It's that time of year again — we’re wrapping up and looking at what’s in store for student engagement in 2023. Keeping things student-centered and helping students feel important isn't going anywhere. Here are some predictions to help make it happen:

1. Even more personalization: Students’ continued demand for personalized communications means student engagement platforms will need to get even better at delivering what students want, how they want it. Data suggests that what businesses report as their efforts to be personalized to what the consumer feels is vastly different. 
   
   “While 75% of consumer-facing businesses report having good or excellent personalized experiences, only 48% of consumers agree — pointing to a gap in what consumers consider 'personalization' and what businesses are actually delivering.” (State of Customer Engagement Report 2022 - Twilio Report)
   
   Connecting with admissions counselors will need to become more like conversations with a friend, and students will need to feel like they’re being recognized as individuals rather than as part of a faceless group.
   
2. Immediate responses — and yes we mean right now: In today's 24/7 world, students expect — and demand — immediate responses to their questions and concerns.
   
   According to The Next Generation of Student Recruitment Pulse Survey, “the majority of higher education professionals (53%) report that the changing expectations of Gen Z students will be the biggest disrupter to higher education in the next five years.”
   
   Admissions offices that don't offer around-the-clock support will quickly fall behind the competition. Check out what we offer as solutions to providing 24/7 support when schools aren't set up for it.
   
3. Chatbots: Students love using chatbots (and so do we!). Chatbots are becoming more and more popular as a way to provide quick, easy answers to common questions. As a simple way to allow students more access when they need it, chatbots will be critical to have for admissions and student engagement offices alike. Not to mention, the addition of a chatbot in your communication stream can resolve 70- 80% of conversations in real time.
   
4. Focus on mental health: As the stigma surrounding mental health continues to erode, we predict that students will feel more comfortable talking about their mental health needs with their admissions counselors. This open conversation will allow for better support and understanding on both sides. 
   
   In 2023, schools will need to have robust support systems in place, digitally and on campus, to help students deal with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
   
5. More and more texting: Gen Z can't imagine a world without texting — it's been a part of how they live every day. It’ll continue to grow as a form of communication with students and all types of businesses, including higher ed. Application reminders, connecting with counselors, directions to an on-campus event are all ways schools can use texting to engage with students.
   
   According to a recent survey by Velti, 65% of respondents said they would be interested in receiving text messages from their admissions office.  Element451 offers the ability to send texts to hundreds of students from one central number. Find out how. 
   
6. Phone calling, really?: Believe it or not, in 2023 students want you to call them. In an era of digital everything, there's something to be said for the personal touch of a phone call. For these students (and their families), personal calls will be key in providing the level of attention they expect and deserve.
   
7. Student-led communications: No matter how you want to tailor your marketing plan, it’s critical to keep the student in mind. “46% of respondents report that the greatest challenge facing their team is that traditional outreach channels are simply not working to reach students anymore.” (The Next Generation of Student Recruitment Pulse Survey)
   
   By automating multiple channels (phone, email, text, etc.), you'll be able to reach more students where they're most comfortable.
   
8. Life-cycle management: Traditional enrollment history starts at top of the funnel, with thousands of students whittling down to those who ultimately enroll. However, 36% of respondents to the Next Generation of Student Recruitment Pulse Survey cited their difficulties with the traditional funnel as a primary obstacle to predicting who will enroll and stay enrolled.
   
   As the report notes “the student funnel has never been so precarious. High expectations from students and conflicting demands are making it hard to rely on historical data.”
   
   The journey, however, doesn’t end at enrollment —it's about retaining those students through graduation too.
   
   With competition for students becoming increasingly fierce, admissions offices will need to focus on relationship building from the very first interaction and continue that effort throughout the student's time at the school and beyond graduation. That means working with student success and even academic departments to provide a cohesive, personalized communication experience from recruiting to graduation.
   
9. Behavioral-based communications: In addition to lifecycle communications, behavioral-based communications will be on the rise in 2023. Behavioral-based communications are sent in response to a specific action or event (for example, an inquiry form submission or starting an application). AKA the right message at the right time through the right channel.
   
   These types of messages are more relevant to a student because they’re in the context of what they’ve demonstrated an interest in or just did, e.g., looking at financial aid information on a webpage.