My latest guest on the Education Marketing Leader podcast was Jordan Burleson, VP of Digital Advertising at Beacon Technologies.

Jordan shared some critical insights on digital advertising tailored for higher education institutions.

Here are the key takeaways:

𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐊𝐞𝐲

Jordan emphasized that many higher ed institutions struggle with delivering personalized experiences.

🔸 Meet students where they are.

🔸 Cater to different stages (undergrad, graduate programs).

🔸 Avoid one-size-fits-all messaging.

𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭

Jordan provided realistic budget suggestions:

💰 Comprehensive university advertising: $15,000/month.

💰 Individual programs: Minimum $2,500/month.

𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐢𝐱

Jordan highlighted the most effective channels:

🔹 Google Ads: Paid search and remarketing are essential.

🔹 Social Media: Platforms like Meta and TikTok can complement but shouldn't be the sole focus.

𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫

A common pitfall is landing pages lacking clear CTAs:

☑ Add options like "Request Information" alongside "Apply Now."

☑ Cater to different stages of the student journey.

𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬

Focus on tracking the right conversions:

📈 Key Metrics: Conversion rates, cost per conversion, click-through rates.

📉 Beware of Misleading Metrics: High session durations without conversions can be deceptive.

𝐀.𝐈. 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠

Jordan's take on A.I.:

🤖 Use A.I. for generating ideas and optimizing ad copy.

👨‍🔧 👩‍🔧 Keep the human touch for final decision-making and strategy implementation.

𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡

✍ User-Generated Content: Engage students to create authentic content.

📹 Short-Form Videos: Leverage platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts.

If you're in higher-ed marketing, these insights from Jordan are gold. 🥇

For a deeper dive, listen to the full episode and connect with Jordan on LinkedIn for more expert advice on digital advertising in higher ed.

Want more episodes like this?

Follow the Education Marketing Leader podcast for the latest tips and strategies in higher-ed marketing.

Until next time. ✌

P.S. Have you implemented any of these strategies in your digital advertising? Share your experiences in the comments!

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