Newsletter #192: Half of students researching low-tariff universities don’t use social media; 74% of students want their discovery questions answered by humans; The one thing AI can not touch.
✏️ From the Education Marketer desk
Half of students researching low-tariff universities don’t use social media. Read
74% of students want their discovery questions answered by humans. Read
The one thing AI can not touch. Read
📰 HE news
There’s been a sharp increase in the number of people who believe a degree is not worth the time and money. According to the British Social Attitudes survey, between 2018 and 2025 there was a 16% increase in those who felt that a degree wasn’t worth the effort (to 34%). Simultaneously, there was a 10% decrease in the number of people who said that, in the long run, grads end up being financially much better off. Of course, this isn’t as simple as saying “the quality of provision has decreased.” Over the last 7 years, we’ve had the worst cost-of-living crisis in memory, major technological disruption and a culture war that uses higher ed as a football. That said, with Graduate Outcomes data becoming increasingly unreliable, individual institutions need to get better at evidencing the unique outcomes they create. Maybe those are financial outcomes. Maybe they are emotional. Either way, we have to move past “telling better stories” and ask, “What single outcome do all of those stories point to?” Only then will what you say stick. Read
📊 Marketing and media news
Live event companies are seeing their stock boom as the trend toward in-person entertainment continues. Why? AI makes anything possible within the four corners of your screen. Streaming provides endless entertainment. And there are too many video games to play. In that environment, scarcity has value. Of course, this is underlined by the demand for “physical things” and is probably the reason rare Pokémon cards are going for as much as $16 million. It’s worth thinking about this in the context of UCAS Discovery events and Open Days. With expectations for live experiences and physical products increasing, is it enough to rock up to an event with a data capture device and a branded tote bag? For your Open Days, are there tentpole events, such as scientific demonstrations or performances, for all attendees to enjoy? If 90% of your in-person interaction could be covered by your website and virtual tour, you need something different. Read
SEMRush shared new insight into what AI chatbots are looking for in content. The headline is that AI does not favour a single strong signal e.g. a highly authoritative “.ac.uk” domain, but a collection of consistent sources. This means you need a strategy for being the answer to a specific problem across platforms, not just your own website. Broadly, the best places to do that are LinkedIn (11% of all AI citations) and Reddit, which drives 9 million AI referral visits monthly. However, be careful when optimising for AI. Opening your LinkedIn article with a section labelled “Quick Answer” might be great for AI, but for humans, it suggests that you’re there for the machines and no one else. It’s a similar case for Reddit. Bad actors have spammed the platform to such a degree that some moderators have stopped the publication of new content. Identify the unique problem you can solve for students. Create with those people in mind. Optimisation will only get you so far. Read
🏫 What unis are doing
Imperial is recruiting for a new Director of Marketing. In the JD, variations of the word “continue” appear 7 times, so whatever you do, don’t try to build anything new. In fairness, Imperials’ rebrand is only 2 years old, so likely, it’s just looking for someone to bed in and get sh*t done. Look
Have you ever looked in the mirror and said, “Today, I need to understand the problem of hands-on build-versus-buy simulations?” Nope, neither has anyone else. Yet it’s how LSE’s short courses partner GetSmarter frames the institution’s new AI course. It’s probably still recruiting. Look
DMU has a CTA on its homepage for “Early Access Clearing”, which is distinctive when most other institutions are asking you to “register your interest” and “get priority” from July. To students who are anxious, hearing that you can “get an offer today” is compelling. Look
🧑🎓 What students are saying
“Without that opportunity [of part-time study], I would have been stunted, and the quality of my life wouldn't have improved. [My life] has improved in all ways. We were able to afford a bigger house, I was able to work in leadership roles and now I've started my own business, something I never would have done without that degree.” Open University students share the outcomes of part-time study and concerns about its funding. Read
👾 Culture shock
OpenAI gives ChatGPT the ability to dream. Read
Jonny Ives (former Apple product lead) designed a Ferrari. Read
