My guest today is Matt Hames, a digital strategist at 3 Enrollment Marketing, where he specializes in helping higher ed institutions optimize their digital presence. Matt is passionate about how prospective students engage with organic digital content, and he leads digital labs at 3E, guiding schools on how to use platforms like YouTube more effectively.
In this episode, Matt breaks down YouTube strategies for higher ed marketers. From answering key enrollment questions to leveraging YouTube Shorts, he shares actionable insights on how colleges and universities can stop treating YouTube as a dumping ground and start using it as a powerful recruitment tool.
Key Takeaways:
- Your .edu is Not Your Only Website: Prospective students see your social media pages, YouTube, and even Google search results as sources of information—treat them as part of your digital presence.
- Answer Real Questions on YouTube: Use the "People Also Ask" section in Google to identify common queries and create videos addressing those topics.
- Leverage YouTube Shorts for Discovery: Short-form content is a great way to provide quick, informative answers that appear in search and suggested videos.
- Thumbnails Are the Subject Line of Your Videos: A compelling thumbnail increases click-through rates—don't leave it blank or generic.
- Optimize Every Upload: Use clear filenames, keyword-rich titles, detailed descriptions, and multiple playlists to maximize discoverability.
- Invite People to Subscribe: The simplest strategy for growing your YouTube audience? Ask students, alumni, and prospects to subscribe at every opportunity.
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