Higher education institutions face a rapidly evolving marketing landscape where traditional marketing methods alone cannot attract and convert prospective students. Social media advertising has become essential for universities and colleges to engage with potential applicants, but not all platforms yield the same results. Understanding which platforms drive enrollments and why can help institutions optimize their marketing strategies for maximum ROI.
The Role of Social Media in Higher Education
With 98% of Gen Z using social media daily, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn offer universities direct access to their target audience.
Social media advertising allows for precise targeting, engagement tracking, and lead generation, making it a critical component of any enrollment marketing strategy.
But which platforms are truly driving applications? Let’s break down the data and insights behind the most effective social media channels for higher education advertising.
Facebook & Instagram: The Workhorses of Lead Generation
Why They Work:
- Advanced Targeting Capabilities: Meta’s ad platform allows institutions to target students based on demographics, interests, location, and online behavior.
- Lead Ads for Seamless Inquiry Generation: Instant forms pre-fill information, reducing friction in the inquiry process.
- Retargeting Strategies: Schools can re-engage students who have visited their website but haven’t applied.
Performance Insights:
Facebook and Instagram combined account for over 50% of higher education paid social ad spend.
- Conversion Rate: Lead forms on Facebook and Instagram achieve an average conversion rate of 13.58% in the education sector, surpassing the overall Facebook ad conversion rate of 9.21% across industries. This makes lead forms a more effective tool for generating inquiries than traditional landing pages.
- Cost-Per-Action (CPA): The education sector has one of the lowest CPAs across industries at $7.85, indicating cost-effective lead generation.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): The average CTR for Facebook ads in the education sector is 2.53%, reflecting strong engagement from prospective students.
TikTok: The Emerging Powerhouse for Student Engagement
Why It Works:
- Gen Z Dominance: With over 60% of TikTok users under 24 years old, this platform reaches prospective students where they already spend time.
- Authenticity Wins: Ads that blend seamlessly into organic content see higher engagement rates.
- Influencer & UGC Potential: Universities leveraging student ambassadors see significant gains in brand trust and interest.
Performance Insights:
- Engagement Rate: Higher education institutions achieve an average engagement rate of 6.7% on TikTok, significantly outperforming the 2.43% average on Instagram for higher education.
- Cost-Per-Lead: Application-related campaigns on TikTok have seen 35-40% lower cost-per-lead compared to other platforms when targeting undergraduate students.
- Application-related campaigns on TikTok have seen 35-40% lower cost-per-lead compared to other platforms when targeting undergraduate students.
LinkedIn: The Go-To for Graduate & Professional Programs
Why It Works:
- Professional Audience: Ideal for marketing MBA, law, healthcare, and other professional degree programs.
- Employer & Alumni Targeting: Unique ability to target prospective students based on their current job title, industry, or alma mater.
- Thought Leadership & Brand Authority: Sponsored content, InMail campaigns, and webinars drive credibility and engagement.
Performance Insights:
- Conversion Rate: LinkedIn Ads generate conversion rates between 8-12% for graduate programs, indicating a strong lead quality.
- Lead Quality: LinkedIn is responsible for 80% of B2B leads generated via social media, making it the most effective professional and graduate program marketing platform.
- Cost-Per-Click (CPC): The CPC on LinkedIn is typically higher than on other platforms, but it leads to better-qualified leads. Cost-per-click (CPC) is higher than on other platforms but often leads to better-qualified leads.
YouTube: High-Intent Video Advertising
Why It Works:
- Video is King: 82% of Gen Z prefers video content when researching schools.
- Search Intent & Pre-Roll Ads: YouTube allows institutions to capture demand through keyword targeting.
- Longer Engagement Time: Prospective students spend more time watching in-depth campus tour videos and program overviews.
Performance Insights:
- View-Through Rate: YouTube ads for higher education achieve an average view-through rate of 30%, making them a powerful tool for brand awareness. (YouTube Advertising Insights)
- Application Influence: Schools utilizing YouTube for retargeting campaigns have seen a 20-25% increase in applications, demonstrating the platform’s impact on student decision-making. (Think with Google)
- Engagement Time: Students researching universities spend an average of 2x longer on YouTube than on text-based information sources. Schools using YouTube retargeting strategies have seen a 20-25% lift in applications.
Choosing the Right Mix for Your Institution
While each platform has strengths, the best results come from a diversified strategy tailored to your institution’s target audience and program offerings.
Key Takeaways:
- Undergraduate-focused campaigns see strong performance on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
- Graduate and professional programs benefit most from LinkedIn and YouTube.
- A multi-platform approach using retargeting and cross-channel messaging delivers the best conversion rates.
At Ten26 Media, we craft high-performance social media ad campaigns for higher education institutions. We leverage data-driven strategies and platform-specific insights to help schools increase inquiries, applications, and enrollments.
Ready to optimize your social media advertising? Contact us today to drive real applications with proven strategies tailored to your institution’s needs.
