Higher Ed Pulse - podcast cover

Higher Ed Pulse

Higher Ed Pulse is your weekly no-fluff guide to AI in higher ed. Higher ed leaders are expected to master AI overnight. But let’s be real — no one has time to sift through every headline, hot take, or research report. That’s why every Monday, we break down what actually matters — fast, clear, and to the point. Want to sound like the smartest person in the room? You’re in the right place. Higher Ed Pulse is hosted by Mallory Willsea and is a proud member of the Enrollify Podcast Network.
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Episodes

SecondLook: ROI of Content Marketing, How to Expertly Test New Marketing Channels, and COVID-19 Re-Entry Tips for Marketers

Budgets for next year are anything but certain. With that in mind, how can enrollment marketers show the ROI of content marketing? How should new marketing channels be tested and evaluated without wasting budget? And what advice should marketers heed while re-evaluating 2020 and 2021 marketing strategies? Find on this week's edition of SecondLook by Enrollify. Did you know? SecondLook by Enrollify is moving shows in just a few weeks! To continue streaming the show and get updates when new episod...

Jun 16, 202014 min

Fanatical Fridays – Episode 3

Why do so many college admissions webinars stink? Why is it that so many enrollment management teams still fail to A/B test their email communications? And what can admissions teams focus on over the next 7 days to move the needle on their enrollment marketing efforts? Snag creative answers to these tough questions by tuning into this week’s episode of Fanatical Fridays with Mickey Baines.- - - - Connect With Our Host: Mallory Willsea https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/ https://twitter.c...

Jun 12, 202038 min

Episode 47: How Enrollment Marketers Can Build Their Personal Brands

Higher education is in the midst of major disruption. Major layoffs are happening as departments restructure in an effort to consolidate resources as a result of the economic effects associated with COVID-19…some institutions have even closed their doors for good. As such, the job market for education professionals just got more competitive. On this week’s episode, Zach Busekrus chats with Dr. Colby Jubenville who is, among many other things, an international speaker, author, educator and coach,...

Jun 11, 202056 minEp. 47

SecondLook: How Poor User Experience Could Now Hurt Your SEO Rankings

Why should your "About" page read more like a business card? How could a poor user experience on your website hurt your Google search results rankings? And with schools looking to adopt text messaging as a new form of prospective student communication, what are the majors do's and don't to be aware of? Find out on this week's edition of SecondLook. Did you know? SecondLook by Enrollify is moving shows in just a few weeks! To continue streaming the show and get updates when new episodes are publi...

Jun 09, 202011 min

Fanatical Fridays – Episode 2

Should enrollment management teams operate like OPMs? Why does every college press release sound the same? Is there a correlation between “joyful” copy on a landing page and an increase in new leads? Find out the answers to these questions and more on this week’s episode of Fanatical Fridays with Mickey Baines. Our goal each week is to discuss the traits, strategies, and tactics that separate the best enrollment marketing teams from the rest of the pack. Subscribe to the Enrollify Podcast to rec...

Jun 05, 202035 min

Episode 46: Making Sense of the Many College Student COVID-19 Surveys

Over the past several weeks, a number of colleges, universities, and higher education market research firms, have published their results from recent surveys on how college students are faring in these unprecedented times. Surveys from Niche, Georgetown University, the Higher Education Data Sharing (HEDS) Consortium, Simpson Scarborough (and a plethora of others), were conducted to garner insight into current student sentiments around distance learning, opening campus in the fall, their mental w...

Jun 04, 202040 minEp. 46

SecondLook: How Admissions Teams and Virginia's College Students are Handling COVID-19

What did Kira Talent's survey of over 250 admissions teams reveal about enrollment marketers' largest concerns? Outside of online learning and affording tuition, how are Virginia's college students fairing amid COVID-19? And how can you utilize Facebook Shops to create a digital resource "storefront" for prospective student? Tune in to SecondLook to find out!- - - - Connect With Our Host: Mallory Willsea https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/ https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea About The Enr...

