Social media is constantly evolving, but one platform has maintained consistent relevance with younger audiences: Snapchat. For higher ed marketers, Snapchat offers unique opportunities for colleges and universities to connect with students authentically and effectively.
Why Snapchat?
Snapchat is one of the most engaging social apps in the world, with a highly active audience that colleges and universities can’t afford to ignore:
- 443 million daily active users
- 165 million monthly active users ages 13-17
- 334 million monthly active users ages 18-24
- Available in 74 countries, giving institutions the ability to reach prospective students across the globe
- Users open the app 40 times per day on average, creating countless touchpoints for your ads
On top of this, Snapchat has continued to grow year over year. As a vertical video platform, it’s aligned with the way younger generations prefer to consume content.
What Makes Snapchat Unique
Unlike other platforms, Snapchat was built around short, authentic connections. Messages and Snaps disappear after viewing, giving users a sense of immediacy that resonates especially with younger audiences.
Snapchat also empowers creativity with filters, lenses, and AR (augmented reality) effects—formats that allow both users and advertisers to build interactive, engaging experiences.
For higher ed marketers, this means the opportunity to meet students where they’re already spending time, in a format they enjoy, with ad types that align to different goals:
- Awareness: Branded filters and AR lenses help generate buzz and introduce your school in a fun, memorable way.
- Lead Generation: Video ads are ideal for driving interest and capturing information directly in the app.
- Conversions: List-based or retargeting campaigns using video ads or story ads keep your institution top of mind and drive action.
With placements across the camera, Discover page, Spotlight, and in-between user content, Snapchat offers unique ways to connect with prospective students at multiple touchpoints throughout their enrollment journey.
Snapchat’s Role in Higher Ed Marketing
For higher education specifically, Snapchat is one of the most direct ways to reach the next generation of students. High school and college students—your key prospective audiences—are highly engaged on the platform.
That means higher ed institutions can:
- Target high school students considering their next steps
- Reach current college students for transfer or graduate programs
- Connect with parents through lifestyle targeting
Audience Targeting Capabilities
Snapchat’s targeting tools are designed to help higher ed marketers run efficient, effective campaigns. Options include:
- Lifestyle targeting: Reach specific groups like high schoolers, college students, or parents.
- List and lookalike targeting: Use your existing student or inquiry lists to re-engage known audiences, and build lookalike audiences to reach new prospects with similar traits.
- Geo-targeting: Narrow by country, state, zip code, or even around specific addresses with radius targeting.
This flexibility allows institutions to tailor Snapchat campaigns that reach exactly the right students, in the right places, at the right times.
Lead Generation on Snapchat
Snapchat stands out as the only social platform that allows lead generation campaigns for users under 18. This is a major advantage for higher ed marketers looking to reach prospective students early in their decision-making journey.
Leads are captured directly within the app, which removes friction and increases conversion rates. Marketers can choose from a wide range of fields or build custom questions with multiple choice, short answers, or date widgets to get the most relevant information from prospects. That said, shorter forms generally perform best, because limiting fields makes it easier for students to complete the form and ultimately increases lead volume.
Retargeting to Drive Enrollment
Beyond generating new leads, Snapchat also supports retargeting, a critical step for moving students down the enrollment funnel.
Best practices include launching retargeting campaigns about a month after your initial outreach campaign, focusing on high-intent ad engagers, such as users who watched a video in full or clicked on one of your ads.
This approach helps keep your institution top of mind and encourages students to take the next step, whether that’s registering for an event, starting an application, or scheduling a campus visit.
Using Snapchat in Your Higher Ed Marketing Strategy Moving Forward
With its massive reach, creative ad formats, and ability to connect authentically with younger audiences, Snapchat is a must-have in any higher education marketing strategy. From awareness all the way through to conversions, the platform provides the tools and audience access needed to drive measurable results for your institution.
If you’re ready to explore how Snapchat can fit into your marketing strategy, our team can help you build a plan that delivers—reach out and start a conversation.