5/2011 “A Survey of Digital Marketing Communications in Select New York State SUNY Colleges” Published by Keuka College

1. Digital Marketing Communication Strategies 1
Evaluation of Digital Marketing Communication Strategies
in Selected New York State SUNY College
Joseph Stabb
MGT 581 – Keuka College
August 4, 2010
Comments: Grade: A minus
Nice addition of new material to Lit. Review.
Interesting research on social media phenomena.
Several minor corrections noted within.
Good improvement on previous ARP paper (from MGT.580)
Two in-text citations not in Ref. List.

2. Digital Marketing Communication Strategies 2
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION
Focus Statement
The purpose of this action research project is to determine if institutions of higher education in
the SUNY system are marketing and communicating in a way that reaches their target student
audiences.
Description and Importance of Problem
Educational institutions are finding the higher education industry to be more and more
competitive each year. Marketing communications still is a very important element for a college to
reach its potential audience. But are colleges communicating in a way that best reaches there target
audiences?
The State University of New York (SUNY) system of higher education is the publicly funded
institutions of higher education in New York State. They routinely compete against each other and
private higher education institutions for enrollment and donor dollars using a multitude of marketing
communication tactics. They accomplish these tasks every year while the State of New York routinely
decreases the SUNY budget.
Technology is also changing how people communicate with each other on a daily basis. Digital
technologies make it easier for people to communicate and can be less expensive for the institution.
The goal of this research project is to determine how the SUNY colleges are communicating
with their audiences and determine, based on solid research, if their target audiences are being reached.
Basically, are the SUNY Colleges spending their marketing communication dollars in the best way to
reach their primary target audiences.
Organizational Context
The State University of New York (SUNY) is the system of public institutions of higher
education in New York State. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and
community colleges in the world, with a total enrollment of 438, 361 students, plus 1.1 million adult
education students spanning 64 campuses across the state. The SUNY system has 83,547 faculty
members and some 6,650 degree and certification programs overall. SUNY includes many institutions
and four University Centers: Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, and Stony Brook.

3. Digital Marketing Communication Strategies 3
SUNY comprises all institutions of higher education statewide that are state-supported, with the
exception of the institutions that are units of the City University of New York (CUNY). SUNY and the
City University of New York are entirely different university systems, despite the fact that both are
public institutions which receive funding from New York State. Also, SUNY is not to be confused with
the University of the State of New York (USNY), which is the governmental umbrella organization for
most education-related institutions and many education-related personnel (both public and private) in
New York State, and which includes, as a component, the New York State Education Department.
Since the SUNY schools rely on funds allocated in the New York State budget, there is a big
risk for funding cuts that happen routinely. Also, some national statistics show that there are fewer
students to enter into institutions of higher educations. The SUNY colleges need to be sure that they
are competitive and spending their marketing communication dollars effectively to reach their target
audiences. The research will show how SUNY colleges are spending their marketing dollars and
whether those tactics reach the target audience.
Research Questions and Variables
Research Questions Variables
1. What are the target audiences? Budget analysis or programs
offered.
2. What marketing communication
tactics are being used?
Budget analysis
3. How are the target audiences
consuming communication and
advertising?
Secondary data
4. What colleges are going to be part
of the study?
15 Selected SUNY 4-Year
Colleges
5. What are the current best
practices in marketing
communications for higher
education?
Secondary data
6. Are there any legal issues that
govern marketing
communications in higher
education?
Secondary data

4. Digital Marketing Communication Strategies 4
Force Field Analysis
Driving Forces Restraining Forces
Potential cost savings College staff's lack of technology
knowledge
Increased enrollment Resistance to learn new approaches
to marketing communications
Student technology adoption IT resources and ability

5. Digital Marketing Communication Strategies 5
LITERATURE REVIEW
Marketing communication is becoming more and more important within the higher education
industry, especially among publicly-funded institutions. As government funds for education decrease,
colleges and universities need to be better at communicating their message to their target audiences.
Institutions of higher education, specifically the colleges, in the State University of New York
(SUNY) system are part of this shift. Colleges are fighting to set themselves apart from other
institutions of higher education and technology is helping them do this. According to researcher
McAllister-Spooner, “given the increase in the number of traditional students, institutions of higher
education are vying for attention as high schoolers begin their college search (Tucciarone, 2007).
Stickler (2006) argues that if colleges want to attract new students, they must center on the customer:
the student” (McAllister-Spooner, 2010). High school graduation rates are expected to increase
nationally by 15% between 2006 and 2017. This means that total enrollment at degree-granting
institutions will increase by 16% (McAllister-Spooner, 2010).
Because of this, many colleges have started to increase their marketing communication efforts.
Many colleges now use several forms of social media. “With blogs, Twitter, and Facebook, some
colleges are taking aim at specific audiences, under banners like admissions, alumni, and athletics.
They can then draw content from each stream for a more-general site or feed. To generate some of that
content, colleges are 'crowdsourcing,' or farming out production to a large group” (Lipka, April 2009).
Image Source: (Experian, 2010)

