Web landing page
The dedicated website landing page for the returners campaign needs to be a one-stop shop with regards to finding all the information a student should need to apply for a returning position in University accommodation.
Your landing page should be visually engaging, in a manner consistent with the rest of the campaign with a clear, logical flow around where to find information. Your landing page should consist of a clear Call to Action (CTA), link to make an application and links to further information.
For effective use within the campaign a short URL should be created which can be added to print materials, to ease navigation to the content with an obvious reference ‘www.XXXX.ac.uk/returners’ for example. Ensure all digital content links through to the page so users can access the additional information within one click.
Campaign launch email: Your campaign launch email should feature similar information to your landing page. Your opening paragraph should feature a ‘hook’ which will later relate and help reinforce your CTA. The benefits of returning to hall should be clearly listed as close to the opening as possible, setting the tone for the rest of the email.
In all emails, there are three main components needed: a CTA, a further information link (e.g. web landing page) and a point of contact for queries/questions. Emails should be consistent, without being overwhelming. A few points to consider are: How often do you normally email your residents? How often would you need to provide an availability update? Is email your main form of communication or are there other channels (covered below) which you could utilise?
Organic social media
Organic social media is where you rely on your audience interaction and posts to engage with followers, without a monetary budget. Best practice varies across each social media site, however there are some common themes. Firstly: Know your audience – who are you trying to engage with? Existing or new customers? Existing customers are better reached through organic social media. Why are you using this platform to target them? For example, Facebook’s predominant audience is millennials and Gen ‘X’ers whereas Instagram is more heavily utilised by a younger audience, with 64% of its users aged between 18-34.
Secondly, quality and consistency are key. Your posts need to be relevant to your audience, to receive the interaction and engagement you’re hoping to achieve. There is no ‘right’ number of posts to deliver each day/week, however you need to be consistent to build relationships with your audience, as they say: ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Thirdly and finally, remember social media is about having conversations, consider your tone of language and if your content is active/passive – ask yourself, would you be interested in reading or commenting on this?
Student portal
Student portals are a great way to deliver content to your target audience. Student portals should deliver different content to your organic social media and may use a different tone/language style. As with emails, your student portal posts/notifications should include a clear CTA, signpost to further information and a point of contact.
Home at Halls App
Depending on your site’s home at halls app content strategy, there are two potential ways to use the app in relation to the Returners campaign. Firstly, messaging put out on the home at halls app should either consist of different content to social media/the student portal and focus on a particular theme such as community. Or, secondly, it can be used as a signposting platform to your social media/student portal posts.
Paid social media
Paid social media is best to be used for targeting new customers. With regards to a returners campaign, this may be students who live within the private sector. Have a clear CTA so your viewers understand what action you want them to take, e.g. ‘Apply now!’. Keep your content short and appealing as you’re likely to appear in a user’s feed as an advert so they may now know instantly who you are or what your message is. Delivering a short, clear message is more likely gain interest than something vague and content heavy. Finally, for paid social media, ensure you are consistently ‘testing’ different audience groups and using different creative approaches to see which deliver the best results.
Print and POS in high traffic areas
Consistent, visually engaging collateral should be on display wherever you receive high footfall. These areas are typically in receptions, other communal areas such as cinema rooms, study areas and catering outlets.
Your collateral should consist of your CTA, your signposting information and a point of contact. You should consider using new designs periodically to prevent these from being overlooked and blending into surroundings.
Students’ Union opportunities
It’s worth investigating the current private student accommodation advertisements within your SU and the potential for an exclusivity agreement or a list of their advertising/sponsorship opportunities. If this is not possible, there are several key actions for best practice around a returners campaign.
Firstly, being aware of their event timetable for housing and refreshers fairs and securing a place is key. Secondly, the SU website should ideally contain an advert/link to your web landing page. Finally, potential advertisement opportunities on SU radio/streaming sites and/or the Student newspaper should be fully investigated.
Flyer distribution
For flyer distribution, these should be in the same theme as your POS collateral, but have their own visual identity. A clear plan for implementation should be created. Again, these should have a CTA, signpost for further information and a point of contact.
Drop-in events/information stands in high traffic areas
For drop-in events and/or information stands, the collateral should again be in the same theme as the rest of the campaign but with a new visual identity. You should have flyers/POS collateral to take away, along with small incentives to attract individuals over in the first place (e.g sweets/branded collateral such as lanyards/stress balls).
Door drop mailings/direct mail opportunities
Producing a printed leaflet which outlines all the returners information in one place can also be used as a local door-drop activity targeting known student residence locations. This can widen the targeting by including students who already live in private accommodation with the option to return to on-campus accommodation for their final year.
Where possible a direct mail piece can also be produced to send to students’ home addresses over the vacation periods like Christmas and Easter, where the additional audience or parents or carers may instigate conversations around accommodation options for the next year.