It seems like everyone has a blog these days: parents, children, experts, businesses, politicians, and even schools. Blogging is a cheap and effective way to get a college’s message out there from the perspective of those experiencing the exact product you’re marketing. A link to your school’s blog right on your homepage gives potential students quick access to peer reviews on campus life, extracurricular activities, and events. It’s also the time to plug any unique high-profile success stories that might not make it into a press release or college newspaper. An official blog as part of your marketing plan not only gives you an opportunity to boast any distinctive attributes or programs that set your school apart, but it can improve your search results too!
Content is the most important piece of Search Engine Optimization, and a solid, well-written blog accurately reflecting your school can improve your site’s content, and thus, your visibility. You can post links to your school’s blog on social media forums to drive traffic there and also include internal links within your blog to keep visitors circulating throughout your website once they’re in. And it’s a great way to fill up the results page of a search, with content your school owns.
Blogs can be written collaboratively by students and faculty and even be incorporated into a work-study or course credits. The first-hand testimonials are a valuable way to give potential students access to the real-life questions they might not get the chance to ask on a formal tour. And best of all, it’s an affordable, popular medium that today’s students are accustomed to reading and writing. Blogging is only growing more popular by the day, so take advantage of the opportunity to increase your digital presence by starting (or improving) an official college blog.