Case Study: Using SkoolPool™ to Reach Prospects
Background & Challenge:
Redeemer University College has been called "Ontario's premier Christian university," and offers more than 40 Christian liberal arts and science programs that provide graduates with BA, BSc and BEd degrees.
Prior to SkoolPool, Redeemer University College created an individual profile on Facebook called "Redeemer Representative," used to network with prospectives via Facebook.
SkoolPool™ is a Facebook Application designed to facilitate conversation between prospective students and institutions. It is shown that 87% of university applicants consider the opinions of friends during the school decision process. Academica Group launched SkoolPool in October 2007.
Strategy:
Redeemer University College was one of the lead schools in the SkoolPool school profile program. As a subscriber of the SkoolPool Interactive package, Redeemer University receives a school profile page that is linked into the SkoolPool student community, and accessible by all 65 million Facebook users.
With a custom-modified Facebook Page, Redeemer University College is able to add its message to the Facebook conversation. While a traditional Facebook page opens the door for institutions to join Facebook, it lacks several important functions required of an effective marketing vehicle. A standard Facebook Page allows no path for students to initiate a private dialogue with your institution's representatives: SkoolPool custom add ons allow you to add multiple email addresses, as well as phone and web information. The custom modifications made available to SkoolPool subscribers allow institutions to add valuable elements such as contact information, recruitment portal URLs, school tagline & description, student blogs and virtual tours.
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Redeemer "jumped on" the SkoolPool Facebook Page package, replacing its "Redeemer Representative" profile. (Facebook has a policy of deleting individual profiles that are created by schools, companies or musicians - anything that is not a "person"). Through their SkoolPool Facebook Page, Redeemer liaison officers are able to network with prospects via Facebook without any encroachment on their personal lives (as would be the result of using their personal Facebook profiles).
Redeemer University College made quick and effective use of their new marketing vehicle, adding photo albums, discussion threads and student events almost immediately.
Results:
Since its launch in January 2008, Redeemer University College has collected almost 200 "fans" or subscribers in less than one month. It is also receiving several hundred pageviews a day.
60% of Redeemer's Facebook fanbase is between 13 and 24 years old. 62% of fans are female.
Raves:
"We jumped on the skoolpool/page option because it is much more effective. Students and alumni can come to us. Using traditional Facebook profiles we felt was being too intrusive."
- Jennifer Zantingh, Communications Coordinator - Recruitment, Redeemer University College