The Marketing Nutshell

Get up to speed in five minutes.

Episode 4 – A Shift in Higher Ed Marketing: From Being Seen to Being Believed

In This Episode

As competition in the field rises and trust in coverage lowers, it’s apparent that the foundations of higher education marketing are transforming in the face of growing skepticism. Previous marketing strategies are becoming less effective, less efficient, and less encouraging to students and institutions alike.

To what extent do these practices need to shift, and how can institutions undergo these changes with as little stress as possible? Kirsten breaks down the dos and don’ts, in a nutshell.

What You’ll Learn

  • How students aren’t as likely to take a script anymore, responding less to overly polished marketing.
  • The marketing appeal of behind-the-scenes looks at an institution, through student takeovers or slice-of-life vlogs.
  • How stories that feature real voices might not be sufficient on their own.

Got a question for the Steel Advertising team? Connect with us!

Previous Episode - Marketing Higher Ed to the Way Gen Z Thinks

<< Previous Episode

Marketing Higher Ed to the Way Gen Z Thinks
Next Episode - LinkedIn as News Media

Next Episode >>

LinkedIn as News Media
Previous Episode - Marketing Higher Ed to the Way Gen Z Thinks

Previous Episode

Marketing Higher Ed to the Way Gen Z Thinks
Next Episode - LinkedIn as News Media

Next Episode

LinkedIn as News Media

The Marketing Nutshell

Welcome to The Marketing Nutshell, a snappy synopsis of the current topics affecting your organization’s marketing. Designed for busy marketing leaders, the Nutshell delivers executive level summaries of new topics, trends, and insights in five minute bites.

If you are looking for reliable, actionable marketing advice for institutions in education, health and government marketing – the Marketing Nutshell has cracked the code.

Recent Podcasts

Episode 3 - Marketing Higher Ed to the Way Gen Z Thinks
Marketing Higher Ed to the Way Gen Z Thinks

Learn how to make your messaging more inclusive and effective for the audiences of Gen Z.

Follow the funding: What ESAs mean for education brands
Episode 2 - Follow the Funding: What ESAs Mean for Education Brands
Follow the Funding: What ESAs Mean for Education Brands

Learn how school districts can stay competitive in branding and marketing with the growing importance of ESAs.

The Many Faces of Adult Learners
Episode 1 - The Many Faces of Adult Learners
The Many Faces of Adult Learners

Adult learners are not all alike. Learn about the different personas that make up this important target audience.

Related Resources

Stat Stack 2026
Industry Averages and Marketing Benchmarks for 2026
Industry Averages and Marketing Benchmarks for 2026

Steel’s Annual Stat Stack is a handy reference for you to use when setting goals and measuring your campaigns.

4 business people speaking on-stage at SXSW EDU 2026
South by Southwest EDU 2026: 5 Key Trends Redefining Education
SXSW EDU 2026: 5 Key Trends Redefining Education

Fresh off SXSW EDU, a few clear signals are emerging that have real implications for how education brands show up right now.

Seven Takeaways From the People Leading Texas Government Technology
Seven Takeaways From the People Leading Texas Government Technology

We heard directly from technology leaders across state and local government. Here are seven things we took away.