5 Higher Education Marketing Trends You Can’t Ignore

The way students engage with universities is constantly evolving. To stay relevant and stand out in a crowded space, higher education marketers need to keep pace with shifting behaviours and emerging digital habits.

The good news? With the right strategy, your marketing can do more than attract attention — it can build trust, drive applications, and reinforce your institution’s values and identity.

Here are five higher education marketing trends that continue to shape student recruitment — and how you can make them work for you.

1. Student-Led Content That Builds Trust

Student-generated content (also known as UGC) remains one of the most effective ways to connect with prospective applicants. It’s authentic, relatable, and has the power to build credibility faster than any branded campaign.

Think campus vlogs, day-in-the-life takeovers, student Q&As and ambassador content across platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts. These formats offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into real student life — and that’s exactly what prospects want to see.

Tip: Empower student ambassadors with content guidelines and ideas to ensure alignment with your brand, without compromising authenticity.

‍

2. Emotionally Resonant Storytelling

Whether it’s a first-generation student finding their path or an alum making a global impact, storytelling that taps into emotion is a powerful marketing tool. It connects on a deeper level, makes your message more memorable, and helps students picture themselves at your university.

Videos are especially effective here — using music, visuals and voice to convey mood and meaning beyond what words alone can do.

Try this: Use student and alumni stories to highlight diverse experiences, values and outcomes. Keep the focus on people, not just programmes.

‍

3. Mobile-First Everything

Most prospective students interact with your university on mobile before any other device. From researching programmes to submitting applications, mobile is their go-to.

That means every touchpoint — your website, emails, ads, application portal — needs to be optimised for smaller screens. If something doesn’t load quickly or look great on mobile, it’s likely to be ignored or abandoned.

Make it work: Prioritise mobile speed, readability and clean design. Use short-form, vertical video to boost engagement across social platforms.

‍

4. Real-Time Engagement That Feels Human

Students want real answers — and real connection. Livestreams, virtual Q&As and online info sessions offer a simple but powerful way to engage prospective applicants in real time.

Whether you’re hosting a webinar with faculty, running a live campus tour or spotlighting international student voices, these formats give your audience a chance to interact, ask questions and get a genuine feel for your institution.

Quick win: Repurpose live sessions into on-demand video content to expand your reach and make resources accessible anytime.

‍

5. Smart Segmentation and Personalisation

Personalisation isn’t just about adding a first name to an email. It’s about delivering the right message, at the right time, to the right student — based on what you know about their interests, stage in the journey and engagement so far.

Modern CRM and admissions platforms make this possible. With dynamic segmentation and automation, you can move beyond one-size-fits-all comms and provide genuinely helpful, timely content that nudges students toward conversion.

Get started: Review your email flows, landing pages and forms. Where could you tailor content more thoughtfully to the needs of your different audiences?

‍

Final Thoughts: Stay Relevant by Staying Human

Marketing strategies evolve, but the goal remains the same: to connect with students in a meaningful, human way.

The most effective institutions don’t just follow trends — they use them to meet students where they are, show what makes them different, and build relationships that last beyond enrolment.

Ready to scale your marketing with a more human approach?
Full Fabric’s all-in-one admissions and CRM platform helps universities deliver personalised experiences throughout the entire student journey. Request a demo to see it in action.