In a world driven by visuals and immediacy, video has become one of the most powerful tools at a university’s disposal. Whether it’s a cinematic campus tour, a compelling student testimonial, or a quick breakdown of a degree programme, video marketing speaks directly to prospective students in a way that static brochures simply can’t. Students crave authenticity, connection, and clarity—and video delivers all three with ease.
It allows institutions to convey emotion, credibility, and personality. In a competitive landscape, the right video can make a university not only seen, but remembered. And crucially, it helps institutions remain relevant in an increasingly digital-first admissions journey.
Capturing Attention in a Crowded Market
Let’s be honest—young people are bombarded with content daily. To stand out, universities must meet students where they already are: online, and increasingly on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Video gives you the opportunity to grab their attention quickly, showcase your unique offering, and leave a lasting impression.
A scroll-stopping video ad or an engaging story on social media can make the difference between a forgotten name and an application submitted. Gen Z, in particular, responds well to fast, impactful visual content. Universities that embrace this medium show they understand how to communicate in the modern digital world.
It’s not just about reaching audiences—it’s about resonating with them emotionally and visually.
Showcasing Campus Life: More Than Just Buildings
Photos can show the beauty of a quad or library, but only video can truly convey the energy of a bustling student union or the buzz before a big match. Campus life matters—especially for students moving away from home. A video tour helps them imagine themselves living, studying, and thriving in your environment.
You can showcase the social clubs, events, dining options, and community spirit that shape the full student experience. Highlighting diverse student voices also helps viewers feel more welcomed and represented.
Ultimately, it’s about painting a vivid picture of day-to-day life beyond lectures. A strong sense of place can often be the deciding factor for students torn between similar academic offerings.
Bringing Courses to Life
Video also humanises your academic offering. Hearing a passionate lecturer talk about their subject, or seeing a student present their project, makes the course feel real and relevant. Short course explainer videos can break down complicated modules into bite-sized, engaging pieces—perfect for social media or your website.
You can also include practical examples of what students learn and achieve during the course. This builds confidence and clarity for those exploring their study options. Including student-led content or behind-the-scenes classroom footage can also build trust and relatability.
Prospective students are more likely to apply when they understand not only what they’ll study but why it matters.
Speaking Directly to International Students
For international prospects who may never have the chance to visit in person, video becomes even more vital. It gives them a glimpse into what life might be like at your institution and can answer key questions about accommodation, community, support services, and culture. Subtitled or multi-language videos can further enhance accessibility.
Including a virtual tour can eliminate barriers to entry and make your university more globally inclusive. You can also spotlight alumni from different countries to build relatability and trust.
Videos featuring international student ambassadors are especially helpful in bridging cultural and geographical gaps. This builds confidence and creates a sense of belonging before students even arrive.
Student Testimonials Build Trust
No one sells your university better than your current students. Peer-to-peer marketing is powerful, and authentic testimonials on video help build credibility. Prospective students want to know: Will I belong here? What’s the social life like? Am I going to get the support I need?
Real voices help answer those questions. Honest, unscripted testimonials create emotional connection and resonate more than polished marketing language. They serve as social proof, which is essential for influencing decision-making. Hearing a relatable story can often be more persuasive than an entire prospectus.
Staff-Led Introductions Create Connection
A welcome message from the Vice-Chancellor or a “meet your lecturer” series builds a bridge between staff and students before they even arrive. It signals that your institution is approachable, transparent, and student-focused—qualities that are more important than ever in a competitive landscape.
When staff show their personalities and passion for teaching, students feel more comfortable and excited about joining. It also showcases academic credibility and leadership. These videos can also humanise the application process, making it feel less intimidating.
Introducing faculty ahead of time fosters early rapport and strengthens your educational brand. Students want to know they’re learning from people, not just profiles on a webpage.
Video for Open Days and Virtual Events
Open days are no longer confined to physical locations. With video, you can create evergreen content for virtual open days, webinars, and Q&A sessions. Live-streamed or pre-recorded, these videos allow you to reach a wider audience while saving time and money for both students and your team.
They’re especially beneficial for prospective students who live far from campus or have schedule conflicts. Recorded segments can be reused for newsletters, email nurture sequences, and follow-up communications.
A well-produced virtual open day can be just as engaging—if not more—as one in person. This flexibility opens doors to global recruitment without logistical limitations.
Engaging Parents and Guardians
Video doesn’t just influence students—it also reassures the people supporting them. Parents want to know that their child will be safe, happy, and well-educated. A professionally produced video that explains your pastoral care, career services, and academic reputation can offer exactly that peace of mind.
Including testimonials from other parents can be powerful and persuasive. Addressing concerns like student accommodation, mental health support, and employability shows your institution is student-centred.
Remember, many parents play a key role in final decision-making. Winning their trust can be the final push a student needs to choose your institution.
Harnessing the Power of Short-Form Content
Not all videos need to be long. In fact, short-form content often performs better online. Think TikTok tours, “day in the life” student vlogs, or quick myth-busting clips about university life. These bite-sized videos are perfect for grabbing attention and delivering value in under 60 seconds.
They also cater to shrinking attention spans and mobile-first viewing habits. Short-form video is easily shareable and can increase reach across multiple social media platforms. Consistency here can build momentum and brand recognition with minimal investment.
Plus, short-form content encourages engagement—comments, shares, and reactions—that can help drive algorithmic visibility. You can also test different messages quickly to see what resonates most with your audience.
Repurposing Across Channels
One video shoot can produce a wealth of material. A longer film for your homepage can be edited into shorter segments for Instagram Reels, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn, or even your email campaigns.
With smart planning, a single day of filming can support months of outreach across multiple platforms. You can also create thematic content libraries by course, location, or audience type. This modular approach makes your content strategy more efficient and scalable. Plus, it helps maintain a consistent brand voice across all channels. Repurposing doesn’t dilute your message—it strengthens and multiplies it.
It also saves time and budget, allowing marketing teams to stay agile without constantly reinventing the wheel. With the right asset management system, even older footage can be re-edited for future use.
Boosting Conversions with Video
Videos on landing pages can increase conversions by over 80%. Why? Because people are more likely to take action after watching something that sparks emotion or answers their questions.
Whether it’s submitting an application or booking an open day, video nudges them one step closer to your door. It can reduce bounce rates and keep visitors engaged for longer. Adding a clear call-to-action at the end of each video can further guide user behaviour.
Strategic use of video analytics can also help optimise content for higher performance. When done right, video becomes your best digital sales representative.
SEO and Discoverability
Google loves video. Adding video content to your website not only improves time-on-page but also increases your visibility in search results. YouTube, the second largest search engine in the world, can also act as a discovery platform for students researching courses and campuses. Embedding videos on blog posts and course pages enhances your SEO profile.
Properly tagged and captioned content can bring in more organic traffic. This makes video an essential part of your digital marketing ecosystem. The better your content ranks, the more visibility and engagement you’ll achieve.
Humanising Your Institution
Universities can feel intimidating, especially to first-gen or mature students. Video helps break down that wall. It allows you to speak with warmth, share success stories, and show that your institution isn’t just about grades—it’s about growth, opportunity, and belonging.
Showing relatable faces and everyday experiences builds emotional connection. It signals that diversity, equity, and inclusion matter to you. Ultimately, people don’t connect with buildings—they connect with people. Human stories cut through the noise and foster long-term loyalty.
Measuring and Improving Performance
One of the best things about video marketing is how trackable it is. Platforms offer insights into view counts, engagement, click-throughs, and drop-off points. This data allows you to refine your approach, improve future content, and keep your strategy student-focused.
A/B testing different video styles or thumbnails can uncover what resonates best. You can also retarget viewers who engage with your videos to increase conversions.
It’s about learning, adapting, and making every second of screen time count. Data-driven decisions lead to smarter, more impactful storytelling.
Investing in the Right Production
While smartphone content has its place, investing in professionally produced videos can elevate your brand. High-quality visuals, polished editing, and strategic scripting make a big difference—especially when you’re trying to attract international students or compete with top-tier institutions.
