Spring Break
Campus Reaches Out on MySpace
Sacramento State, to boost enrollment, is buying advertisements on popular websites such as MySpace and Facebook, and radio time
Jordan Guinn
Issue date: 3/14/07 Section: News
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Sac State is trying to capitalize on the market of predominantly college-age users by running advertisements for the university. Sac State is also currently running radio ads around Northern California to promote interest in an effort to improve admission and retention numbers.
Richard Rojo, director of Strategic Communications at Sac State, said the Internet ads are not impressive by the standards of MySpace, an Internet site which serves millions of users a day, but it is a step in the right direction for publicizing Sac State.
The MySpace ads are running locally and in surrounding counties. Users click on the ad and the link takes them to the Sac State admissions page. Sac State ads on Facebook are posted on local community college pages as well as those of nearby high schools. Users can only see the MySpace ads if their personal profiles list them as between the ages of 18 and 24 and enrolled in college.
Associate Vice President of Public Affairs Frank Whitlatch said that the Facebook ads are there to engage potential transfer students.
"Facebook is a valuable tool for advertising because we can reach the exact audience we want," Whitlatch said. He added that wealthier colleges, such as the University of Southern California, have created entire MySpace accounts to attract potential students.
The Sac State radio campaign features students being interviewed by local comedian Jack Gallagher. The two ads, which began running last semester, can be heard currently on 98 KRXQ, 102.5 KSFM and on radio stations as far away as Stockton and Redding.
Sac State hired a media planner who coordinates the time slots and ensures the ads are aired. Whitlatch said the media buyer is paid up front and does not receive a percentage or commission for each ad aired.
The budget for the 2007 recruitment campaign media plan as of March states that the total budget is more than $87,000. Sac State spent less than $6,500 on the media planner, an agency that coordinates that advertising with the radio stations.
"They pay for themselves," Whitlatch said. "The media planner sets the prices with the radio stations and makes life easier on us."
The online budget, $15,000, pays for sponsored searches on Yahoo! and Google. The ads are triggered by keywords rather than an image like the MySpace ads. Facebook charges $5 per ad. Sac State purchased a total of 200 ads for $1,000.
Rojo said that Sac State could bid on more keywords in the near future. Financial aid and transfer degree are two such keywords that are being suggested.
The majority of the budget, $67,000, is spent on radio advertisements. A total of 845 radio spots will be spread across eight radio stations through the end of this month. Whitlatch said that the majority of the budget is spent on radio because it reaches the largest audience.
"The decision of what college to attend is usually made before senior year of high school," Whitlatch said. "Since high school students do not see the MySpace ads, we are trying to cast a wider net."
Sac State initially intended to purchase more advertising space, Whitlatch said, but radio spots during election years are more expensive and more difficult to acquire.
Rojo said that the marketing does not create an immediate, visible impact.
"It is impossible to quantify how many students are coming simply because of the advertisements," Rojo said.
The advertising could be paying off. Whitlatch said that spring 2007 admissions for incoming freshman were up 9 percent from fall 2006. Junior transfer student enrollment also increased 4 percent from last semester.
Internet and radio are not the only recruiting tools that Sac State is using. Sac State is also running print ads in community college newspapers to encourage transfer students from around the Sacramento region.
Sac State is trying to streamline the admissions process to eliminate confusion and stress.
The Public Affairs office has been working closely with the Student Outreach program to encourage more students to come to Sac State. The Outreach, Admissions and Records page on the Sac State website provides information about campus tours and upcoming events on campus.
The Student Outreach program uses current students as well as alumni and faculty volunteers to call students who have enrolled but not yet registered for classes. There are 10 student ambassadors who work 14-20 hours a week assisting new and transferring students, according to a press release from the Public Affairs office.
Student ambassador supervisor Kelly McRae said the ambassadors were selected after responding to posted fliers on campus. They were then trained to give campus tours and can assist students with the hassles of registration.
"The ambassadors spent a week studying communication and the different aspects of the Sac State website," McRae said.
Emiliano Diaz, director of Outreach, Admissions and Records, said that the main goal is to continue to add students to Sac State's diverse campus population.
"Orientation for incoming freshman is now mandatory," Rojo said. "Orientations cut down on student frustration and allow the parents to see the campus for themselves."
"It is all part of the effort across campus to get faculty and students more closely involved," Whitlatch said.
Jordan Guinn can be reached at news@statehornet.com
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