HIGHER EDUCATION: Each year of the past decade, Gatehouse has measured communications practices and trends across the globe in the largest survey for internal communications professionals.

For the first time in its history, Gatehouse listed video as a top digital channel in 2019. The announcement was a shock to some, but not to all. After all, video is:

Higher education institutes around North America have already seen the benefits of using video in creative ways to attract prospective students and alumni – as well as engage with current faculty and students. Here are seven ways we’ve seen video being used to great success, to interact, inform and entertain.

Social media gives brands and institutes a chance to put out video content that is less focused on direct messaging and more about showing a unique culture. The tone of these videos tends to be more quirky, creative and funny. They give audiences a valuable chance to see what the day-to-day lives at the institute might be like. The University of South Carolina presents a great example in this video that shows their faculty out of their element – trying to comprehend “Millennial vocabulary!”

“Hype,” “Traditions,” “History,” or “Promo” Video – this kind of video has many names and ways to go about them. However, the overarching purpose of these videos is to generate excitement and school pride amongst students and staff. Videos that excel at this, like McMaster University’s YouTube video with 127K views, emphasize their traditions and history through its people and places. Depicting the diversity of the people, the sights on the campus, and the shared singular experience is how these videos portray a real, authentic message.

The accomplishments and breakthroughs made by faculty and students are sources of immense pride and elevation – and these videos give them just the recognition they deserve. See one of the UWaterloo’s YouTube videos highlighting Professor Donna Strickland – 2018 winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Incoming students and staff are going to be nervous about their fresh start in a new setting. They know little about their expectations, the new policies and even where the simplest things are. Welcome videos are great to show your environment and culture, and excite them about the next few weeks as they get to experience new things and become acclimated to their new environment. This video from St. Lawrence University is a simple concept – taking shots from their orientation that shows how much their volunteers care about spreading their school culture.

Have these samples given you an idea, but you don’t know where to take it? We can help.  At Arc and Crown we focus on and understand your higher ed audiences, and create content  that speaks to them. If you have any questions about how we can help you,  give us a shout!

(Blog originally written by A+C and posted on higheredcommunications.com )

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