Content strategy
The content we produce is an invaluable tool for engaging with and informing prospective students, key influencers and stakeholders and promoting our courses, services, and brand values.
When not managed properly, content outputs can lack clarity and purpose, and even pose a risk to our institutional reputation.
Teesside University has a presence on a range of content platforms. These include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), The Vibe blog, The Vibe podcast and YouTube. We also produce a broad range of print collateral and literature.
Overall responsibility for content is shared between Student Recruitment and Marketing (SRM), Communications and Development (CAD) and International Development (DID). SRM are the lead for content for prospective student, enquirer, and applicant audiences for the home market. This strategy focuses on student recruitment content. It outlines a framework for the creation of content for the University’s platforms, and how this can be used to support student recruitment activity.
Teesside University’s content should communicate with our audiences in a helpful, informative and engaging way. It should help to drive positive engagement with our audiences and support paid media activity.
At its best, our content should:
- inform and engage prospective students, key influencers and stakeholders
- provide advice and guidance to students through the student journey cycle
- be proactive rather than reactive and provide answers to questions that our audience are looking for
- provide a clear call to action and add value to the student experience
- create positive brand awareness
- act as a vital source of information about our courses, facilities, Schools and services
- provide an insight into the student and learning experience on offer at Teesside University
- showcase the real-world impact delivered though the University’s research and innovation activities
- showcase the success of our students and alumni
- address one of Teesside University’s six golden questions
- relate to Teesside University’s key themes for student recruitment advice and guidance
- always showcase authentic and honest content about the University experience that we provide for students
- always portray the University in a positive light.
Why Teesside?
- Affordable
- Friendly
- Coast, country, town and beaches
- Local heritage and regional pride
- Investment in the region
Why University?
- Employability
- Higher salary and earning potential
- Different modes of study
- Transferable skills
- Making connections and contacts
Why Teesside University?
- Campus University
- Supportive student environment
- Links with industry
- Careers
- Scholarships
Why this course?
- Facilities
- Course content and modules
- Employability
- Student success
- Student work
What is?
- Clearing
- UCAS
- Online learning
- Adjustment
- An apprenticeship
How do I?
- Apply
- Write a personal statement
- Prepare for an interview
- Revise
- Get addtional support
Adopting these content pillars empowers our content creators to develop their own audience-specific content.
During our research phase we mapped out what insight we already had on applicants and investigated their ‘pain points’, and the main questions applicants ask ahead of starting university.
We looked at online research, social media inbound messages, previous Instagram Q&As and what we’d been asked at open days and events. We then performed a thematic analysis and found most of these subjects could be grouped into the following themes:
- Payments - funding, finance and fees
- Entry requirements and eligibility
- Applying and the application process - personal statements and portfolios
- Research
- Accommodation and living
- Careers, jobs and employability
- Course information
- Travel and parking
- Health, wellbeing and support
- Making friends, fitting in and social life
During our research phase we mapped out what insight we already had on applicants and investigated their ‘pain points’, and the main questions applicants ask ahead of starting university.
1. Early awareness
- Why go to University?
- Affordability
- How to make your choice
- Why Teesside?
2. Autumn apps
- Tips for an open day
- Application hints & tips
- Personal statement advice
- Teesside location
- Types of University experience
3. Late apps
- Why go to University?
- Affordability
- How to apply late
- Exams & revision
- Parent guides
4. Clearing
- Clearing specific content
- Student experiences
- Teesside location
- Choosing a course
5. Retargeting
- Retargeting based on students’ previous content ad clicks or video views
This content strategy focuses on content for our student recruitment audiences, including:
- Prospective students
- Enquirers
- Applicants
- Parents and carers
- Teachers and careers advisors
This content strategy focuses on content for our student recruitment audiences, including:
- Facebook
Informational channel, grow brand awareness and drive conversions.
- Instagram stories
Content that disappear after 24hours. Organic ‘messier’ content. Informational, video. Q&A’s.
- Instagram posts
Aesthetic channel, excellent photography, reels, image-based, visually rich social platform.
- X
Informative and helpful platform that allows users to jump into conversations, provide value and share content to others.
- Tiktok
Leading platform for short-form mobile video. Driven by audio & visual trends.
- LinkedIn
Aspirational platform. People searching for job opportunities/career focussed content. Connecting with professionals who can make a difference and support the business.
- Blogs
Informational content relating to the golden questions/ specific course subjects/ life at Teesside University.
- Podcasts
Conversational content relating to the golden questions/ specific course subjects/ life at Teesside University.
Do
- Ask yourself why is this content being created? Is it communicating vital messages to stakeholders or helping to promote the University and/or its values. If it isn’t - don’t bother.
- Consider which platform the content is best suited to.
- If possible, and where appropriate, try and incorporate a video or image.
- Include calls to action and/or hyperlinks.
- Attempt to engage people using questions or statements that will elicit a response.
- Use rich content but keep embedded videos short. Less than 1 minute.
Don'ts
- Promote personal views or opinions – you are a representative of Teesside University and all content published must be consistent with the University’s values.
- Distribute irrelevant or fatuous content.
- Use images to communicate important messages. Screen readers cannot read text in image files.
- Don’t use your own personal device to capture content of under-18s.
- Only use your own personal device to capture content where people aged under 18 are involved if a University device isn’t accessible. You MUST delete this content from your device once it has been shared or published.
All content must be proofed and approved by the SRM marketing team before it can be published. All content is scheduled via the Content Calendar Planner document, to ensure all team members are aware of what content is being pushed out on each channel and to avoid duplication of work.
