Keeping connected with your student body
Can video content help improve student satisfaction and retention rates?
These topics will undoubtedly be consistent offenders on the agenda in internal meetings, and not only during the beginning of the summer following National Mental Health Awareness week in May and the release of the results from the National Student Survey in July. They are pressing challenges which require a multi-faceted approach, but you might be surprised to discover just how effective a role video content can play within the greater strategy.
From breaking down administrative requirements, to providing an accessible guide during tough times, ‘Help videos' might just be the secret tool you’ve been missing out on…
The ‘how to navigate a process’ help video
There are numerous factors that can contribute to a student’s experience at university being a positive or a negative one. But one area which is bound to hit every student as a fresh new challenge as they enter university life, is the leap that they will take when it comes to entering the world of bureaucracy.
Whilst fundamental for the smooth running of an institution, this might be the first time that a student has had to fill out important forms, submit an application, comprehend the finiteness of important deadlines. This can be daunting and sometimes, incredibly stressful. But a powerful step in the right direction towards the antidote to stress, can be as simple as demystifying the task at hand. And no matter how simple a process may seem to your team, to someone new to your institution, they will undoubtedly require some time to adapt to how things work on your systems. A brief, informational video can provide all the guidance needed, at just a click.
In this example from Middlesex University, produced by the team at h10, an arm of support is extended to those considering continuing their educational journey at MDX:
Let’s not forget of course, that an increasingly growing number of students will be international, and so they’ll not only be dealing with a new institution, but a new country, a new language, a new home.
In the case of this video from the University of Chester, incoming international students are guided through the application process for accommodation. It’s a brief but informative video, accompanied by a welcoming voiceover. (It’s worth noting that in both of these examples, the voiceover is accompanied by screentext to ensure that the messaging is super clear.)
Simple to produce, simple to follow. This is just one example of where a clear breakdown is required and greatly appreciated – think of how many areas in higher education could benefit from this…
Making support as accessible as possible
Nowadays, for most situations, the first point of call is online, especially for those who are already feeling anxious. It seems only natural therefore that your online presence, whether it be your website, YouTube channel or Instagram account for example, has something to offer to the wandering virtual student.
In this example from the University of Roehampton, produced during the period of the pandemic, Covid-19, the Student Support Services team addresses both students and staff signposting important mental health services available should they require them:
Not only accessible but efficient for all involved…
Help videos are of course an extremely efficient way of quickly communicating important information, alleviating the load for an often overworked team. If there’s one less question received via email to answer or one less knock on the office door, then that’s a win-win situation for everyone. What is more, enhancing your social media channels by making them a place where students know they can find important information will understandably also increase visits to your platform – and so the virtuous cycle begins!
You can see an example here of a video produced by h10 for ESCP Business School which guides incoming students on how to prepare ahead of beginning their first term at university:
Conclusion
‘Help’ or ‘How to’ videos are still relatively new on the scene but their presence is understandably growing at an exponential rate. Whether it be guiding incoming students through the process of confirming their UCAS choice, trying to finalise their accommodation preference or for the international crowd out there, a simple summary of what to expect in their new country, the message that the mere existence of these videos sends can only be understood as empathetic and supportive – qualities that anyone will appreciate from a future / current institution that they are attending..
In increasingly challenging times for university budgets, you probably don’t need a blog to tell you about the cost of disconnection! But one thing that is important to bear in mind is just how fragile the dominoes standing are between a disconnected study body and at the other end, a struggling university. As with anything, prevention is better than cure. And if you could get a good head start via a handful of videos that are incredibly simple and cost-effective to produce, surely you’d take the chance…
A happy student is a thriving student, and a thriving student body makes for a prosperous university, across the board.
If you’d like to explore the production packages available with our specialised HE team at h10 agency, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team and click the button below:
Want to create more effective and engaging video for your institution?
At h10 agency, we specialise in creating video content for higher education marketing. This ranges from higher end promo videos, through to user-gen and social.
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If you’d like to chat about producing videos for your institution, we’d be happy to have a call to chat. Drop us a message below.
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