Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business has used online videos to promote its Graduate Program in Business Administration with great success.
I stumbled upon this mini-series composed of 4 different YouTube videos last week and found it very compelling.
What I like about these videos is their punch, simple call-to-action (go to the website) and authenticity – it doesn’t get more authentic with current students from JMBS talking right to prospective students.
Really great work and great acting talent.
That’s why I contacted the manager of Concordia’s YouTube channel to find out more about it.
Shelagh Peden, Information & Project Coordinator at University Communications Services, was kind enough to answer my 3 questions over YouTube messaging system.
1) Did you use real students?
Yes, all subjects were JMSB undergrads (one non-JMSB) who showed interest in the program. They volunteered (not paid), and the whole thing was coordinated by a co-op student, including training the actors.
2) How did you promote these videos?
YouTube, GDBA website, Facebook, LinkedIn, our blog, sent to our alumni and friends (no print, all web-based and by word-of-mouth). The videos were also used the info sessions as an icebreaker, and someone went from class-to-class making 5-minute presentations. Most views of the video were through Facebook.
3) What kind of response did you got from prospective students? Were you able to trace any application to this initiative?
The program received more *qualified* applications than can be accepted (170 vs. 150). We didn’t specifically track applicants, felt it would be awkward to ask if they were swayed by video when it’s a graduate program.
This is our first program that targets Millennials (no ads in newspapers, just web-based).
That was an eye-opener. I agree that these are really well-produced with solid information presented in a concise, compelling way. I guess I was brought to attention to see how they conducted the campaign and that it was totally web based.
thanks!
This post definitely brings it home. After attending EduWEB this year, I dived into implementing more video on our pages and there’s definitely been a noticeable improvement, interaction and involvement on our website.
Sorry, I have to disagree. I didn’t find those effective at all. They look like those commercials for for-profit schools that run in the late afternoon. “So pick up the phone and call. What are you waiting for?” They would have been so much more powerful if they were authentic, ie., real language, not polished content written by the school’s marcom/PR department. That just looked like actors or people who have been really coached to hit all the selling points.