How to grow your applicant pool - Lauren Duncan Head of Education Marketing Sales, UCAS Media

1. 08/05/201
5
11
THE NEW LAWS OF ATTRACTION –
GROWING YOUR APPLICANT POOL
EARLY ENGAGEMENT
Lauren Duncan: Senior Sales Manager

2. OVERVIEW
1. Defining the Pre-HE Market
2.
3.
4.
Why should you be interested in Pre-HE?
UCAS Media Pre-HE Audience
UCAS Media Pre-HE Proposition

3. Defining the Pre-HE Market1.

4. Research now indicates that young people are considering their higher education and or career
options from as early as Year 10
The Pre-HE Market is no longer the narrow window between the final year of school and making their
application to university or pursuing apprenticeships, distance learning or employment
The Market is vast and not limited to the individuals themselves but a wide spectrum of influencers
including teachers, parents, siblings and even peer relationships
THE PRE-HE MARKET

5. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT
THIS AUDIENCE?
whether is it further
education, careers or work
based learning
opportunities, young people
are engaged and interested
in the options available to
them
with facebook and twitter at
their grasp young people
have vast platforms to
interact with their peer
group and have their say
younger students are
far more mature and
considered in their
decision making
process than perhaps
perceived
WISER
1
with the continued
domination of social
media in young people’s
lives, information is a
click away
TECH SAVVY
2
ENGAGED
3
OPINIONATED
4

6. WHAT ARE THEY ASKING?
‘Worried that I might not choose
the best University for my needs -
what should I be looking for?’
‘Online test – to see what course
you might be interested in if you are
having difficulty deciding’
‘Best subjects to take to suit
particular courses’
‘Still unsure on course –
information on what type of
jobs are available for
which course’
‘I am not sure where
to even start’

7. SEPT JULY
YR 10 YR 11
SEPT JULY
FUTURE OPTIONS
& ASPIRATIONS
Choosing FE provider
FUTURE OPTIONS
Choosing HE/post 16 options
Developing skills
Choosing qualifications for future career
RESEARCH BEHAVIOUR
Picking options
and FE provider
90% have already
started research
Changes in offer
making, less
unplaced & clearing

8. RESEARCH BEHAVIOUR
SEPT JULY
YR 12 YR 13
SEPT JAN 15TH
78% already started
researching
89% of those left
– start research
Shortlists made
Review of shortlist
- unplaced

9. AWARENESS – EMOTIONAL
CONNECTIONS
Awareness – Emotional connections
HIGHER EDUCATION
ASPIRATIONS
• Student characteristics
• Personal attributes
• Parents, advisers
• Online display
• Past experience
• Environment
• School / college
characteristics and actions
• HEP actions
• HEP characteristics
• HEP actions
• Search, reviews,
experience
• League tables
Enrolment, student experience, alumni feedback
Consideration
HIGHER EDUCATION
ASPIRATIONS
Intent, decision
HIGHER EDUCATION
ASPIRATIONS

10. RIGHT MESSAGE, RIGHT TIME
Over 50% have direction in
mind at 16
External factors, time to
influence
Want advice &
Information KS 4 and 5
decision making
Less than 1/3 choose
GCSE or equivalent
based on University
choice
NOT TOO
EARLY
1
90% start researching
pre Yr 12
Apart from schools
liaison, what’s your
direct contact?
NOT TOO
LATE
2
RIGHT
TIME
3
RIGHT
SUPPORT
4

11. RIGHT MESSAGE, RIGHT TIME
Further on in decision
making process
Chance for HEP to offer
support to schools
With caution –
secondary messaging
INFO –
SCHOLARSHIPS
& BURSARIES
5
With caution – some
more relevant than
others
OPEN DAY DATES,
LEAGUE TABLES, JOB
PROSPECTS
6
CLEAR COURSE
CONTENT -
COMPARISON
7
PERSONAL
STATEMENT
8

12. 1.
2.
3.
4.

13. Why should you be interested in Pre-HE?2.

14. WHY SHOULD YOU TARGET
THIS AUDIENCE?
Decisions are being made earlier
Brand penetration from an earlier age essential
Your competitors already are!
Young people want to hear from you
The market place has become far more commercial –
proactive and earlier engagement is essential

15. 1.
2.
3.
4.

16. Why should you be interested in Pre-HE?2.
3. UCAS Media Pre-HE Audience

17. UCAS PROGRESS
Search and Apply function for Year 10
and 11 students
Current National Roll out project
underway
With all young people under 18 in
England now required to stay in
Education or Work Based learning UCAS
Progress offers an important source of
IAG

18. IAG SEARCH FAVOURITES
Clear information,
tools and advice to
help them understand
their options
Search for vocational and
academic courses anywhere
they want, regardless of
geographic boundaries
Keep a record of
favourite courses
that they may want
to apply for
HOW UCAS PROGRESS WORKS
TO ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE

19. UCAS EVENTS & CAREER FAIRS
Circa 50 events around the UK
Approximately 280,000 visitors in
attendance all pre-registered
88% of visitors planned to visit a
university they’d found out about at a
convention
74% intended to apply to a university
they had learnt about at a convention

20. New exhibitor service for 2015
Digital solution for individual visitor data capture
Facilitates easier engagement and more effective conversations
EVENTS BARCODE SCANNING

