Greetings in the new year to everyone, here in the U.S. and around the
world.
This first 2012 newsletter includes several items on the best of 2011 and predictions about what to expect in the coming year, from 32 words PR writers should avoid to 30 social media predictions "from the pros" to a new MIT effort to increase the value of its free online course offerings. The usual eclectic mix of topics included here will continue.
As always, I hope to meet many of you at conferences this year. At the end of the newsletter you can find recommended events in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, and Boston.
And now, here are your marketing news and notes for January 2012. Happy New Year!
__________________________________
Highest Student Loan Debt in 2010: The Top 10 Schools
Huffington Post has created one of those lists that nobody wants to be on, especially in a time of increased concern over the cost of higher education. This Top 10 list for a 4-year degree starts with Eastern Nazarene University at an average of $51,336 and ends with Bard College at $44,910.
Three of the 10 are in Massachusetts. See if your competitors are on the list that starts at huff.to/xGHaWE
___________________________________
Lowest Student Loan Debt in 2010: The Top 10 Schools
The Huffington Post people are also highlighting 10 schools with the lowest loan debt levels for a 4-year degree. This list opens with Alice Lloyd College at a $3,108 average and closes with Cameron University at $7,200. One Ivy League university is on the list at $4,385.
See 10 low debt schools, including the only public university included, at huff.to/ybNbMm
_________________________________
30 Social Media Predictions for 2012 "From the Pros"
Start your social media new year by reviewing the predictions of 30 experts gathered by Social Media Examiner.
Hard to pick a favorite, but mine just might be Number 8, Regularly Creating Unique Content Becomes Essential. Three predictions focus on a more important role for YouTube and two speak to a revitalization of email.
Pick the ones that will best keep your social media strategy alive and well at bit.ly/w6QOZ7
__________________________________
Digital and Print: How Newspapers Might Survive
Almost everyone believes that print will survive in the marketing mix, and perhaps it will do that. What is less certain is how that survival will take place.
For one view of the future of newspapers, read the thoughts of John Paton, a key industry person who started as a copy aide with The Toronto Sun in 1977.
In a nutshell, Paton believes the industry has to "stop listening to newspaper people" searching for how to revive print and move to digital as rapidly as possible in light of continuing drops in revenue from print operations.
The NY Times reports more on his views at nyti.ms/xe9u9N
_________________________________
Best Publication Conversions to iPad in 2011
If print publications are fading, the tablet environment might be the best place for newspapers and magazines to thrive in the digital age.
AdAge highlights 10 newspapers and magazines that it believes have made noteworthy migrations to the iPad platform. Check the list at bit.ly/ucugTs
To see how universities are adapting view books to the tablet format, download these examples to your iPad: University of Dayton at bit.ly/zIY5Xr and Salve Regina University at bit.ly/yTSBIH and University of Chicago at bit.ly/xaA24N
_________________________________
MIT: A Significant Marketing Moment
MIT has been offering free online course materials (for more than 2,000 courses) for about 10 years now in a unique form of self-study. To date, no formal recognition for taking these courses has been available.
Now, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education, MIT will introduce in the spring certificates that acknowledge course completion. Certificates will incur a cost, but nothing near the price of tuition for a student registered for an MIT degree. People will still have the option to study without seeking a certificate.
Is this a significant development in the higher education marketplace? Absolutely.
Read more about the future emerging in a time of cost concern at bit.ly/wbCg9Q
_________________________________
32 Words PR Writers Should Avoid
Resolutions are not my thing, but we should all resolve to read through this list from Tom Gable and ban as many of these words and phrases as we can from our writing in 2012.
Some of my favorites: cutting edge, outside the box, state-of-the-art, and synergy.
Tom presents these as the favorites of lazy PR writers. See how many you agree with at bit.ly/sKDAfS
_________________________________
Mobile Marketing: The Outlook for 2012
Mobile Marketing has issued a 43 page PDF with an eclectic range of comments, observations, and predictions for the upcoming year.
Usefulness will vary with the extent of your knowledge and experience with mobile marketing, but I suspect that everyone will find something of interest as you scan the 22 topics on the contents page. Read a summary of the report, including notes on platform fragmentation, texting, and social media, and download the full document at bit.ly/vex8u2
__________________________________
$5,550 Pell Grant Eligibility to Entice Email Click Through
A flurry of emails arrived in my mailbox in December built around the theme that as a U.S. citizen I was prequalified to receive a $5,550 Pell Grant. The goal was to get me to click on a link and arrive at a landing page built by a lead generator.
