Marketing Higher Education on YouTube: A Content Analysis of College Promotional Videos

• In Event: ICA Interactive Paper/Poster Session I
  In Interactive Poster Session: Information Systems Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Using a content analytic methodology, the present study reports on message and extramessage characteristics of marketing videos produced by college and university recruiters to promote enrollment at their institutions, and as such, it is intended to initiate a new avenue of research focus into the persuasiveness of college recruitment messages. Taking an integrative approach (Neuendorf, 2017) to content analysis, the present study examines the structural and content features of the videos, as well as the influence strategies used in the message pool, in concert with two other components of persuasive communication: receiver and source characteristics (McGuire, 1978). A majority of videos were found to be explicit in their attempt to persuade future students to matriculate. Additionally, informational appeals were found to be favored by institutions. Viewer responses were also examined, in the form of number of views, Likes, Dislikes, and comments generated by each video.

Authors

• Marianne Fritz, California State University, Los Angeles

• Andrea Smith, California State U, Los Angeles

• Frances Chee, Cal State U Los Angeles