Jun 02, 202011 min

Introducing, Fanatical Fridays with Mickey Baines — a new, weekly segment on the Enrollify Podcast

Our goal each week is to discuss the traits, strategies, and tactics that separate the best enrollment management teams from the rest of the pack. We’re going to riff on the latest marketing and technology trends shaping enrollment management, share insights into what we’re “noodling” on in with respect to admissions and marketing in any given week, and give you really specific, tactical advice on how to move the needle in your context over the next 7 days. In short, we’re going to have a lot of...

May 29, 202047 min

Episode 45: How to Transform Your University’s Website into a Prospect-Generation and Student Engagement Machine — A Conversation with HubSpot’s Luke Summerfield on the Modern CMS

If we had a dollar for every time an enrollment marketer has complained to us about their school's website, Enrollify would be a Fortune 500 company 😏. Here's the reality — you don't need just need a prettier website. What you do need is a website built on a modern CMS (Content Management System) that empowers you to attract, engage, and delight users from their very first visit all the way through graduation (and beyond!). On this week's episode, Zach chats with Luke Summerfield who is the Go-...

May 28, 20201 hrEp. 45

Episode 44: Leveraging Uncertainty — What Enrollment Marketers Can Do Today To Prepare For A Fall Recruitment Cycle Like No Other

Last week, 57% of high school seniors reported that they were reconsidering their college options in a survey conducted by Niche.com. Yup, you read that right...over half of high school seniors aren't sure where they'll end up this fall. On this week's episode, Zach engages Will Patch — who heads up enrollment marketing strategy at Niche (the largest school search site on the internet) — in a riveting conversation around the aforementioned survey results, Niche's latest education website benchma...

May 21, 20201 hr 11 minEp. 44

SecondLook: BigTech x HigherEd, 3 Ways to Adapt Your LinkedIn Ads, and Google's Massive May Core Update

Did you know? SecondLook by Enrollify is moving shows in just a few weeks! To continue streaming the show and get updates when new episodes are published, please subscribe to SecondLook's new channels wherever you get your podcasts: SecondLook on Spotify SecondLook on Apple Podcasts SecondLook on Google Podcasts (coming soon!) - - - - Connect With Our Host: Mallory Willsea https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/ https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The High...

May 19, 202011 min

Episode 43: How Students Perceive Social Media Ads and What That Means for Higher Ed Marketers — in the COVID-19 Era and Beyond.

Last fall, Christopher Huebner conducted in-depth interviews with students and asked them about their perceptions and attitudes about social media advertising as they searched for, and evaluated, colleges. Chris was particularly interested in learning how influential — if at all — social advertising was in a student's decision to inquire about, apply to, and ultimately enroll at an institution. On this week's episode, Zach and Chris discuss the outcomes of these interviews and explore the insigh...

May 14, 202036 minEp. 43

SecondLook: Fall 2020 Enrollment Stats, LinkedIn Stories Launches in Brazil, and CPM Sharply Declines on Display Networks

Did you know? SecondLook by Enrollify is moving shows in just a few weeks! To continue streaming the show and get updates when new episodes are published, please subscribe to SecondLook's new channels wherever you get your podcasts: SecondLook on Spotify SecondLook on Apple Podcasts SecondLook on Google Podcasts (coming soon!) - - - - Connect With Our Host: Mallory Willsea https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/ https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The High...

May 12, 202010 min

Episode 42: It's Time to Get Fanatical About Recruitment: How Enrollment Marketers Can Adapt Strategically in the Era of COVID-19

From working in residential student life at Elizabethtown College, to producing his own TV show, to directing accelerated programs at Albright College, to becoming a principal at Kennedy & Company, Mickey Baines may just be the most interesting man in the enrollment management consulting game! On the show this week, we feature an energetic conversation between Zach and Mickey on how enrollment marketers can best leverage this all-but-usual moment we find ourselves in. Tune in for original id...

