Beyond the school web site – create a comprehensive web presence to reach international students. Presented at 2013 NAFSA Region I

1. Beyond the school web site –
create a comprehensive web presence
to reach international students
Don Sears & You

2. About Moi
Don Sears
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Director of Sales, Envisage International
Just under 3 years
Responsible for digital marketing and lead generation efforts
Over 15 years experience in sales & marketing
Sales in media, advertising, lead gen and social media marketing
• Odds are, I am the only meteorologist in the room

3. About Us
Our goal is to empower and encourage students to pursue an international education, and
provide them with the tools they need to educate themselves and experience the world.
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Neptune Beach, Florida
Started in 1998
Own the largest international student facing network
• InternationalStudent.com
• InternationalScholarships.com
• InternationalStudentInsurance.com
• ELSdirectory.com
• Reach - over 6 million students each year
Business Units
• Insurance
• Loans
• Leads and advertising

4. Agenda
• You web presence (internal)
• Your website
• Your social media
• How students find you
• External web presence
• Third party websites
• Social media
• Importance of being found
• What other schools are doing
• Mississippi State University
• The New School
• Q & A & Discussion

5. Gauge the audience
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Third Party Online Marketing?
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Virtual College Fairs?
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Lead Gen?
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Other things
• Videos
• Virtual Campus tours
• Customized Brochures

6. What is a Web Presence?
“The appearance of a person or organization on the World Wide Web."
How is it Measured?
By the amount of sites an organization or individual has, including
• The website
• Social Media profiles
• Search engine rankings
• Amount of search engine real estate

7. Why is a Web Presence Important?
Ability to reach millions of international students
Cost effective ROI
Compliments your travel and traditional recruiting efforts
Reach students when they are in the decision making process (top sections of the funnel)
Brand awareness
Additional ways to touch students you have that are already prospects (bottom of the funnel)
It is how you are found when students are
searching for you or the programs you offer

8. Why is a Web Presence Important?
Over 50% of high school juniors and seniors say that the web played at least a significant role in the
evaluation of an institution
55% of students could not find the information they were looking for on a schools website
49% say independent websites are the best way to learn about an institution’s academic programs
o 31% read blogs
o 38% Social media
o 52% Search
o 18% of students turn to independent websites to learn about cost and financial aid

9. Why is a Web Presence important?

10. Your School’s Website
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Super important
Super expensive
Brand awareness
Communicate with:
• Current students
• Prospective students
• Alumni
• Faculty
Presidents message
Mission of the school
Admissions info
Academics
Programs and degrees offered
Maps, directories, employment opportunities
Athletics, events
Parent resources, student government
And that is the first page! Oh my!

11. Your School’s Website
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Confusing
Hard to navigate
One site created for all
Not completely relevant
Hard to find

12. How is Your School’s Website Found?

15. Your School’s Social Media Presence
• Extension of website
• Promoted from website and vice versa
• Uses
• Upcoming events
• Event Announcements
• News
• Upcoming deadlines
• Engage users to push through the funnel

16. Social Media

17. The New School
33,300 Monthly Unique Visitors

18. The New School

20. Mississippi State University & StudyMississippi
International Recruiting Challenges
• Mississippi is a fly-over state
• Domestic Vs International Student Recruitment
• Campus Visits/On-campus events: Not Feasible
• Printed Marketing materials: Expensive & Not Reliable
• Online Marketing & Recruiting
• Better ROI
• Ensures timely delivery of information
• Deliver information in an eye catching format

21. Mississippi State University & StudyMississippi
E-Marketing and Recruiting
• Strategic Partnership with U.S. Higher Ed Online Marketing Firms
• Maximum reach & Branding
• Identify partners & recruiting regions
• Actively work with them & support their efforts
• Envisage International, Zinch, Hotcourses
• Engage your Prospects & Partners
• Social Media Campaign – Facebook, Twitter, etc
• Webinars, Chats & E-College Fairs
• CollegeWeekLive
• SMS Text Messages
• Newsletters
• Overseas Media Release
• Overseas in-home receptions & Education Fairs

22. StudyMississippi Partnership with LearnHub
Website
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Web Presence

23. Mississippi State University &StudyMississippi
StudyMississippi - Zinch

25. Content

26. Mississippi State University & StudyMississippi
Engaging Prospects & Partners

27. Mississippi State University & StudyMississippi
Engaging Alumni & International Student Organizations in Online Recruiting Efforts

28. Working with Third Party Online Marketing Companies

36. Email Marketing

38. How to Grow your Web Presence
• Hire Envisage International!
• Or Hotcourses, Zinch or Hobsons…
• Have them promote the tools you have invested in
• Ask questions
• How will you be found
• What methods do you use (SEO, PPC, Affiliates)
• What are the benefits of social media
• What blogs and content will you distribute
• Know what your goals are (likes, leads, communications, brand)
• Ask for help