Enrollment Marketing for Higher Education

The enrollment landscape is changing. We say that every year—but couldn’t we say that every month? In 2025, the priority shift is clear: addressing student expectations. The question is, are you ready to listen?

Students have always expected a great college experience, but today, they are more empowered and more vocal than ever. This can either strengthen your brand—or hurt your enrollment. And this is the year when failing to listen will have the greatest consequences.

Not listening hurts students because their investment in your institution isn’t met with the experience they expect. It hurts institutions because skepticism about the value of a degree continues to rise.

For colleges already struggling with enrollment, losing credibility with current students damages your brand in ways marketing alone can’t fix. When student needs go unheard, marketing to prospective students becomes ineffective, and reconnecting with past audiences—like adult learners, a growing demographic—becomes even harder.

Today’s students demand more than marketing messages; they want institutions that truly understand and respond to their needs. Not just when they’re enrolled, but at every touchpoint, for every demographic.

AI can help us work faster and smarter, but human connection remains at the core of the college experience. That means your marketing must do more than generate interest—it must build relationships that lead to meaningful engagement.

Higher ed must become customer-centric. For small to mid-size private institutions, there are fewer students to recruit, and yield depends on every application. In 2025, successful institutions won’t just attract students—they’ll listen to them. From branding and recruitment to student engagement and emerging technologies, the institutions that thrive will be those that prioritize the student experience.

With the right strategy—like those Paskill provides—colleges and universities can close the gap between what students expect and what institutions deliver. Here are five key trends shaping enrollment in 2025 and how institutions can best respond:

1. Differentiation Through Branding

Colleges don’t have a single brand—they have multiple brands for multiple audiences. A tagline alone can’t carry the weight of an institution’s identity, especially for lesser-known schools competing in a crowded market.

Yet, too often, brand RFPs focus on flashy campaigns rather than a foundational brand strategy. Campaigns should be bold and engaging for audiences that expect high-impact experiences, but a strong institutional brand must be built on a deep understanding of what matters to students. The best branding starts with listening.

2. Targeted Recruitment and Personalization

Students expect to be seen and heard at every stage of their journey—from the first outreach to the moment they enroll. Personalization isn’t just a trend; it’s an expectation. AI-powered communications, personalized URLs (PURLs), and customized video messages create touchpoints that make students feel recognized as individuals.

But technology alone isn’t enough. The institutions that succeed will be the ones that combine data-driven insights with real human connection.

3. Enrollment-Focused Website Experiences

Your .edu site must keep pace with the seamless, intuitive experiences students expect. That means:

• Plain language for easy comprehension.
• Fast load times for mobile-first engagement.
• Clear navigation that prioritizes prospective students over internal stakeholders.

Higher ed homepages have long been battlegrounds for competing institutional priorities. While advancement and alumni relations matter, prospective students should not have to dig to find the information they need. Microsites and campaign-driven landing pages can help deliver the right message at the right time—meeting students where they are.

4. The Role of Paid Media in Driving Enrollment Analytics

Every marketing dollar matters. Institutions need to ensure their media strategies are not just driving leads but driving the right leads. Expect an increased focus on program-specific marketing as schools work to attract students with high intent.

At the 2024 AMA Higher Ed Marketing Conference in Las Vegas, we heard from hundreds of higher ed marketers—across a wide range of institutions—all looking for ways to increase enrollment for targeted academic programs. The pressure is on to make every investment count.

5. Leveraging On-the-Ground Recruitment Training

All the marketing in the world leads to a critical moment: when a recruiter has the chance to turn interest into a real-life connection. But are admissions teams ready for that moment?

Today’s students and families are overwhelmed with information and hesitant to trust institutions with one of the biggest investments of their lives. A well-trained admissions team can make the difference between an inquiry and an enrollment.

Paskill is the only higher education enrollment marketing firm that connects marketing to admissions with professional development. Our workshops now include student-first training designed to expand customer-centric thinking across campus. Students don’t just want to feel seen and heard in marketing—they need to experience it every day on campus.

Students have been telling us what they need. Will 2025 be the year higher ed finally listens?