John Azoni is the founder of the Higher Ed Storytelling Podcast and Unveild, a video branding agency that helps colleges and universities tell compelling institutional stories. 

In this solo episode, John addresses the challenge of top-of-funnel content drought in higher education marketing. He discusses the importance of top-of-funnel content in higher education marketing and strategies for creating engaging video content that resonates with prospective students before they're ready to be sold to.

Key Takeaways:

• Many colleges lack top-of-funnel content that engages audiences without directly selling
• Leadership often struggles to approve budget for content that doesn't have a direct sales component
• Top-of-funnel content helps warm up prospective students before they're ready to consider specific schools
• Marketing drives familiarity, and familiarity drives preference
• Two recommended approaches for short-form videos:
  • "Man on the street" videos asking engaging questions to students
  • Thought leadership content featuring faculty lectures and discussions
• Repurposing existing events and lectures into video content can be an efficient strategy
• Balancing content across different stages of the marketing funnel is crucial

Examples Mentioned:

• Central Michigan University's successful TikTok asking "Where does up north start?"
• Boston University's Valentine's Day video of students calling their partners
• Harvard Business School's viral classroom debate video
• University of Chicago's political discussion video
  
  

Strategies for Limited Resources:

1. Create "man on the street" videos with engaging questions using just a smartphone
2. Film interesting lectures or discussions and break them into shareable snippets
3. Look for opportunities to repurpose existing campus events into video content

Takeaway: Investing in top-of-funnel content is crucial for higher ed marketing success, even if it doesn't directly sell the institution. These strategies can help engage potential students earlier in their college search process and build familiarity with your school.

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni
• Website: https://unveild.tv
• Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter