Logan Gets Social, Goes Cyber to Reach New Students
For colleges and universities competing to attract top students, glossy brochures and sleek admissions materials are no longer enough to promote recruitment and retention.
According to Dr. Boyd Bradshaw, vice president of enrollment management at Logan College of Chiropractic/University Programs, an integrated marketing campaign that includes a strong online presence is essential for reaching prospective students.
“We’ve made it a top priority to overhaul Logan’s online marketing and create a comprehensive campaign with one succinct message and brand,” said Dr. Bradshaw, who led the new project to update Logan’s online approach. “By revamping our website and social media efforts, we stand out in the online space as an expert in the field of chiropractic, and we’re gaining a lot of attention.”
The ongoing project includes a comprehensive redesign of Logan’s website and regularly updated online videos, news updates, calendars, as well as Facebook posts and Twitter feeds. The online messaging and branding is consistent throughout—promoting what a ‘body in balance’ can do, and how Logan and chiropractic care promotes the utmost health.
Connecting with Logan’s Online Community
Dr. Bradshaw and his team focused on developing a state-of-the-art website that was extremely easy for users to navigate. They achieved this by dividing the site content into sections that target specific audiences, including potential students, alumni/donors, faculty/staff, current students and patients.
“In our planning meetings we audited our internal and external audiences and developed content that addresses everyone’s needs,” Dr. Bradshaw said.
Logan students can now access the information they need in a quick and easy way. Logan webmail, the bookstore, grades and the academic calendar are all accessible and easy for students to find. Prospective students can quickly navigate information about the admissions process, financial aid and the benefits of a Logan education.
The team carefully considered the site’s search engine optimization (SEO), the process of improving the visibility of a website via the natural or unpaid search results. SEO ensures Logan’s site is more frequently visited when people search for terms such as “chiropractic health” or “chiropractic schools.”
The Virtual Logan Experience
Juliette Losapio, interactive media manager at Logan, works closely with Dr. Bradshaw and maintains Logan’s online presence on a daily basis. She says Logan’s online and social initiatives direct the right information to key audiences in a more modern way.
As prospective students look to the web to find information on top colleges and universities, Logan’s enrollment team understands the importance of using social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, to connect with students. Losapio notes that prospective students have asked Logan questions about the admissions process through their social media sites. “It’s important for us to be where students and potential students are—online,” Losapio said. “Social media provides an in-depth look at Logan. Through photos, videos and student posts, prospects get a true sense of what it’s really like to be on campus at Logan. The goal is to create a virtual environment for students to help them feel like they have visited our campus.”
In addition to raising Logan’s visibility online, the team also focused on mobility. Now, Logan’s online visitors can quickly access information through their phones and tablet devices.
Losapio says the natural engagement is what makes social media such a great communications tool. “I’m able to interact with Logan audiences in real time, and I can instantly see what topics are trending in the Logan community. I can then align our communications to match those interests and needs.”
For example, during National Chiropractic Health Month, a popular topic in the social media space was related to getting “techno healthy.” The initiative, led by the American Chiropractic Association, discussed ways to avoid stress and injury, such as “Blackberry thumb” or “text neck,” due to the excessive use of technology.
“A successful social media campaign is when students are able to have direct access to Logan and can get interesting and valuable information right away,” Dr. Bradshaw said. Specifically, Dr. Bradshaw devotes time to measuring the results of their efforts online. He is able to measure quantitative results by monitoring traffic and interaction, and qualitative results, assessing the quality of content provided to the Logan community.
“Our team meets to discuss our output, and what we need to do to adjust or improve,” Dr. Bradshaw said. “It’s a project that demands a team approach and must continuously evolve to stay ahead in the industry.”
In phase two of the project, the team plans to leverage the expertise of Logan’s chiropractic professionals and professors, as well as promote Logan’s Health Centers via online forums.
“While a fundamental goal is to increase awareness of Logan as a first-class chiropractic institution,” Dr. Bradshaw said, “we more broadly want to educate the public on how to live a healthy life—promoting the benefits of chiropractic care. Logan’s renowned faculty and partners can share their expertise and knowledge with a larger audience and elevate Logan’s credibility online.”
Logan can be found online at:
www.Logan.edu
www.facebook.com/loganchiro
www.youtube.com/user/loganuniversity
www.twitter.com/loganchirouniv