Don’t Overlook College “Matchmaking” Websites to Reach High School Students 3 comments

With the growing popularity of Facebook and other social networking sites, it’s no surprise that  more high schools students are “pointing and clicking their way through the college search.” According to an article in the Boston Globe, future freshmen are seeking out a mix of new social networking pages, as well as traditional college guides.

In fact, the article reports that 40 percent of students are finding college Websites (for the first time) on Google and other search engines. Also, the article names a few of the college matchmaking sites such as http://www.cappex.com/ as a cost-effective way to reach students.

What’s the takeaway here? Assess your 2009 Web budget, and consider embellishing your Website with helpful blogs and video to reach these Web-savvy students (mostly Millennials) who “live on” the Internet. Take some time to research the “matchmaking” sites and consider incorporating them into your online marketing efforts in 2009.

Another interesting point from the article is that even though the way students obtain information is changing, what students are looking for in a college hasn’t changed. Experts say students are still seeking the “feeling that this is where they belong.” From an education branding perspective, some version of this key message should be integrated into both your offline and online presence.