Online College Search

Clark University

Online College Search PlanApril 22, 2009

The Search Process

CollegeBoard USNews CTCL Zinch Peterson’sPrinceton Review

NavianceUCan-

networkNCES

USA.Edutime

facebook Google

ClarkU.edu

ADMISSIONStealth

Applicants

Q: Does the content and experience give prospective students and their parents what they want/need from the school website?

Optimization

Parents & Students

Comparable Schools

Market

• More students enrolling than ever

      • Parents much more value conscious (Is our school worth

it?)

• Key is to differentiate

• Everyone is responsible for advancing the mission

• The internet has had the biggest impact on the college application process recently

Market

• 67% of undergraduate institutions used or planned to use a paid search

• 57% of college-bound students use the World Wide Web to research colleges and universities

• Generation-Y is looking for an instantaneous yet personalized approach to the college search

• A recent survey in MA found that more than 90% of students interested in attending four-year colleges use “matchmaking” sites in their search

• Colleges now use social media to reach their target more than Fortune 500, and Inc. 500 Companies

• “Stealth Applicants”

Recommendation

Analyses of the ten target sites showed that the websites which may act as incubator for Clark’s developing brand are somewhat limited. Most of these important referring sites do not allow the flexibility to shape the university’s image. The university aims not only to differentiate itself from other schools, but to spread the word. Based on careful online research we found opportunities to market the Clark brand at five different websites; Zinch.com, Google.com, Facebook.com, Princetonreview.com, and Petersons.com.

Recomendation

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