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Marketing to College Students
Gen Z likes authenticity, personalization and convenience. Here is how to reach this valuable demographic.
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When targeting college students, remember that Gen Z is different from their older counterparts in how they respond to traditional marketing. They value authenticity and are generally loyal to companies that share their personal values. If you want to build a brand that attracts Gen Z, you need to genuinely speak to those concerns.
So ditch the cookie-cutter ads and get creative. Optimize your website and social media accounts for mobile. Engage with local university campuses to fully understand this population’s preferences, needs and spending habits. Let’s look at how to market to college students and why it’s essential for the success of your business.
How to market to college students
When marketing to college students, your chances of success can be higher if you keep the tips below in mind:
1. Profile your student targets.
Decide what type of student you want to reach with your product or service before marketing it. For instance, the needs and buying habits of a student at a four-year university will differ considerably from those of a student at a two-year college. Similarly, reaching students who live on campus requires a different strategy than one might use to contact students who live off campus.
Jennifer Lee Magas, assistant professor of communication at Nova Southeastern University, explained why it’s important for marketers to craft a message that targets beyond the simple demographic criteria of “college student.”
“College students are not a monolith,” Magas said. “Buying habits vary significantly based on factors like school type (four-year vs. two-year), year in school and financial independence. Freshmen are more likely to spend on dorm essentials, meal plans and social experiences as they transition into independence. Seniors prioritize career-oriented purchases like professional attire, tech and job search tools. Two-year college students often balance work and school, meaning their purchases are more practical — focusing on gas, groceries and flexible learning resources.”
Students aren’t just students. Consider your college customers’ other attributes — their interests, for example — and target them through appropriate nonstudent media. “Brands that tailor messaging based on where students are in their journey will see greater engagement,” Magas said.
2. Get online.
College students are extremely media savvy. They grew up spending hours online, whether studying, browsing the web or socializing with friends. Today, if you want to find students in their digital world, it’s important to know exactly which platforms they hang out on.
“In our current media landscape, we’re seeing shifts between platforms as prospective college students are exploring emerging media like Bluesky or reacting to possible restrictions on their social media consumption … ,” Mandy Pennington, senior director of digital and strategic initiatives at Wilkes University, explained. “… I would encourage any college marketer to observe the channels where students are migrating to and to be present in those spaces.”
Pennington also stressed the need to understand the motivations behind what attracts students to certain platforms, and repels them from others. “Gen Z users are concerned about the media ecosystems they’re part of,” she said. “Whether it’s concerns about censorship, misinformation, fact checking or content monetization, it’s certainly something to watch in the near future.”
Although the platforms may change, social media remains one of the best ways to get your message heard. Interactive campaigns especially have a successful track record. Magas emphasized the need to focus on such campaigns when trying to reach college students. “Students prefer two-way engagement — polls, UGC (user-generated content) and exclusive digital deals work best,” she said.
In addition to focusing on social channels, marketers should also prioritize a sleek business website design that appeals to the college demographic. Link it to your social media profiles for maximum effect.
3. Advertise on campus.
Every college has a newspaper; many have student-run TV stations and magazines. Advertising in them is an inexpensive and effective way to reach college students. Although print media may not seem as effective as digital, Pennington noted that traditional channels are making a comeback among students. “I would keep an eye on resurgences of traditional media like zines as Gen Zers explore additional methods of content creation,” Pennington told business.com.
Enterprising marketers can also decorate a college campus with their message. Use sidewalk chalk to create eye-catching ads on campus thoroughfares, and post flyers on campus bulletin boards, where they’re sure to catch receptive students’ eyes.
4. Sponsor student events.
Lending your support and money to on-campus events can also get you valuable exposure within your target market and build your reputation as a student-friendly business. If you’re considering sponsoring an on-campus event and want to know what will work, Pennington said go straight to the source.
“… It’s best to consult with student leadership to understand what might be most effective,” she explained. “They’ll likely have the best pulse on the popularity of student media channels, attendance at key events where sponsorship opportunities are available, [and] usage of any student discount cards or programs.”
5. Make students feel special.
Businesses often ignore — or even reject — their student customers. Companies that make an extra effort to accommodate college students and cater to them with special student discounts or services can easily claim their cash.
6. Build buzz.
College students talk — a lot. Therefore, companies can initiate a storm of free marketing by giving them something exciting and inventive to talk about. When trying to generate excitement for your brand among students, keep the following in mind:
- Because they grew up in an ad-saturated world, college students are more challenging to reach with traditional advertising. They are more likely to respond to word of mouth, including recommendations from their friends.
- College students are trendsetters. Even when they’re not making purchases, they’re influencing them.
