Adult learners make up 42% of total revenue in higher education, but breaking through to this lucrative market segment requires a purposeful approach. Adult students are looking for more than a certificate, diploma, or degree. They need assurance that their studies will fit their personal lives and goals before they commit to a program.
I’ve put together a framework to help you gain insight into your audience of adult learners to better tailor your marketing tactics. You’ll learn to gather key data, shape your messaging, and evaluate your campaign performance. By the end of this post, you’ll have an actionable plan for improving search visibility, attracting motivated adult learners, and driving program inquiries and enrollment.
Understanding the Needs of Adult Learners
Effective higher education marketing strategies require a deep understanding of your audience — why are they interested in post-secondary studies, and what barriers may prevent them from enrolling in your school?
Key Characteristics of Adult Learners
Adult learners are shaped by the unique personal, professional, and academic paths they’ve taken so far in their lives. These journeys influence what they’re looking for in higher education.
Here are a few characteristics of this group to keep in mind as you craft your marketing strategies:
- It’s been a few years since they were in formal education.
- They’re usually responsible for financing their own education.
- They may be working full or part-time.
- Some have families and care for dependents.
- They’re highly motivated to achieve a personal or career goal.
Common Motivations
Many adult learners are enrolling in higher education to reach specific goals. They may want to develop knowledge and build skills to:
- Stay competitive in their industry.
- Advance their careers.
- Pivot to different careers.
- Maximize earning potential.
- Pursue personal enrichment.
You can connect with these students by demonstrating how your programs help them reach their objectives. What opportunities will open up if they complete your certificate program? How much of a salary increase can they expect if they pursue an advanced practice degree?
Challenges Adult Learners Face
Despite their desire to further their education, adult learners often have obstacles to manage before enrolling in a program. These may include:
- Time constraints. Jobs and family responsibilities make it difficult to devote time to school. It’s challenging to fit courses around work or childcare.
- Cost. Adult learners may carry mortgages, car loans, and other debt. They may also support dependents. This makes them cost-conscious when it comes to their education.
- Support. It’s daunting for adults to return to school after years or decades. They may be uncertain of next steps or whether they can succeed.
Your marketing content should be empathetic and supportive, helping to solve these pain points. Present resources and solutions to help smooth the way for enrollment.
Preferred Learning Styles
Adult learners also have specific needs when selecting a program of study. Highlight the type of instruction your institution offers so students can determine if your programs are a good fit. Here are a few learning style considerations:
- Some prefer in-person learning so that they can interact with faculty and classmates and build relationships.
- Others lean toward online learning so they don’t have to commute time on top of already busy schedules.
- Hybrid learning options blend in-person instruction with the ease of online coursework.
- Asynchronous learning lets adult learners complete coursework when it’s convenient.
Crafting a Marketing Strategy for Adult Learners
To engage adult learners, focus your marketing on their motivations and needs. Lay out a pathway for their success and give them the confidence to take the next step.
Segmenting and Targeting Adult Learners Using Data-Driven Insights
Begin by learning about your students, what influences their decision-making, and the platforms on which you can reach them.
- Analyze your enrollment records to learn about current students.
- Conduct surveys or focus groups to understand their goals, challenges, and preferred communication channels.
- Review website analytics for traffic sources and the pages that users are visiting.
- Implement exit surveys to understand why students withdraw or don’t complete programs to understand barriers.
- Monitor online forums and social media for common questions and concerns.
Aligning Messaging With Adult Learner Motivations
Once you understand your target audience, make a list of their goals and challenges. Plan content and messaging to address each point.
For example, if career advancement is important, outline how your programs are a stepping stone to other jobs. To address schedule constraints, emphasize flexible instructional models. Students with budget concerns want to know you have loans and bursaries to help with financing.
Highlighting Real-Life Success Stories of Adult Learners
Profiles of graduates can help prospective students envision themselves achieving similar successes at your school. Share stories of adult learners in your blog and alumni publications, and send traffic to these pieces through emails, social media, and links from your program pages. You’ll engage visitors and highlight the rewards of your program.
Leveraging SEO and Digital Marketing To Attract Adult Learners
Most adult learners search online for programs that fit their needs. Use the following tactics to improve your visibility and engage users when they discover your brand.
Target Keywords Related to Career Advancement and Flexible Education
Your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy likely includes keywords related to program offerings, but adult learners often use additional search terms tied to their goals and needs. Expand your keyword list to better target this group. For example, you can use a keyword research tool to find search terms related to your programs and:
- Career advancement.
- Job potential.
- Earning potential.
- Flexible learning (online, part-time, hybrid).
- Accelerated learning.
Develop Content That Speaks Directly to Adult Learners Needs
Analyze each keyword to determine what users want to know when they’re going online and answer their questions as comprehensively as possible. This will help you create content that’s valuable and interesting to your audience to drive traffic and engagement. You can distribute this content on multiple channels, such as social media and email marketing, to further your reach.
Enhance Local SEO for Regional Programs
Many adult learners want to attend schools close to home because of convenience, affordability, and work or family commitments. To surface in local searches, target keywords that use “near” and “in” a geographic location.
Search engines rank web pages based on proximity, so confirm your location by:
- Claiming your institution’s Google Business Profile.
- Ensuring your name, address, and phone number are consistent on your website and directory listings.
