A lot of discussion has been happening surrounding influencer marketing in higher education the past few years. A simple search shows it coming up everywhere from Inside Higher Ed, episodes of Higher Ed Live, as well as publications like The Guardian. 

Exploring how to navigate this new marketing avenue can be confusing, intimidating, and tread into some grey areas, but also provide amazing opportunities for institutions.

There are a host of amazing guides popping up out there that can help folks start with this concept, or take it to the next level (see here, here, here, here, here, and here). 

Campus Sonar also gives a great overview of influencer marketing in higher ed, as does EAB. 

Much of this content also makes note of how this type of marketing is proving especially effective with Generation Z students, who have come up immersed in the world of influencers.

The core premise here is anchored by the fact that people trust their peers more than something directly from a brand that is clearly trying to sell them something. This sort of peer to peer recommendation, which is what influencer marketing ultimately boils down to, isn’t anything new. It’s just taking that philosophy and doing it in an intentional way. In the past, this might be more common as word of mouth or reading reviews from others (which of course, people still frequently do). 

While some may think influencer marketing is simple, cheap, and easy, it is not (just like social media marketing). It takes dedicated time, money, and thought to make sure you know what goals you are trying to achieve, and work towards those outcomes in the most effective way possible.

To get some insight into the influencer experience, check out the interview with Angela Maiers, who is a speaker, author, and former educator who also is acquainted with the world of influencers.

Working with student influencers is similar to what many might know as being a “social media ambassador”. Higher education professionals may already dabble lightly with something like this, but going in on formal influencer marketing may require you to pay these ambassadors and bring them in for meetings to go over strategy and performance. You may also need to be competing for these students’ time and wallets, since other established companies are vying for these students’ audience as well.

It is important to recognize those students who are arriving at your institution with a sizable audience to make sure they are at least supported if not brought in to work with you in a more formal capacity. They’ll be making content with or without you, so it is good to at least be aware of what they’re talking about, or better yet, collaborating with you on their messaging and given access to promote anything you’re looking to spread the word on.

Engaging with your student influencers should also make sure they feel welcomed and like they have a purpose on campus. Otherwise, they may feel like school is getting in the way of their content creation and influencing (Wired asks, do influencers even need college?). 

Influencer marketing is a bold new world for most higher ed institutions, but being able to share out authentic stories with alumni, parents, prospective students, and the whole campus community, gives these venerable organizations a way to grow their own influence in a measured way. By connecting with people in a more personal, human way, we can aim to make higher education less mystified and more accessible to more people. That’s something I think we can all get behind.