- Don’t just sell stuff to students. Instead, focus on building relationships with them.
- College students are “trial receptive,” meaning they are open to new ideas and have yet to develop strong brand affiliations.
- Remember that while the college market is incredibly stable and static, individual student consumers are moving targets, frequently changing attitudes and addresses.
7. Send snail mail and email.
College students change addresses often but love to get mail nonetheless. Direct mail is an easy and effective way to get your company some attention from Gen Z. Don’t neglect students’ email inboxes either, as most students check their email at least once daily.
[Check out our reviews of the best email marketing software.]
8. Promote affordability.
You can market to college students by providing affordable products and services. Although college students are no strangers to splurging, they are often on a tighter budget than most. They will more likely become customers if you make prices more reasonable — and they might stay customers well beyond getting their diploma.
“Brands that tap into this market build lifelong customer loyalty,” Magas said. “College students are forming buying habits that will stick with them beyond graduation.”
9. Provide incentives.
Offering incentives to college students will make them more likely to shop with your company. For instance, providing college students with discounts can be a great way to attract new customers and maintain existing ones.
Additionally, you can also do things such as provide free trials or samples, which can also be a great way to attract college customers. Magas recommended trying incentives such as referral programs, exclusive giveaways and even early access to new products. “Students love sharing deals [and] limited-edition swag drives engagement,” she advised.
10. Be funny.
Also, making your marketing efforts funny is an excellent way of keeping your brand memorable to your potential college customers. If they find your ad hilarious, you have a greater chance of going viral. This would mean exposure not only to college students, but also to potential customers of all kinds.
However, taking a humorous approach can backfire if you get it wrong. “If it feels forced, it flops,” Magas explained. “A brand that says, ‘This deal is bussin’, no cap’ when it’s clearly not will get roasted in the comments. Students love self-aware, meme-driven content. Think Duolingo on TikTok or Wendy’s Twitter [aka X] — brands that use humor in an authentic way win big.”
If you’re struggling to find a message that connects with your target audience, Magas said that consulting with students themselves might be the key to success. “Let students lead the way,” she advised. “Partnering with student creators ensures humor lands correctly without trying too hard.”
Why market to college students?
Students are teaching enterprising marketers some valuable lessons about their future customers. Among them are several reasons they are worth a slice of your offline and online marketing budget:
- College students are educated, brand-loyal consumers.
- The college market is geographically stable.
- The spending power of U.S. college students adds up to an average of $600 billion annually.
- Consisting almost exclusively of 18- to 24-year-olds, the college demographic is remarkably age stable.
- Marketing to college students is cost-effective because they respond more favorably to grassroots messaging than flashy ads.
What to remember when marketing to college students
As you promote your company to college students, you should consider the following:
- Use the internet and social media. Gen Z uses social media often, just as they do with messaging apps and other internet platforms. That’s why social media marketing can be a highly effective way to reach college students, but it also requires tact. College students often spend more than enough time on the internet to see all kinds of ads, meaning they can distinguish what’s legit from what’s authentic.
- Be genuine. Authenticity is key to college-age shoppers. There’s no faster way to turn off Gen Z shoppers than to try to relate to them only to come off as completely out of touch. Don’t fall into the “How do you do, fellow kids?” marketing trap. Identify the value you could bring to a college student’s life and create honest and valuable content promoting that.
- Factor in what early adulthood is like. College is early adulthood. University students are living independently and covering at least some of their own expenses for the first time. Before, they were doing this by having their parents around all of the time to guide or discipline them. That means that now they might be looking for ways to make life work independently. To market to them, determine how your offerings can help with this goal and orient your marketing campaigns.
- Consider how busy college students can be. Between loaded class schedules, extracurricular activities, social lives, homework and the inevitable all-nighters, college students are a busy bunch. You should respect their time when marketing to them. Long videos or blogs might miss the mark. Short content can be quite effective.
- Don’t use cookie-cutter ads. Gen Z is looking for creative advertising that goes viral, has a consumer-conscious message and blends with their personal values.
- Don’t make assumptions about your target audience. While it’s easy to think all college students like pizza or prefer to spend their downtime in front of a screen, it’s vital to talk to your audience. Ask questions and do your research to find out how they like to spend their money, what causes are near to their heart and how to solve the common problems they face daily.
- Don’t underestimate the power of word of mouth. Finding popular influencers on campus can be marketing gold that won’t break the bank. Consider partnering with a campus influencer to become an affiliate by promoting your product or service to all of their followers. Providing a discount code or offering free samples can be an excellent way to introduce your brand and gain loyal customers.
Natalie Hamingson and Julie Thompson contributed to this article.
