your plate.

• Request that the videographer provide all the B-roll footage at no extra cost. This is a good sign they want to be a true partner.

• For lower budgets, look for generalist solo videographers used to doing a lot themselves. For bigger budgets and commercials, hire studios with specialized on-set roles.

• When hiring in-house videographers, manage expectations and clearly define priorities. One person can't do it all. Consider outside help for marketing storytelling.

• For small in-house video teams, an efficient duo is a producer/director/camera operator paired with a dedicated editor.

Join the newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

Connect with John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni/

On this episode, John Azoni was a guest on the Higher Ed Demand Gen podcast with Shiro Hatori. We talked about telling compelling student testimonials.

Key Takeaways:

• Higher ed provides ample opportunity for meaningful, transformational stories that don't exist in the same way in other contexts

• Strong student testimonials have an arc - an "old normal," a turning point, and a "new normal"

• Getting specific in student stories, especially around the turning point, allows prospects to relate on an emotional level

• Authentically communicating student mental health struggles and support services can be powerful storytelling

• Students crave specific content around day-to-day experience, dorm life, food, "day in the life" videos

• Consider leveraging student-generated content for relatability, not just official marketing videos

• Video length is less important than providing value and "resolving something in the viewer's brain"

• Hook the audience by conveying what they'll learn or how they'll relate vs. just introducing the subject

• Repurposing video content into shorter clips, stills, ads etc. can fuel years of content vs. one-off approach

Your audience sees your content far less than you think - don't be afraid to repurpose frequently

LINKS:

Check out the Higher Ed Demand Gen podcast: https://concept3d.com/higher-ed-demand-gen-podcast/

Check out Concept3D: https://concept3d.com

My guest today is Jess Cook, Head of Content and Communications at Island and co-host of the That's Marketing, Baby podcast. Jess comes from a background working with major B2C brands like McDonald's, Kellogg's, and others before transitioning to B2B marketing.

In this episode, we dive deep into email marketing strategies and tactics that higher ed marketers can apply. Jess shares insights on choosing the right sender name, crafting subject lines, using emojis and memes effectively, and personalizing emails for different audiences.

Key Takeaways:

• The "from" line is more important than the subject line for driving opens. Send emails from a real person's name rather than a generic sender.

• Craft subject lines that pique curiosity and create a sense of urgency to open. Use odd numbers which feel more realistic.

• Test sending emails from different people at your institution that audiences will find trustworthy and relatable.

• Repurpose existing blog, video and social content in your emails rather than always creating new content.

• Include a strong postscript (P.S.) as a call-to-action - people are conditioned to read it.

• Use memes sparingly but strategically to show you understand your audience's pain points and experiences.

• For personalization across majors/colleges, focus on just 2-3 top programs first before trying to personalize for everyone.

Connect With Jess:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesscook-contentmarketing/

• Podcast - That's Marketing, Baby: https://www.thatsmarketingbaby.com/

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter

My guest today is Shiro Hatori, Director of DemandGen at Concept3D. In this episode, we discuss data from Concept3D's survey of 500 recently admitted college students that can inform your higher ed storytelling and content creation efforts.

Shiro shares insights on the communication channels students prefer, the importance of virtual tours, addressing students' enrollment fears, and leveraging commencement to capture compelling student stories. If you want to make more data-informed decisions in your higher ed marketing, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• Students prefer email communication (45%) more than schools expect. Consider increasing use of SMS/text messaging, which students find helpful but schools underutilize.

• 52% of students said virtual tours were very important in their enrollment journey. Virtual tours help students remotely experience your campus before visiting.

• Students' biggest fear is making the wrong choice about where to enroll. Create content to boost their confidence in choosing your school.

• Capture video content and student stories during commencement week to highlight outcomes and plug into your summer melt campaigns.

• Create interactive campus maps to help students and families navigate your campus easily, especially on commencement day. Highlight key locations like parking.

Connect with Shiro:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shiro-h-685a2885/

Higher Ed Demand Gen Podcast:

• (Spotify) https://open.spotify.com/show/3NLyDFcj1AiM5OyzrCNsJE

• (Apple) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/higher-ed-demand-gen-podcast/id1640562803

Connect with John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni

• Website: https://unveild.tv

• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter