Hope College
Hope College, a private Christian liberal arts institution in Holland, Michigan, has cracked the code on wrangling Gen Z — and their strategy offers valuable insights for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) aiming to connect with younger demographics.
Founded in 1866 in Holland, MI, Hope College boasts a rich history and a commitment to engaging students in rigorous academics and a vibrant Christian community. With around 3,300 undergraduate students, Hope is known as one of the most innovative liberal arts colleges and a top research college in the United States. Hope also competes in NCAA Division III athletics, a distinction among Christian liberal arts colleges.
Hope College sought to attract prospective undergraduates aged 15-18 in Michigan and Illinois. Partnering with Carnegie, a leader in higher-education marketing, the school ventured into the world of Snapchat — a favorite home away from home for the Gen Z set — to reach their target audience. The campaign featured short, clever ads with taglines like:
“Experience the Hope Difference”
“Different by Design”
“Your Beginning Awaits”
“Find Your Place at Hope College”
Their ads encouraged viewers to share their contact information through Snapchat's native form tool, streamlining the lead-capture process.
Over a three-month period, Hope College’s Snapchat campaign yielded impressive outcomes, including:
Generating 80% of all undergraduate conversions across all social platforms utilized
Achieving an 82% lower cost per acquisition (CPA) compared to other platforms
We are excited to leverage Snapchat's reach with prospective students and for Hope College to have an active presence where students are already spending time. Our partnership with Carnegie has been a key tool in helping us reach our enrollment goals.
Despite its academic nature, the school’s success story offers several key takeaways for businesses:
Meet your audience where they are: For Gen Z, that’s Snapchat — which proved to be a goldmine.
Craft engaging content: Short, witty taglines and visually appealing ads do wonders for capturing Gen Z’s attention and encouraging interaction.
Simplify the conversion process: Utilizing native tools like Snapchat's form feature can reduce friction and boost lead generation.
Measure and adapt: Monitor campaign performance to identify what's working and allocate or reallocate resources accordingly.
Your business can effectively engage younger audiences and drive meaningful results, too. So, why not give Snapchat a shot? Your next generation of customers might just be a campaign away.
- Anna Gardner, Social Media Specialist, Carnegie