21. PRE-APPLICANT
Our pre-applicant data, collected through live events and individual registration,
provides a tightly targeted database for early engagement
Individual registration provides
clear direction for UCAS’ IAG and
marketing activities
Prospective students asked questions relating to;
School
Subject Preferences (currently studying x 3 subjects)
Current year of Study
Subject Choices for HE study x 3 subjects
Communication preferences (email, post, SMS)
Telephone
Mobile no
Interest in studying overseas
Interest in a GAP Year

22. UCAS.COM
New Look for 2015
Following extensive analysis and research of
UCAS.com the look, feel and functionality has
been re-shaped to provide a more effective
user experience
Our site will now be audience led with distinctive IAG
and services for;
Students
Influencers
Advisers
Providers
UCAS has a unique and engaged digital audience
to interact with

23. UCAS Video Channel
74% of 16-24 year
olds watch short
video clips on their
phone
This channel is designed to support young people in
their education and brand decision making – all content
on the channel will be advice-driven.
18-34 year olds spend
50% more time
watching online video
than TV

24. 1.
2.
3.
4.

25. Why should you be interested in Pre-HE?2.
4. UCAS Media Pre-HE Proposition

26. REACHING AN EARLIER AUDIENCE
Digital Advertising
Highly engaged audience
Geo targeted advertising
Banner ads and MPU
Sponsored content
Native ads – Information Hub
Advertise FE and HE courses, links
YR 10 YR 11

27. REACHING AN EARLIER AUDIENCE
YR 10 YR 11
Newsletters
Options for ads with links or advertorial
Regional variations
Opportunity to offer IAG – bridge the gap
Bespoke email campaigns
Target by location, age or year group and gender
Personalisation, testing, longevity in message

28. REACHING THE PRE-APPLICANT
AUDIENCE
Digital Advertising
UCAS.com now audience led
Advertising can be targeted to IAG pages;
Students
Parents
Advisers
International
Postgraduate
Alternatives to university
YR 12 YR 13

29. CASE STUDY – PRE APPLICANT
CAMPAIGN
Clicks >> 591
CTR >> 0.25%
Edge Hill University
Edge Hill were keen to engage with pre-applicants utilising mobile web inventory.
Their advert ran exclusively on mobile impressions of UCAS.com and achieved strong
results and ROI with increased traffic to their website.

30. REACHING THE PRE-APPLICANT
AUDIENCE
Via the UCAS Open Days Search Tool, institutions can host
a free open day profile for pre-applicants and applicants
UCAS Media offer enhanced profile opportunities with
additional advertising and MPU/Video placements
YR 12 YR 13
University of Bolton recently ran a successful Open Days
campaign on UCAS.com

31. REACHING THE PRE-APPLICANT
AUDIENCE
Subject Specific Advertising
Small keyword adverts available along side
specific courses within UCAS course search
Keywords are booked on a monthly basis with
separate search functionality during clearing
Can be targeted to specific year of entry
YR 12 YR 13

32. REACHING THE PRE-APPLICANT
AUDIENCE
• Year 12 and 13 data
• Collected through UK schools
and colleges via school
outreach and events
• Students sign up to receive up-
to-date information from
higher and further education
establishments, career
opportunities and commercial
• By email or direct mail
• Filter by:
Students’ subject of choice
Subject currently studied
Domicile (postcode or
region)
Preferred region of study
• Data available from January of
school year 12
• For example PAD 16 available
from February 2015
• Pre-applicants can be
contacted directly until they
apply
WHAT IS PAD? WHEN? HOW?
YR 12 YR 13

33. UCAS Video Channel
The video channel will be promoted via a number of
channels including online advertising across ucas.com,
UCAS and UCAS Media social media channels and
email marketing.
YR 12 YR 13
For our clients, there are four different ways
to advertise;
• Video content
• Pre-roll video ads
• Display ads
• Section/channel sponsorship

34. REACHING THE PRE-HE
INFLUENCERS
Digital Advertising placement and
specific IAG pages according to
audience requirements
MPU and video content are amongst
the most successful on these pages
TEACHERS ADVISORS PARENTS

35. CASE STUDY – PARENTS CAMPAIGN
Clicks >> 119
CTR >> 0.36%
Edinburgh Napier University
Following their own success targeting parents for open day engagement Edinburgh
Napier were keen to run an open days campaign specifically aimed at parents.
Their advert ran on the parents section of UCAS.com and achieved strong results and
ROI with increased traffic to their registration pages as well as open day attendance.

36. CASE STUDY – PARENTS CAMPAIGN
Clicks >> 119
CTR >> 0.36%
Edinburgh Napier University
“We were delighted with our parents open days campaign via UCAS
Media and saw a marked improvement in traffic to our open days
pages as well as converting more leads for the days themselves”
(Rachel Fraser, Edinburgh Napier)

37. REACHING THE PRE-HE
INFLUENCERS
TEACHERS ADVISORS PARENTS
Monthly digital newsletters are
sent to our parents and advisers
databases. These contain key
UCAS information and options for
commercial advertising content
NEWSLETTERS
Annual Parents and Advisers
publications distributed online, at
events or on request. Standard
publication advertising available to
HEP clients
PUBLICATIONS
By Monthly hard copy UCAS packs
delivered to UCAS Advisers in
Schools and Colleges. Commercial
inserts available
UCAS DIRECT MAIL

38. STICK TO THE 3 R’s
Clear, concise
information
THE RIGHT
INFORMATION…
1
You must know what phase of
research they are currently
going through, what are the
current questions they are
likely to want answers to
AT THE RIGHT
TIME…
2
Using student
segmentation to
ensure that you are
contacting the right
cohort
TO THE RIGHT
PEOPLE…
3