6. Digital Marketing Communication Strategies 6
Technology has advanced the use of the internet from a single device, the computer, to multiple
devices like computers, mobile phones and other devices, televisions, etc. The age of internet users,
people born in the age of the internet, is on the rise and mirroring those of the offline populations. In
2010, 221 million people in the U.S. will be online, about 71 percent of the total population. Their
numbers will continue to grow, reaching 250 million in 2014 -- more than 77 percent of the population,
per marketing research firm eMarketer (“Change comes,” 2010). We have entered the golden age of
media in society. Nielson data shows that time spent viewing content on three screens – TV, PC, and
Mobile – is increasing. Video viewing on all platforms has increased greatly. Television viewing is up
about 20% (Bhatia, 2009).
People are addicted to social networks. According to research firm Experian Simmons, “fully
two-thirds of all online adults today have visited a social networking site in the last 30 days, up from
53% in 2008 and 20% in 2007” (Experian, 2010). Two-thirds of social networking site visitors have
shown their support of a product, service, company or musical group by becoming a “fan” or a “friend”
on a social networking site. Also, heavy users of social networking sites are concentrated in markets
influenced by major colleges and universities (Experian, 2010).
But what are the target audiences of SUNY colleges? The main target audiences of SUNY
colleges are prospective students, current students, former students, and staff/faculty. Many colleges
have created the “student as customer” paradigm (Clayton & Haley, 2005). Colleges and universities
have recognized that students are their customers, including prospective, current, and former students.
They need to communicate to these groups in effective ways that reach these targets.
As colleges compete for students, the prospective students tend to be the most sought after
target audience. These individuals are between the ages of 12 and 18 and tend to be very technology
savvy. According to a 2009 study of teens age 12-18 teens are consuming media heavily across
multiple platforms. A typical U.S. teen consumes several hours of digital media including computers,
internet, mobile and text-messaging, and online games per day. This beats traditional media sources
like television, radio, and newspapers at a rate of 2:1 (“How teens,” 2009). According to a recent
Harris Poll, social networks influence 45% of all online US adults and 50% of those aged 18-34
(Marketing, 2010). Reviews in newspapers and magazine articles have virtually the same overall
influence as social network reviews (46%), with only slight fluctuation by age category (Marketing,
2010). Younger adults are more likely to use social networks.
Mobile and text-messaging has slowly become the preferred choice for many teens. It is
immediate and in-hand when they need access to information. In a report from eMarketer, cell-phone

7. Digital Marketing Communication Strategies 7
texting has become the preferred channel of basic communication among U.S. teens and their friends,
with cell calling a close second, according to findings from the Pew Internet & American Life Project
(“Texting top teen,” 2010). Seventy-five percent of 12-17 year olds now own cell phones, with 88% of
them being text-messagers. Also, the daily use of texting has overtaken the frequency of every other
common form of interaction with their friends. According to research from The Nielsen Company,
American teenagers send an average of 10 text messages per hour when not in school or sleeping
(“Texting top teen,” 2010).
Social media is also a top tool used by many young adults and teens. According to Dave Evans,
author and social media strategist, “social media is the democratization of information, transforming
people from content readers into content publishers. It is the shift from a broadcast mechanism to a
many-to-many model, rooted in conversations between authors, people, and peers. Social media uses
the “wisdom of crowds” to connect information in a collaborative manner. Social media can take many
different forms, including internet forums, message boards, weblogs, wikis, podcasts, pictures and
video. Technologies such as blogs, picture-sharing, vlogs, wall-postings, email, instant messaging,
music-sharing, group creation and voice over IP, to name a few” (Evans, 2008). A recent study
published by Bulmer & DiMauro, 2009, in the Journal of New Communications Research outlines how
social networking has changed the way young people communicate. The study found that there are
only two relevant social networking platforms for middle and high school students: MySpace and
Facebook. By the end of 6th
grade, 70 percent of students have a social networking account. Although
this is just preliminary research, it shows that students are flocking to these social spaces to connect
with others and communicate (King, 2009). This is interesting because social networking sites also
state in their terms of use that you must be 18 to use the service.
We use social media as a platform for discussion of ideas, experiences, and knowledge-
exchange. Online communities provide a prime opportunity for organizations to get to know their
customers more intimately and keep the finger on the pulse of their needs and behaviors. Social
networks are now one of the most powerful influencing mediums in the world. Organizations now
have the ability to make informed decisions for the future – collaboratively with the constituents that
matter the most to them (Bulmer & DiMauro, 2009).
Teens and young adults are not the only audiences making use of social media platforms like
Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn. Companies and organizations are also investing, heavily, in these
platforms to reach target audiences. Forty-three percent of the 2009 Inc. 500 reported social media was
“very important” to their business/marketing strategy. And an incredible 91 percent of the Inc. 500 is

