Master of Public Health – Digital Recruitment Strategy

12/13/14

Executive Summary

• Problem – A small program of public health was launched four years ago within a

well-established social work school with a 100-year history and #1 ranking

– A new microsite was launched to act as a portal for prospective students

– Brand lacks awareness

• Goals & Objectives– Raise awareness of MPH program, recruitment goals are 35% increase

over last year

Executive Summary Continued

• Audience / Tactics by Channel– Undergrads, healthcare career Advancers, career changers

• Metrics– Click throughs to website, request information form– SEO rankings, social engagement

Research

• Key Demographics– Average age is 28 years old

• This number has skewed higher in the last couple of years– Women make up 85% of those enrolling to social

work/public health programs*– 62% have worked, volunteered, or lived abroad– 19% have been a part of the service corp.

• Key Psychographics– Introvert, low-profile approach, genuine concern for

others, confident decision maker, takes responsibility, but will ask for support, prefers to work structured environment.**

*CSWE.org report 2012 **Macintyre Charity study 2010

Research• Target Audience

– To grab the attention of the millennial audience, brands and institutions must embrace them as partners not just customers

– Millennials care deeply about their communities– Highly engaged through social media– Tend to make highly informed purchase decisions– Brands that reach this digital savvy audience have the

opportunity to capture a larger share

Source eMarketer

Research

• Mobile Matters– Millennials are aware of and responsive to mobile ads – The key to success in this platform is relevant messaging– More than 90% of this generation owns a smartphone– Mobile media consumption continues to increase

Source eMarketer

Research

• Mobile-friendly Website

- Brown’s responsive design website gives it an edge with the target audience using mobile devices to research

possible program choices.

Research

• Social Media

- The Brown School’s challenge is to leverage the reputation of both the school and the university to

promote the new public health program.

Competitive Analysis

• Big Names in Public Health– Johns Hopkins – Harvard – UNC– Columbia

• Regional Programs – Vanderbilt– University of Michigan– University of Chicago– Saint Louis University

Competitive Analysis

• Washington University – MPH Brand Personality – Collaborative, research-oriented, accessible faculty, smaller, service-oriented, many disciplines

Customer Journey Map

SharingActionInteraction

InterestAttentionMotivation

- Learning about graduate programs that can lead to serving careers

- Comparing the costs and benefits of select programs that have been found

- Developing a relationship with the program through social interaction and administration contact

- Requesting additional information about the program or scheduling a visit

- Sharing information and action with social media

- Significant life event or experience drives a passion to serve others

Persona #1 Straight from College

Persona #2 – Healthcare Career Advancer

Persona #3 – Career Changer

Key Insight

• Developing leaders from different disciplines to help solve the world’s complex public health problems

Message Map • Applied Learning in the Field

– Research centers, practicum affiliations, connection to NGOs, health centers, policy makers

– Global opportunities, institutes• Access to Professors / Leaders for Career Advancement

– Lecture series, career service dedicated, assistantships, present to community groups, research symposia – posters / publications, world renown faculty interact with students and teach courses

• Reputation of the University – World-class med school, #1 ranked Social Work school, BJC connection,

Tier One Research • Holistic Approach / Exposure to Disciplines

– Transdisciplinary problem-solving courses, free trade across university to courses outside the program

Message Map

Content Strategy – Drive prospective students to website • Google Search SEO / SEM

– Hire a Digital Consultant to Optimize mph.wustl.edu• Google Compliance, Title Tags, Google Analytics tracking tags, SEO

plugins (Yost), meta tag formats, content matches titles• Back links from Institute for Public Health, undergraduate global

health programs at Washington University, msw.wustl.edu, brownschool.wustl.edu

• Paid Ads– Banner Ads – Gradschools.com, Petersons.com, Common Application

(SOPHAs), Association for Schools & Programs of Public Health– Pay per Click – Google AdWords paid search (see keywords – MPH,

epidemiology, global health, biostats, master of public health)

Content Strategy• Social

– Targeted Facebook advertising – series of promoted posts alumni experience videos, international learning opportunity videos

(Haiti / India) and “like” our micro-site campaign– LinkedIn – targeted paid ads– Editorial Content of Admissions based posts, like Virtual Fair sign ups,

info session events– YouTube paid ads, and more video content – Add social media aggregator to microsite

• Blogs – move current blog on Wordpress onto the microsite– student perspective on the microsite based on topics that make the

program unique, alumni experiences captured in sharable stories

Metrics & Analytics• Qualitative Measures

– Prospective students include Washington University in consideration– Thought leaders (professors in public health) in the news– Advisors / alumni (referrers) with a positive opinion of the school

• Quantitative Measures– Request more Information (form visits)– Engagement on social media– Microsite click throughs– Campus visits– Higher search results– Email response

Timeline & Budget

January 15 – April 15This time period covers the critical yield period to retain applicants and drive prospects to apply. This will serve as a pilot to test digital tactics. All students enter in the fall semester. The most concentrated recruitment period is September 15 – December 15.

BudgetWe estimate the SEO consultation, social media editorial monitoring and consultation, pay per click campaign execution and monitoring, along with a discovery report, will cost $85,000 for six months.

QUESTIONS