Colleges and universities are facing a serious issue: enrollment is dropping. Compared to a decade ago, there are already 2.7 million fewer students in the U.S., and in the first half of 2024 alone, more than one college a week announced it would close.
Why the decline? Tuition is increasingly expensive, and according to Pew Research, only 22% of U.S. adults say the cost of college is worth it if someone has to take out loans. Rather than make the investment, many high schoolers are considering alternative routes.
It also doesn’t help that the typical college demographic of young adults is shrinking. According to a recent study, the number of new 18-year-olds per year will drop 15% by 2039. And fewer young adults mean fewer students.
Video Marketing in Higher Ed
To tackle this issue, colleges are spending more on their marketing than ever before. But winning over today’s students requires more than a bigger budget. Prospects are flooded with digital content, and universities need a way to cut through the noise, grab attention and communicate their value quickly and clearly.
Video is one of the most effective ways to do that. It gives your marketing a human touch, delivering information in a way that’s engaging and easy to digest.
After all, students want to do more than just scan the quick facts about a school. They want to picture themselves there — hanging with friends in their dorm, grabbing coffee between classes and cheering at a Friday night game.
Cedarville University understood this when it crafted its video-based lead generation campaign. Instead of just relying on static brochures in the mail, the school sent Personalized Videos that brought the campus to life for each prospective student.
Using video meant students got a vivid, dynamic look at what life there could be, while the tailored messaging helped them visualize themselves on campus — a crucial step toward scheduling a visit or applying.
With 78% of consumers saying they prefer to learn new information via videos, it’s clear that video is a powerful way to grab attention and build connections. And for colleges trying to reach a shrinking pool of prospects, that could be the difference between being ignored and being seriously considered.
From driving deeper engagement to increasing conversions, here are 4 ways video can take higher ed marketing to the next level.
1. Make Deeper Connections
College isn’t just a financial investment — it’s a huge commitment of time, energy and effort. Students want a school where they fit in, can pursue the experiences they want and are valued as individuals. In other words, it’s an emotional decision as much as it is a rational one.
Video is great for tapping into those emotions, but generic messaging won’t cut it. Today’s students live in a hyper-personalized world and expect to be treated as individuals. Schools can meet that expectation by creating content where the students are the stars.
Personalizing your video content doesn’t have to be complicated. Greet them by name to let them know the video was made just for them. Tailor key details to their unique situation, such as their estimated loan and what teachers they’ll likely be meeting. The options are virtually endless.
For example, take a look at this Personalized Video campaign Quinnipiac University launched for admitted students.
Imagine you’re a high school senior receiving this video. With a real person on screen congratulating you by name and showcasing all you have to look forward to, the video inspires a connection that static content simply can’t. You’re receiving 1:1 communication before you’ve even confirmed your acceptance.
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This is what Next Generation Video is all about. Unlike traditional videos that deliver the same experience to everyone, Next Gen Video can be personalized, interactive and even AI-powered, turning routine communication into meaningful interactions.
The results speak for themselves: Personalized Videos earn high marks. We’ve seen dynamic video campaigns in higher ed get results like 83% more engagement and 7x higher CTR.
2. Simplify Complex Information
When it comes to choosing a college, students have to consider a ton of information, from tuition costs and financial aid to the academic programs available. It’s a lot to process, and nobody wants to dig through endless paragraphs to make sense of it all.
Videos are an effective alternative. Multiple studies show that video is one of the most effective educational tools. It combines visuals, audio and text for a dynamic learning experience that keeps viewers engaged longer than static content.
When you layer personalization on top of that, the impact grows. Students don’t just see any information — they see information that’s directly tailored to them.
Here’s an example of an award-winning Personalized Video Lewis University created with our Next Generation Video Platform. Instead of staring at a bunch of numbers and fine print, students received a video breaking down their aid in a way that was clear, relevant and engaging.
For students and parents making one of the biggest decisions of their lives, this kind of clarity can be a huge relief and make a great impression.
3. Gather Insights on Future Students
In higher ed marketing, information is everything. The more you know about prospective students — their interests, concerns and goals — the better you can connect with them. But it can be an uphill battle getting students to share that information with long forms or surveys.
So what’s the solution? Make the process engaging. Create Interactive Videos that invite students to share information while watching. No extra steps, no friction — just seamless interaction inside the video player.
Want to see how this tech works? Try it for yourself below by clicking the lightning bolt icon in the player.
In the higher ed space, this tech can be used to create:
- A video calculator that generates an estimate of a prospective student’s tuition in real-time.
- A video where current students enter their credits to receive a new video showing what classes are still required.
- An Interactive Video for students who need help with enrollment. They select where they need help in the process, and a new video is generated answering that question.
It’s a win-win situation: Prospective students receive information that matters to them, while universities gain valuable first-party data for smarter future campaigns.
4. Create Content Students Actually Want
Final reason to go all-in on video? Because students can’t get enough of it.
Gen Z still makes up a large portion of incoming college students — and they love short-form content. One study found that 92% of Gen Z watch short-form videos “frequently” or “sometimes,” with TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels being the most popular sources.
To speak your students’ language, then, put your message in a video. Universities are already catching onto the trend by engaging prospective and current students on TikTok.
Louisiana State University, for example, has nearly 750,000 followers on the platform — and their videos often reach over 20,000 views. Whether it’s students lip-synching the hottest songs or videos that touch on the latest joke, the school does a great job of creating content that their target audience enjoys.
The good news? Creating high-quality videos doesn’t have to be complicated. Many of our higher ed clients who use Next Generation Video opt for our self-serve model, which gives them the flexibility to produce content quickly and creatively.
And for those who want an even faster way to scale video production, there’s the option to work with Lucas, our AI video creator. Lucas only pulls from your approved content, so you can be confident every video is accurate and on-brand. All it takes is a simple prompt, an uploaded document or linked webpage, and a video is ready in minutes.
Curious what that looks like? Here’s a recent brand video Lucas created for Longboat Mobility, showing just how fast and polished AI-powered video creation can be. And by fast, we do mean downright speedy. Including revisions, this AI Personalized Video was done in a mere 4 days. (If you’re working in the platform yourself and don’t have review rounds with a client, you’ll be done even faster. It took our in-house lead gen guru less than 10 minutes to create a series of video ads using Lucas.)
With 76% of Gen Z open to or interested in AI videos, tools like these don’t just make content creation easier — they make you more effective at connecting with today’s students.
Better Communication With Students
At the end of the day, choosing a college is a huge decision, and the way schools communicate can make or break it. Students don’t want walls of text, confusing letters or generic emails. They want messages that are clear, personal and easy to connect with.
That’s where video comes in.
Video isn’t just eye-catching. It makes information easier to digest, shows off your school in a way that feels real and builds a connection long before a student sets foot on campus. And with Next Generation Video, you can take things even further.
- Make it personal. Greet students by name and share details relevant to their journey.
- Make it interactive. Let them explore, learn and give feedback from right inside the video.
- Make it fast. Let Lucas handle the script, storyboard, animation, voiceover and more, and you can make a video in minutes, no studio or video editing skills needed.
It’s not just for recruitment, either. Send a digital invitation to their graduation ceremony that they can accept or decline straight from the video. Share personalized updates about financial aid. There’s no shortage of ways to keep students engaged throughout their journey with you.
Ready to see what Next Generation Video can do for your school? Speak to one of our team members to start.