It signals credibility and shows that you care about detail. Good production reflects your values as an institution. Plus, well-crafted videos have a longer shelf life and better ROI. Think of it not as a cost, but as a long-term brand investment.
Personalising the Recruitment Journey
Video allows universities to personalise their outreach like never before. Through segmented campaigns, you can tailor content to different types of prospective students—be it undergraduates, postgraduates, mature learners, or international applicants.
A video sent via email that starts with “Thinking of studying Biology in London?” feels far more relevant and targeted than a generic message. You can also build nurture sequences using video at different touchpoints, such as after a webinar sign-up or an open day booking. This helps maintain engagement and move students through the decision-making funnel. Personalised video builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust.
With the right strategy, you can guide each viewer toward the content most meaningful to them. And by using automation tools and dynamic content insertion, these personalised videos can be delivered at scale. It’s smart marketing—without losing the human touch.
Supporting Student Retention Through Video
Video isn’t just for recruitment—it’s a valuable tool for retention too. Once students have enrolled, video can support onboarding, academic guidance, and emotional wellbeing. Welcome videos from student services or “how to” videos about navigating university life can help reduce anxiety and make students feel more supported.
You can create content on topics like housing advice, using the library system, accessing mental health resources, or choosing electives. This proactive approach shows you care about the student experience beyond admission. Regular video check-ins or updates from faculty also keep students engaged and motivated throughout the academic year.
When students feel seen and supported, they’re more likely to stay, succeed, and recommend your institution to others. A robust video strategy for enrolled students isn’t just helpful—it’s a retention asset.
Enhancing Alumni Engagement and Fundraising
Don’t overlook the power of video to engage alumni and supporters. Alumni are your lifelong ambassadors, and video can help maintain that connection long after graduation. Whether it’s sharing alumni success stories, inviting past students to reunions, or showcasing the impact of donations, video content keeps your community close.
These stories can also play a critical role in fundraising. A compelling video that shows how a scholarship changed someone’s life is far more impactful than a written appeal. It makes your message emotional, memorable, and persuasive.
You can also use video to promote mentorship opportunities or celebrate key milestones like 10- or 25-year reunions. By investing in video content for alumni, you foster loyalty and create opportunities for long-term giving. Remember—happy alumni are not only future donors, they’re future advocates too.
Addressing Common Concerns with FAQ Videos
Many prospective students have similar concerns: What’s the application process like? Can I afford this degree? Will I make friends? Instead of answering these questions individually, FAQ videos provide clear, accessible answers in a format students enjoy. These can live on course pages, landing pages, or even be pinned to your social media profiles.
You might film admissions officers answering top questions or feature current students sharing their own experiences. This approach builds transparency and helps manage expectations early on. It also reduces the workload on your admissions and support teams, as students find answers independently.
When handled well, FAQ videos can turn barriers into bridges and objections into opportunities. They signal that your institution understands what students need—and is proactive in meeting them halfway.
The Role of Video in Crisis Communication
During times of uncertainty—like global pandemics, strikes, or natural disasters—video becomes a powerful communication tool. A well-crafted video message from university leadership can reassure students and parents, explain the situation, and outline the steps being taken. This is far more personal and calming than a lengthy email.
Videos also allow you to address rumours and misinformation swiftly by providing a central source of truth. Beyond emergencies, video can be used for rapid updates on policy changes, health protocols, or campus closures. Short clips on social media and your website help maintain clear, consistent communication.
When emotions run high, tone and expression matter—and video captures both. It helps humanise the message, promote calm, and demonstrate leadership. In short, video isn’t just a marketing tool—it’s a strategic communication asset in your institutional toolkit.
Final Thoughts: It’s Time to Press Record
Video isn’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore—it’s an essential part of any university’s recruitment strategy. From showcasing your campus to sharing real student stories, it helps build connection, spark curiosity, and drive decisions. And if you’re ready to make your institution stand out on screen, our creative team is here to help you bring your vision to life. The earlier you start, the faster you’ll see results. In an age of digital-first decisions, your story deserves to be seen—and remembered. Press record, and show the world what makes your institution truly special.
If you need an engaging video for your institution, we’re here to help—just get in touch and let’s bring your message to life.