The Pell Grant offer? That was not mentioned again. This, I submit, is the type of marketing that does not give higher education a good name.
To see the email offer itself, the 10 qualifying questions asked after I got to the landing page, and the four schools recommended after that, visit bit.ly/sTrg5T
__________________________________
Big-Time College Sports: Is Immunity Weakening?
Is public scrutiny of higher education sports programs going to increase in 2012?
Penn State got the most attention in 2011, but a Bloomberg Business Week article in December reminded us of Ohio State's football coaching fiasco as well, including the university president's comment that he hoped the football coach was not going to fire him. References are made to head coaching situations at other major universities.
The Bloomberg article by Al Hunt calls for a government intervention to restore accountability. Absent that, he is not optimistic about serious change. Review his reasoning at buswk.co/ujERp7
__________________________________
Conferences and Webinars in 2012
Attend a conference in 2012 to share questions and answers with people who are building a competitive advantage in higher education marketing.
Thanks again to everyone who attended a presentation in 2011 and enlivened and enlightened a session with your questions and comments.
May 8-10, Philadelphia: J.BoyePhiladelphia12 Web and Intranet Conference. Sessions and registration at bit.ly/wRxeCi
May 24-25, Atlanta: Academic Impressions Conference: "Writing Right for the Web: Improving Your Content." Program content and registration at bit.ly/AfVgk3
July 11-13, Chicago: ACT Enrollment Planners Conference. Visit the conference website at bit.ly/tnvnhR
July 30-August 1, Boston: eduWeb2012. Conference website is at bit.ly/z391iU
Expand the marketing skills of people on your campus. Host a campus workshop on any of the conference topics listed here.
Contact me at bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.com
____________________________________________
That's All for Now
Be a marketing champion on your campus.
Bob Johnson, Ph.D. (bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.com)
President
Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC
__________________________________________
Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC
Increase your online marketing success with these 6 services.
• Customer Carewords Research with Gerry McGovern
• Writing Right for the Web: Webinars, Conferences, Campus Workshops
• Marketing Communications Website Reviews
• Competitive Website Reviews
• Search Engine Optimization Reviews
• Marketing Analysis for Google Analytics
This first 2012 newsletter includes several items on the best of 2011 and predictions about what to expect in the coming year, from 32 words PR writers should avoid to 30 social media predictions "from the pros" to a new MIT effort to increase the value of its free online course offerings. The usual eclectic mix of topics included here will continue.
As always, I hope to meet many of you at conferences this year. At the end of the newsletter you can find recommended events in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, and Boston.
And now, here are your marketing news and notes for January 2012. Happy New Year!
__________________________________
Highest Student Loan Debt in 2010: The Top 10 Schools
Huffington Post has created one of those lists that nobody wants to be on, especially in a time of increased concern over the cost of higher education. This Top 10 list for a 4-year degree starts with Eastern Nazarene University at an average of $51,336 and ends with Bard College at $44,910.
Three of the 10 are in Massachusetts. See if your competitors are on the list that starts at huff.to/xGHaWE
___________________________________
Lowest Student Loan Debt in 2010: The Top 10 Schools
The Huffington Post people are also highlighting 10 schools with the lowest loan debt levels for a 4-year degree. This list opens with Alice Lloyd College at a $3,108 average and closes with Cameron University at $7,200. One Ivy League university is on the list at $4,385.
See 10 low debt schools, including the only public university included, at huff.to/ybNbMm
_________________________________
30 Social Media Predictions for 2012 "From the Pros"
Start your social media new year by reviewing the predictions of 30 experts gathered by Social Media Examiner.
Hard to pick a favorite, but mine just might be Number 8, Regularly Creating Unique Content Becomes Essential. Three predictions focus on a more important role for YouTube and two speak to a revitalization of email.
Pick the ones that will best keep your social media strategy alive and well at bit.ly/w6QOZ7
__________________________________
Digital and Print: How Newspapers Might Survive
Almost everyone believes that print will survive in the marketing mix, and perhaps it will do that. What is less certain is how that survival will take place.
For one view of the future of newspapers, read the thoughts of John Paton, a key industry person who started as a copy aide with The Toronto Sun in 1977.
In a nutshell, Paton believes the industry has to "stop listening to newspaper people" searching for how to revive print and move to digital as rapidly as possible in light of continuing drops in revenue from print operations.
