One of the discussions on Washington Post’s forums is about a Susquehanna University survey which determined that 64% of respondents claimed that Facebook helped shape their opinion about the university- roughly equal to the number of people that claimed the school’s website was influential. The moderator, Post reporter, Jay Adams wonders if that influence come from peer interaction via Facebook (students publish on Facebook the schools they’re looking into and peers comment) or if schools are courting students through Facebook.
My first instinct is to say that it must be that schools are targeting students through Facebook- after all, peer pressure existed long before Facebook. A recent study, 2009 Razorfish Digital Brand Experience Study, confirms that that this demographic is heavily influenced by social media advertising, no matter how much Gen Yers would like to think themselves immune. Advertising has grown more sophisticated (shifting from product demonstrators on television to clever ads to interactive games online), but it’s still advertising.
Similar to the Susquehanna survey, 65% of consumers in the Razorfish study said their online experiences with brands influenced their feelings about that brand (both positively or negatively). Of the group that claimed their digital experience mattered, 97% said it helped them decide whether or not to purchase that brand.
However, the study also finds that the reasons consumers engage with brands aren’t for the reasons marketers may hope for. Most people who sign up to be “fans” of brands on Facebook (over 40% of users) say they didn’t necessarily want to engage with the brand, but were looking for product deals. The “what’s in it for me?” mentality is nothing new for marketers, they just have to remember to carry it over to non-traditional media. Simply engaging isn’t enough. Just as consumers are more likely to watch commercials if they are entertaining (think of the Super Bowl), they will be more likely to interact with your brand online if they can get something out of it. But since higher education is structured differently than retail products, admissions reps have to get creative. Although they can’t offer discounts, they can hold contests, give-aways and offer students a place to get one-on-one help. Rather than assuming students will flock to follow you on Twitter or become a fan of your page, think about what added value you can offer through these mediums.
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