It occurred to me that I never actually created a blog about the video enrollment funnel, especially since I talk about it so often with our private school clients.
So, what is a video enrollment funnel?
A video enrollment funnel is a visual representation of how your videos support each stage of the enrollment process. Generally, you’ll have:
- Videos for the awareness stage
- Videos for the consideration stage
- Videos for the decision stage
In the context of school enrollment, those stages often align with:
- Inquiry
- Application
- Admitted
- Enrolled
- Retention
It’s important to be intentional about the goal of every video you create. For example, if you produce a program video that lives on your school’s website, that video probably isn’t going to be the one that convinces a family to enroll. It’s simply too early in the enrollment journey.
Now consider a yield video. This type of video is used much later in the funnel, after a student has been admitted and is deciding whether to enroll. At that point, the goal of the video is much different. It’s designed to help move an admitted student to enrollment. Of course, families have to move through all the earlier stages before they ever reach that point.
Below is a visual representation of the video enrollment funnel and some examples of how different videos can fit throughout the enrollment process. That doesn’t mean you need every type of video shown. In most cases, you won’t. The important part is making sure you’re using video strategically throughout your funnel.
There are two pieces to creating a successful video enrollment funnel:
- Producing the video content
- Distributing the video content
Creating great videos is only half the equation. You also want to make sure the right audience sees the right video at the right time.
Let’s go back to the yield video example. You wouldn’t place that video at the top of the funnel because it likely includes messaging such as, “Congratulations on your acceptance.” If someone is learning about your school for the first time, that message wouldn’t make any sense.
That’s why distribution matters just as much as production. It’s an area that is often overlooked by schools, and it may help explain why some schools hesitate to invest in video for marketing and enrollment, even though we know video is an incredibly effective way to connect with prospective families.
For the awareness stage, videos are commonly used on your website, in Meta ads, or on landing pages.
During the consideration stage, videos often become part of an email lead nurturing sequence. This is a great opportunity to share videos through YouTube or Vimeo links. If you’re offering in-person tours, you can also incorporate video into that experience. Depending on your enrollment process, tours may fall closer to the top or the middle of the funnel.
For the decision stage, you’ll likely continue using video through another email nurturing sequence that focuses on helping admitted families make their final enrollment decision.
Then, once families are enrolled, your focus shifts to retention. These videos are often shared through organic social media, email communications, and other channels that help keep current families engaged with your school community.
At the end of the day, the goal is simple: create the right video for the right person at the right time.
If you are interested in building a video enrollment funnel for your school feel free to reach out to me at joe@monzomediapro.com