The NY Times reports more on his views at nyti.ms/xe9u9N
_________________________________
Best Publication Conversions to iPad in 2011
If print publications are fading, the tablet environment might be the best place for newspapers and magazines to thrive in the digital age.
AdAge highlights 10 newspapers and magazines that it believes have made noteworthy migrations to the iPad platform. Check the list at bit.ly/ucugTs
To see how universities are adapting view books to the tablet format, download these examples to your iPad: University of Dayton at bit.ly/zIY5Xr and Salve Regina University at bit.ly/yTSBIH and University of Chicago at bit.ly/xaA24N
_________________________________
MIT: A Significant Marketing Moment
MIT has been offering free online course materials (for more than 2,000 courses) for about 10 years now in a unique form of self-study. To date, no formal recognition for taking these courses has been available.
Now, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education, MIT will introduce in the spring certificates that acknowledge course completion. Certificates will incur a cost, but nothing near the price of tuition for a student registered for an MIT degree. People will still have the option to study without seeking a certificate.
Is this a significant development in the higher education marketplace? Absolutely.
Read more about the future emerging in a time of cost concern at bit.ly/wbCg9Q
_________________________________
32 Words PR Writers Should Avoid
Resolutions are not my thing, but we should all resolve to read through this list from Tom Gable and ban as many of these words and phrases as we can from our writing in 2012.
Some of my favorites: cutting edge, outside the box, state-of-the-art, and synergy.
Tom presents these as the favorites of lazy PR writers. See how many you agree with at bit.ly/sKDAfS
_________________________________
Mobile Marketing: The Outlook for 2012
Mobile Marketing has issued a 43 page PDF with an eclectic range of comments, observations, and predictions for the upcoming year.
Usefulness will vary with the extent of your knowledge and experience with mobile marketing, but I suspect that everyone will find something of interest as you scan the 22 topics on the contents page. Read a summary of the report, including notes on platform fragmentation, texting, and social media, and download the full document at bit.ly/vex8u2
__________________________________
$5,550 Pell Grant Eligibility to Entice Email Click Through
A flurry of emails arrived in my mailbox in December built around the theme that as a U.S. citizen I was prequalified to receive a $5,550 Pell Grant. The goal was to get me to click on a link and arrive at a landing page built by a lead generator.
The Pell Grant offer? That was not mentioned again. This, I submit, is the type of marketing that does not give higher education a good name.
To see the email offer itself, the 10 qualifying questions asked after I got to the landing page, and the four schools recommended after that, visit bit.ly/sTrg5T
__________________________________
Big-Time College Sports: Is Immunity Weakening?
Is public scrutiny of higher education sports programs going to increase in 2012?
Penn State got the most attention in 2011, but a Bloomberg Business Week article in December reminded us of Ohio State's football coaching fiasco as well, including the university president's comment that he hoped the football coach was not going to fire him. References are made to head coaching situations at other major universities.
The Bloomberg article by Al Hunt calls for a government intervention to restore accountability. Absent that, he is not optimistic about serious change. Review his reasoning at buswk.co/ujERp7
__________________________________
Conferences and Webinars in 2012
Attend a conference in 2012 to share questions and answers with people who are building a competitive advantage in higher education marketing.
Thanks again to everyone who attended a presentation in 2011 and enlivened and enlightened a session with your questions and comments.
May 8-10, Philadelphia: J.BoyePhiladelphia12 Web and Intranet Conference. Sessions and registration at bit.ly/wRxeCi
May 24-25, Atlanta: Academic Impressions Conference: "Writing Right for the Web: Improving Your Content." Program content and registration at bit.ly/AfVgk3
July 11-13, Chicago: ACT Enrollment Planners Conference. Visit the conference website at bit.ly/tnvnhR
July 30-August 1, Boston: eduWeb2012. Conference website is at bit.ly/z391iU
Expand the marketing skills of people on your campus. Host a campus workshop on any of the conference topics listed here.
Contact me at bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.com
____________________________________________
That's All for Now
Be a marketing champion on your campus.
Bob Johnson, Ph.D. (bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.com)
President
Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC
__________________________________________
Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC
Increase your online marketing success with these 6 services.
• Customer Carewords Research with Gerry McGovern
• Writing Right for the Web: Webinars, Conferences, Campus Workshops
• Marketing Communications Website Reviews
• Competitive Website Reviews
• Search Engine Optimization Reviews
• Marketing Analysis for Google Analytics
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