May 07, 202053 minEp. 42

SecondLook: Takeaways from Inquiring at 80 Different Business Schools, Consumer Ad Preferences During COVID-19, and How to Make Your Content Authoritative

- - - - Connect With Our Host: Mallory Willsea https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/ https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network . If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at ele...

May 05, 202011 min

Episode 41: How to Leverage Faculty, Maximize Marketing ROI, and Reduce Friction in Admissions in the Era of COVID-19

Spending has been frozen. Yield is uncertain. Budget cuts appear to be on the horizon. And enrollment marketers need to prepare for a fall recruitment season like none other. Where should you start? How does one even begin to think about strategic enrollment marketing during a global pandemic? On the show this week, Zach sits down with Suzan Brinker, who previously served in marketing directorial roles at both Northeastern and Penn State (and is now an independent higher education marketing stra...

Apr 30, 202042 minEp. 41

SecondLook: Most Common SEO Mistakes of 2020, Facebook Reverses CBO Mandate, and LinkedIn Stories Coming Soon

What did SEMRush's report on 310 million web pages, 28 billion links, and 6 trillion images uncover about the most common SEO mistakes of 2020? Why was Facebook's Campaign Budget Optimization mandate in February so poorly received, and then reversed? And what should you expect from the rollout of LinkedIn Stories? Tune in to find out!- - - - Connect With Our Host: Mallory Willsea https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/ https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea About The Enrollify Podcast Network: T...

Apr 28, 202011 min

Episode 40: The Past, the Present, and the Future of Social Media in Higher Education

In 2020, colleges and universities are projected to spend close to $2 billion on social media advertising. Therefore, it's hard to believe that only ten years ago, even major institutions like the University of Virginia, the University of Notre Dame, and West Virginia University were just getting set up with a Facebook page. On the show this week, Zach sits down with Kasandrea Sereneo the founder of #HigherEdSocial to discuss the past, the present, and the future of social media in higher educat...

Apr 23, 202057 minEp. 40

SecondLook: Pilot Episode

SecondLook is the podcast version of Enrollify’s weekly newsletter, The Minute. Think of it as your weekly dose of higher-ed marketing trends that are worth keeping tabs on! This week, we look at how COVID-19 has impacted Google Search trends, why it's prime time to try advertising on Twitch, and what language you should avoid using in communications to prospective students during these unprecedented times.- - - - Connect With Our Host: Mallory Willsea https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/...

Apr 21, 202010 min

Episode 39: Words Really Matter — Ideas for How Schools Can Develop More Personalized, Empathetic, and Engaging Communications Experiences

When was the last time you audited your communications flow? Or how about the last time you took a hard look at the copy in the search campaign letters you office sends to suspects each year? If it’s been a minute, this episode is for you. On the show this week, Zach sits down with Jeremy Tiers from Tudor Collegiate Strategies to discuss why words really matter and to share ideas for how schools can develop more personalized, empathetic, and engaging communications experiences — especially in th...

Apr 16, 202039 minEp. 39

Episode 38: How to Communicate Appropriately with Admitted Students During COVID-19

How to Communicate Appropriately with Students During COVID-19: A 5 Step Guide for College - - - - Connect With Our Host: Mallory Willsea https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/ https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network . If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping in...

Apr 09, 202042 minEp. 38

Episode 37: How Students' College Research Patterns are Shifting Due to COVID-19

Have you thought about what it might be like to be a high school senior right now? Prom has been cancelled, basketball and soccer seasons have been cut short, and there’s a good chance you won’t be going to college this fall (well, at least not physically). We wanted to better understand how the search behavior of high school seniors and high school juniors has changed as a result of COVID-19, so we sat down with Alex Stepien, the CEO of Cappex. Cappex is a platform that helps bridge the gap bet...

Apr 02, 202037 minEp. 37

How Higher Education is Creatively Responding to COVID-19 Outbreak: A Conversation with Dr. Katie Linder

The Keep Teaching Community: https://keep-teaching-resources-for-higher-ed.mn.co/share/zcTzuEj_gszfyTfc?utm_source=manual Working Virtually by Trina Hoefling (Amazon link) When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron (Amazon link) - - - - Connect With Our Host: Mallory Willsea https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/ https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network . If you like t...