- Mentioning your city, state, or region in stories about faculty, alumni, and events.
- Adding maps and driving directions to your site.
Our local SEO checklist can help!
Leverage Long-Tail Keywords That Match Adult Learner Search Behavior
Gradually expand your keyword strategy to include long-tail search terms. These high-intent keywords target learners who are looking for very specific information.
For example, your core keyword strategy might include “part-time business programs.” Long-tail keywords reflect precise intent, such as “how to earn a business degree while working” and “business programs with evening classes.” Perform keyword research to add valuable long-tail keywords to your strategy and attract learners with advanced search intent.
Optimize Program Pages With Clear Calls to Action and Testimonials
Once you’ve delivered the information your audience is looking for, guide them into your marketing funnel by including an appropriate call to action (CTA). You might invite them to schedule a campus tour, apply for a scholarship, speak with an admissions advisor, or subscribe to your mailing list.
Testimonials that emphasize the benefits of your program can motivate readers to follow through when placed near a relevant CTA. Take a look at this page from the University of Maine website, which includes a quote from a graduate about the school’s support system underneath a CTA about finishing a degree.
Showcasing Flexibility and Support
Adult learners are highly motivated, but their needs aren’t always aligned with traditional academic structures. Help drive conversions by conveying how your institution helps students seamlessly integrate academics into their lives.
Highlighting Online and Hybrid Learning Options
If your institution provides flexible learning options, provide details in your program pages and marketing materials. Include as much information as possible so prospective students can see if your offerings fit their schedules without hunting for information.
Walden University does a great job at this. Their website includes a page about flexible learning for adults, clearly explaining how these options work and who can benefit most.
Emphasizing Support Services for Adult Learners
Returning to school is a big decision, and some students may feel overwhelmed and out of place. Point students to key support services early on so they’re empowered and confident in their journey.
Let them know your financial aid office can assist with loan applications, arrange payment plans, and provide advice on managing costs. Suggest they reach out to career counselors to explore their interests and plan career transitions. Connect students to mentorship programs, advisors, and online support groups that can guide them on their path. Barry University lays out this information clearly on its adult learner page.
Providing Accessible Resources for Balancing Work, Family, and School
Students may be concerned about how to manage the day-to-day realities of attending courses, doing assignments, and studying for exams while working or caring for dependents. Make a list of available resources and ensure prospective students know what’s available.
Adult learners may be especially interested in childcare services, peer support groups, learning strategies, and time management workshops. Find creative ways to highlight these services, including standalone resource pages, blog posts, and testimonials from students.
Communicating Clear Paths for Financial Assistance
Many institutions offer financial assistance to support the cost of education, but the information tends to be dense and complex. Provide potential students with simple, detailed information about loans, grants, bursaries, payment plans, and work-study opportunities.
Make it easy to navigate these tools by outlining eligibility and the steps required to access different financing programs. This can make a confusing process less intimidating and help students decide to move forward.
Measuring Success and Optimizing Campaigns
Now it’s time to leverage analytics tools to see how the elements of your campaign are coming together. Your marketing strategies should include a strategy to measure progress and ensure you’re on track to reaching your goals.
Track These Metrics
Metrics quantify the impact of your strategies — are potential students seeing your content, visiting your web pages, or downloading your brochures? Key metrics for higher education institutions include the following:
- Search visibility: Keyword rankings, organic traffic, local share of voice
- User engagement: Bounce rate, time on page, pages per session
- Conversion rates: Actions such as event registrations, virtual tours, brochure downloads, and course enrollments
For additional insights, check out these articles:
- How To Measure Website Traffic With GA4
- How To Measure SEO & Assess Performance
- How To Measure Engagement on Your Website: 8 Metrics To Track
- How To Track SEO Conversions: 10 Metrics To Check
Use Analytics To Refine Targeting and Messaging
As the data rolls in, determine which areas of your campaigns are delivering results and where you could adjust your tactics. You can identify trends and patterns to fine-tune your efforts.
For example, if you’re doing well attracting students who are completing degrees, double down on your successes. But if you’re falling short of reaching learners who are attending college for the first time, adjust your messaging or the channels you’re trying to reach them on.
Determine What Resonates Most via A/B Testing
A/B testing helps you make decisions based on data rather than guesswork. This technique helps you compare audience behavior based on different versions of your content so you can see which copy or design elements work best.
A/B testing is useful for fine-tuning ads, emails, landing pages, and website content. You can compare headlines, copy, layout, offers, and CTAs to see which versions drive more engagement.
Improve Landing Page Performance With Heatmaps
Heatmaps are another way to gauge user response to your content. They offer a visual representation of where audiences click, scroll, and hover on a web page.
For example, scroll depth can show you where user interest drops off on a page. You might need to adjust your headline and introduction or break up lengthy chunks of text. If users are clicking on elements that aren’t interactive, redesign them so they don’t appear clickable or add a link to satisfy users.
Learn more about landing page optimization here.
Reach More Adult Learners With Search-First Marketing
Student recruitment is easier when your target audience can find your school easily in search engines and see how your programs meet their unique needs. At Victorious, we use data-driven strategies to help you connect with adult learners in your target market. Schedule a free consultation and learn how your institution can generate long-term and sustainable traffic, engagement, and enrollment with our higher education SEO agency.
