recruiting 3.0: what your future applicants are saying about the web
DESCRIPTION
This “Topic Table” presentation for eduWeb was based on a survey of 15,800 college applicants and provides some insight into how applicants are using social media and the web to research institutions during their college search.TRANSCRIPT
Recruiting 3.0: What your future applicants are saying about the web
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc.
Phil BlissChief Innovation Officer
Alyson YoungSocial Media Consultant
INTRODUCING …ACADEMICA GROUP
Part 1
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc.
Philip BlissCHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER • A veteran technology, marketing and business strategist • At the forefront of digital media development for twenty years. • National and international track record includes many educational, non-profit,
and technology clients, including the Smithsonian Institution• Passionate about the creation of e-communities and the new social media
dynamic• Currently focused on leading new research and product development initiatives
like SkoolPoolTM a social media application for Higher Education applicants and institutions
• Admission AnalyticsTM a new way for recruiters and marketers to realize market information in real time about their applicants and the market landscape (SkoolPool, UCASTM University & College Applicant Study and ADS)
• Reality CampusTM -- an online web video console and CMS for Higher Education recruitment and webcasting.
• Philip holds an HBA in English and Media Studies from the Stirling University.
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc.
Alyson YoungSOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANT• A participating member of the social media generation• Focuses on developing strategies and evidence-based solutions for
social media and web projects. • Has a Master of Arts in Media Studies from the University of Western
Ontario, where she studied undergraduate students’ information revelation and privacy protection on Facebook for her MA thesis
• Honours Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University
• Post-Graduate Certificate in Corporate Communications and Public Relations from Fanshawe College.
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc.
Our Mission• To provide expertise in Higher Education
market research, branding, strategy, and web• To help Higher Education institutions chart
their future course, define distinctive positions, and achieve success, individually and collectively
• To help government/s better understand and meet the needs of academic institutions, potential students, employers and society
• To help people find the right course in higher education, and in their careers
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc.
WHY SOCIAL MEDIA?
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powerful recruiting platforms…
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc.
powerful recruiting platforms…“people under 30 won’t even notice” San
Francisco’s Mayor on the impending demise of the venerable SF Chronicle
Expanded distribution platform… allowing you to go local, regional, national, international
Build social media applications/promotions that capture interest in your courses
Rich media is the future of impactful web
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
Is Social Media Significant?• < 1/3 of Americans consult Wikipedia• Adult (19+) use of social networks sites
nearly quadrupled in last 4 years, Facebook just reached 250 million subscribers in only 4 years!
• Since the beginning of the year, 72.5% of Twitter users have signed up for the service. This includes 22.7% of total users in March and 19.7% in April.
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc.
WEBTRENDS 2009Part 3
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc.
Demographics
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
• N=2455• Females = 63.8%• Males = 36.6%• 18 and younger make up 59.6% of the
population
Hours Spent Online
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• 74% of females spend 30 hrs or less online per week
• 68% of males spend 30 hrs or less online per week
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Internet Connection
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• 63.0% of females have a high speed cable connection
• 62.0% of males have a high speed cable connection
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Internet Usage
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
Communication Purposes• Top Communication Purpose for both
males and females is email (95% and 98%), followed by social network sites (74% and 78%) and instant messaging (71.4% and 72.5%)
• 33% of males compared to 19.3% of females communicate via discussion boards
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Internet Usage
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
Entertainment Purposes• Top Entertainment Purpose for both males
and females is viewing streaming video (89.7% and 84.4%), followed by downloading music (68.5% and 64.3%) and listening to streaming audio (55.5% and 53.7%)
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Practical Purposes
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• Top Practical Purpose for both males and females is researching for academic purposes (94.2% and 94.6%), followed by researching for personal purposes (93.5% and 92.8%) and Researching institutions (82.6% and 89.9%)
Other• 83.4% of females have searched online for
Scholarship and Bursary information• 79.6% of males have searched online for
Scholarship and Bursary information
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Use of Facebook to Research Institution
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
• Discuss with friends• 20.8% of females have used Facebook to discuss
institutions with friends; 26.3% of females say they are likely to use Facebook to discuss institutions with friends
• 16.1% of males have used Facebook to discuss institutions with friends; 24.8% of males say they are likely to use Facebook to discuss institutions with friends
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Use of Facebook to Research Institution
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