Mar 26, 202032 minEp. 36

Episode 35: How to Successfully Move Higher Ed Admissions & Marketing Events Online

If you’re an enrollment marketer using Salesforce as your CRM and/or SIS and you’re looking for an end-to-end management solution for your recruitment and/or on-campus events , Chris, Kristen, and the entire Blackthorn team are your people. For more information on Blackthorne.io, visit Blackthorn.io. - - - - Connect With Our Host: Mallory Willsea https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/ https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of th...

Mar 19, 202036 minEp. 35

Episode 34: The Frantic Move Online: A Real-Time Look at How Higher Ed is Responding to the Coronavirus (Special Edition)

To say it has been a crazy week might be the greatest understatement of 2020. We’re a weekly podcast, but in light of all of the fear, confusion, and frustration plaguing higher education as a result of COVID-19, we’re bringing you this special edition. Around the world, nearly 300 million students have been sent home over coronavirus fears. Universities are scrambling to create plans in the event of a local outbreak, and for many, the answer is to move courses online. Yesterday, Zach Busekrus s...

Mar 13, 202022 minEp. 34

Episode 33: What GEM Professionals Need to Know About Recruiting Grad Students — From the Perspective of a Grad Student (Who Works in Graduate Admissions)

Erin Fields is not only currently pursuing a Master’s in Integrated Marketing and Communications at West Virginia University, she’s also a graduate assistant at WVU’s Office of Graduate Admissions and Recruitment. On this week’s episode of the podcast, we feature the story of Erin’s journey to graduate school and ask her hard questions about how being a grad student influences the way she helps recruit future grad students. Erin transparently shares about the research she conducted as she discer...

Mar 12, 202040 minEp. 33

Episode 32: Making the Case for Independent Schools: A Conversation on the Future of K-12 Marketing and Student Recruitment

"Gone are the days when we could just rest on our laurels and meet our enrollment goals”, says Angela Brown, the Director of Marketing and Communications at Flint Hill School, a K-12 independent school located in Oakton, Virginia. On this week’s episode, Zach Busekrus chats with Angela about the greatest opportunities and challenges that the independent school market faces in 2020. Angela discusses the importance of knowing who you are and owning how you’re different in an increasingly crowded s...

Mar 05, 202048 minEp. 32

Episode 31: The Clock is Ticking — A Conversation with Brandon Busteed on What Higher Ed Needs to do to Remain Relevant

This week, The Chronicle of Higher Education published an article noting that 6 in 10 colleges missed their fall enrollment goals (these results come from The Chronicle’s most recent enrollment survey of close to 300 colleges and universities). To say that higher ed is in facing serious challenges, is an understatement — “crisis” might be a more appropriate word. The good news? We’re living through one of the greatest moments of innovation in history. And where there is innovation, there is also...

Feb 27, 202042 minEp. 31

Episode 30: Changing Perceptions through Connection — How One Graduate School Recruited International Students in the Trump Era

International student enrollment has been on the decline since the fall of 2016, and, according to estimates from NAFSA, has cost the US economy $11.8 billion and more than 65,000 jobs. In an interview with CNN from last November, Rachel Banks, the Director of Public Policy at NAFSA said, "There's many variables, but largely it's been the policies and rhetoric from the current administration that's really driven the numbers to move in that direction.” This current reality has been dubbed “The Tr...

Feb 13, 202039 minEp. 30

Episode 29: Why There’s No Such Thing as a Stealth Applicant

If you have ever worked in an enrollment office or marcomm department for any educational institution, you’re probably already familiar with the term “stealth applicants” — a term commonly used to refer to applicants who show up in the system without any previous interaction with your brand. Enrollment managers, admissions officers, and higher ed marketers alike have used this term for many years to describe the seemingly unstoppable force of a certain number of prospective students that will es...

Feb 06, 202031 minEp. 29
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