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As the new academic year starts, Arizona鈥檚 educational institutions face the challenge of connecting with Gen Z students in the always changing digital landscape. The , a collaborative project between LaneTerralever and Convince & Convert, offers many insights into student preferences and the strategies needed to engage with them. 

Understanding Gen Z: What do students want? 

The report shows that 82% of students are motivated to pursue higher education primarily for career opportunities, with academic reputation and cost being secondary factors. This career-centric mindset shows the need for institutions to align their programs and marketing efforts with the job market’s demands. 

Lauren Hillery, an expert in higher education marketing, emphasized the significance of understanding student preferences. 鈥淪tudents particularly trust content and information from sources that look and feel more like them,鈥� she said. 鈥淪eventy percent of students are interested in content from 鈥榮tudents like me,鈥� student leaders, and even admissions staff.鈥� This can show the importance of user-generated content and authentic storytelling in student outreach. 

The role of AI in higher education marketing 

The report also talks about the increasing role of AI, or artificial intelligence, in marketing, with 38% of higher education marketers using AI daily, primarily for personalized website content and ad creation. However, there is a noticeable gap in leveraging AI for student storytelling. This gap can present opportunities, but there are also some risks associated with this. 

鈥淭he most effective way marketers can and should be leveraging AI right now is to make their processes more effective and efficient,鈥� Hillery said. 鈥淪tudents, especially younger generations, have a keen eye for picking up on AI-generated content, which can sometimes erode trust if not done carefully.鈥� 

Hillery says that AI should be used as a tool to improve marketing efficiency, not as a substitute for genuine content. 鈥淢arketers should focus on gathering user-generated content and speaking directly with students to ensure their content remains authentic,鈥� she said. 

Tradition and innovation 

One of the most surprising findings from the report is the power of traditional communication methods. Despite the rise of social media and digital platforms, 55% of students still prefer email over text during the application process. Yet, many marketers tend not to invest as much in email marketing, as they believe it may not resonate with Gen Z. 

鈥淢y assumption is that marketers have been a little hesitant to get budget approval for email campaigns because recent research suggests younger generations are not using the same channels as before,鈥� Hillery said. However, this report proves that email is still a powerful tool, especially when used at the right point in the student journey.鈥� 

Economic implications for Arizona鈥檚 job market 

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into higher education marketing, its impact on the local job market becomes an important factor to note. Hillery says that while AI might lead to some displacement in the marketplace, it can also offer a lot of benefits.

鈥淚n terms of the economic impact, I think what we see is the marketers who can lean into AI as a means of making them more efficient, making them better marketers, in terms of being able to focus on spending less time doing the grind work and more time doing the strategic thinking and strategy. They鈥檙e going to be stronger marketers with better job prospects,鈥� she said.

The 2024 Higher Education Marketing Report provides Arizona鈥檚 colleges and universities with a guide for connecting with Gen Z students. These insights will be very important in ensuring that institutions remain competitive and continue to attract and retain the next generation of students and also drive economic growth in the state.

courtesy Jernej Furman from Slovenia, ,via Wikimedia Commons.