Communicate with institution through direct
message• Respondents are split on whether or not they would
communicate with institutions through direct message
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Use of Facebook to Research Institution
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Communicate with current students• 64.2% of females are somewhat to very likely to
communicate with current students on Facebook about an institution
• 63.7% of males somewhat to very likely to communicate with current students on Facebook about an institution
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Use of Facebook to Research Institution
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Communicate with current students• 64.2% of females are somewhat to very likely to
communicate with current students on Facebook about an institution
• 63.7% of males somewhat to very likely to communicate with current students on Facebook about an institution
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Use of Facebook to Research Institution
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
Look-up Information on Institutional Facebook Page• 58.6% of females are somewhat to very likely to look
up information on an institutional Facebook page• 56.2% of males are somewhat to very likely to look
up information on an institutional Facebook page• 16.3% of females and 11.2% of males already have
looked up information on a Facebook page
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Use of Facebook to Research Institution
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
Receive Updates• 60.7% of females are somewhat to very likely to want
to receive Facebook updates from an institution they are considering
• 58% of men are somewhat to very likely to want to receive Facebook updates from an institution they are considering
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Use of Facebook to Research Institution
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
Adding Current Student Rep• 60% of females are somewhat to very likely to friend
a current student rep• 56.2% of males are somewhat to very likely to friend
a current student rep• Adding Admissions Officer or Faculty member• Respondents not very likely to add an admissions
officer as a friend• Respondents not very likely to add a faculty member
as a friendSource: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Use of Facebook to Research Institution
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Likelihood of joining a “Class of 2013” Facebook Group
• Females: 66.2% are somewhat to very likely to join a “class of 2013” Facebook Group
• Males: 45.8% are somewhat to very likely to join a “class of 2013” Facebook Group
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Use of Twitter as a Research Tool
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
• 91.5% of females DID NOT use Twitter as a resource for information on universities/colleges
• 87.3% of males DID NOT use Twitter as a resource for information on universities/colleges
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Use of YouTube as a Research Tool
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
• 82.6% of females DID NOT use YouTube as a resource for information on universities/colleges
• 82.5% of males DID NOT use YouTube as a resource for information on universities/colleges
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Use of Second Life
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
• 74.7% of females are not familiar with Second Life• 58.4% of males are not familiar with Second Life
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
Use of Blogs as a Resource
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• 67.8% of females did not use a blog as a resource to find out information on universities/colleges
• 69.2% of males did not use a blog as a resource to find out information on universities/colleges
Source: Academica 2009 Webtrends Survey
SOCIAL NETWORK RECRUITMENT SITE CHECKLIST
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What you should know…Always link to and from your main website Include contact information and fill out all the
tabsUpdate and post new information frequentlyEngage in dialogue with fans or group
membersBe on many sites, and only participate if
you have the capacity to do so or hire someone to do it for you
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc.
CONCLUSIONS
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc.
powerful recruiting platforms… Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter are simply extensions of
your own web site, so treat them like that and develop content standards. Today kind of like web sites before CMS
Context, search, applications and communication wins with your audience (its called collaboration)
Social media offers an expanded search and media distribution platform that can replace traditional advertising – as long as you are in many places at once and can manage (more ads, more numbers, means more resources)
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
powerful recruiting platforms… Leverage the fact that with social media you have
much greater ability to interact and converse Social media optimization is the key, so make sure
you measure, measure, measure, listen and adapt to your audience
Integrated online (and maybe offline) campaigns that drive to your site, inform and convert
Realize that CRM is your friend and allows contact to be maintained
Rich media (video especially is the key) web might be the new TV so ensure you use it effectively in many places
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
a process to get there… think extension of web site -- maybe social media
sites are more important on a recruitment marketing level
think message distribution across massive platform, don’t be intrusive but you can be disruptive
think delivering on your promise and conversion to fan
think conversation and video (http://georgiancollege.ca/rap )
think valid messages that can stand public scrutiny think resources…constant monitoring is needed
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
Copyright ©2009 Academica Group Inc
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Questions & Discussion
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