Sure, your ranking as a college or university is important, but so is how you make students feel when they are trying to see themselves in your website. Looking for information on your site and interacting with you are key pieces in how they make a first impression of your university.
Every touchpoint from that first form submission shapes their perception and experience with your school — something they’ll remember when making that ultimate decision.
So, how do you make sure you aren’t letting poor digital experiences get in the way of letting your school shine? This blog explores ways to create positive, personal digital experiences that leave a lasting impression and ultimately improve your recruitment outcomes.
Personalize the experience with adaptive web forms
Every student’s journey is unique, and your digital interactions should reflect that. Conditional web forms, which adapt based on a student’s previous answers, create a tailored experience that resonates. Studies have found that using conditional processing can reduce form abandonment by 17%, making it critical to use smart forms for everything from initial inquiries to longer application processes. By asking only relevant questions, you avoid overwhelming prospective students and keep them engaged.
Don’t make prospective students work for the information they want
The average attention span of a human is now only 8.25 seconds, which is less than the 9-second attention span of a goldfish. This means staying in front of someone *when* they are interested makes all the difference.
Send quick and relevant responses through automated triggers built into your web forms. This can provide immediate, personalized feedback based on each student’s inquiry.
Cornell University utilizes FormAssembly’s powerful Salesforce integration to boost their response times: “One form saves us from having to go into about 8 different objects. You can imagine the process someone would have to go through to do this manually. This removes hours of work from every submission.” By reducing manual data processing tasks, Cornell can respond in the moment, significantly improving student satisfaction.
Create a modern user experience
Adopting modern technology can significantly boost your recruitment results. By modernizing its student portal with streamlined web forms, Olivet Nazarene University was able to triple its enrollment. This success story highlights how upgrading your digital processes can have a transformative impact on student engagement and institutional growth.
Forge emotional connections with personalization
Building an emotional connection starts with showing you understand a student’s needs. Personalized follow-ups, based on their interests and interactions, can create a strong sense of belonging. The University of Florida’s targeted email campaigns, tailored to student interests, not only increased engagement but also significantly boosted application conversion rates. When students feel seen and valued, they’re more likely to picture themselves as part of your community.
Data-driven improvements for ongoing success
Leverage the insights from your digital interactions to refine your recruitment strategies continuously. By tracking form completion rates, response times, and user feedback, institutions like the University of Michigan have fine-tuned their approaches, leading to more effective recruitment campaigns and a better understanding of prospective students’ needs.
Conclusion
To stand out in a competitive landscape, your student engagement strategy needs to be both personalized and efficient. By integrating adaptive web forms and automated response triggers, you can create memorable, impactful experiences that resonate with prospective students and drive better outcomes.
Ready to transform your recruitment strategy? Discover how our advanced web form solutions can help you deliver personalized, timely interactions that set your institution apart.
Check out this look book for higher ed web forms to learn how other universities are communicating and connecting with students from enrollment to alumni.