8. Digital Marketing Communication Strategies 8
using at least one social media tool in 2009. These companies are also seeking to protect themselves
legally, with 36 percent having implemented a formal policy concerning blogging by their employees.
It is clear that this group of fast-growing companies considers the use of social media as a central part
of their strategic plans. Social networking is the most widely used tool with 34 percent of Inc. 500
companies (Barnes & Matteson, 2009).
According to a national study published by www.Mashable.com, most online teens belong to a
social network. Also, among the teens that have social networking profiles, 43% have spent money on
or in a social network and consider it “money well spent” (Mashable, 2010). Games have become the
predominant activity on social networks with more than three-quarters of online teens playing games
on the internet. Teens spend 80% of their “internet time” on social networks (Mashable, 2010).
According to the study published by Mashable.com, “teens spend roughly 2 hours and 20 minutes a day
on the internet. Most of that time is spent on a social networks: 1 hour and 50 minutes on average”
(Mashable, 2010).
Many college admissions offices have jumped on the social media bandwagon also. “In 2009,
95% of colleges used some form of social media with social networking being the most common form”
(Barnes & Matteson, n.d.). College admissions offices consider social media tools important for
recruiting students. According to the national research, private colleges are more likely than public
institutions to keep social media spaces (Lipka, May 2009). Many admissions offices have also
increased the participation of current students to attract new students. A recent study shows that current
students can greatly influence prospective students via a blog. The study proved that student blogs
offered prospective students a chance to “test drive” an institution (Rudolph & Sweetser, 2009).
There are numerous risks and rewards involved in the adoption of social media. According to
Postman in the book SocialCorp, “many of the attributes of social media that make it so compelling in
corporate communications, like speed and transparency, can also be a source of legal risk, ethical risk,
and potential damage to the company's brand or reputation” (Postman, 2009). While more specific
regulation regarding social media seems to be required, the basic laws and ethical traditions against
misrepresentation, unfair competitive practices, deceit, and so on have been in place for hundreds of
years.
There are many laws that protect consumers from representations of product superiority and
company financial performance. In the United States, there are established laws from the Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). According to Postman in
the book SocialCorp, “in general, any law or regulation that applies to any communications on your

9. Digital Marketing Communication Strategies 9
company's website, can be assumed to apply equally to any external social media initiative” (Postman,
2009).
It is critical that any organization of any size set a social media policy to let employees know
the organization's rules and expectations for legal and ethical conduct. According to Postman in the
book SocialCorp, “a good social media policy will create a better informed group of social media users
at the company, who will better represent the company and will not subject it to undue risk from
inappropriate disclosure of financial information and proprietary company information, or from
engaging in unfair business or competitive practices” (Postman, 2009).
The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) has established The WOMMA Ethics
Code. Briefly, this ethics codes stats:
• Maintain the highest standards of business conduct, by using only legal and ethical means in
their business activity;
• Observe all applicable laws, regulations, and rules pertaining to their marketing practices;
• Actively promote and encourage the highest level of integrity within the industry;
• Cooperate in every reasonable and proper way with other members and work with them in the
advancement of the industry;
• Lead by example and adhere to ethical standards that even may exceed those required by law;
and
• Commit to the development and use of the most effective standards and practices to promote
consumer protection (Word, 2009).
Many professional organizations have created similar ethics guidelines for their members to follow
when engaging in social media for marketing communications.

10. Digital Marketing Communication Strategies 10
DATA COLLECTION PLAN
The data collected will be used to evaluate how selected New York State SUNY colleges are
utilizing digital marketing communication tactics to reach their target audiences. To determine this, the
researcher will request the 2008 and 2009 audited budgets for 15 SUNY colleges, including Buffalo
State College, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Oswego,
Alfred State College, Morrisville State College, SUNY IT, SUNY Canton, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY
Farmingdale, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Purchase, and SUNY College at Old Westbury.
This data will be obtained from the colleges under the Freedom of Information Act. The
researcher will request digital or print copies of this data and then reviewing it for marketing
communication tactics. This will provide the necessary insight needed to determine what tactics are
currently being used.
Secondary research will be conducted using journal, newspaper, and magazine articles to
identify supporting data based on the focus of this research project. These resources will also provide
the necessary insight into what marketing communication tactics are best to utilize.
Limitations to the Data Collection Plan
There might be some limitations to the outlined data collection plan. Although the audited
budgets themselves will be the only means of determining how the SUNY Colleges are allocating their
marketing communication dollars and which tactics are being utilized to reach their target audiences.
These budgets may not be clearly annotated, so some estimation may need to be made based on the
data received.

11. Digital Marketing Communication Strategies 11
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Barnes, N.G., & Mattson, E. (2009). Social media in the 2009 inc. 500: new tools and new trends.
Journal of New Communications Research, 4(2), 70-79.
Barnes, N.G., & Mattson, E. (n.d.) Social media and college admissions: higher-ed beats business in
adoption of new tools for third year. Retrieved from
http://www1.umassd.edu/cmr/studiesresearch/socialmediaadmissions.cfm.
Bhatia, M. (2009, December 15). You can take it with you: future trends in media. Retrieved from
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/you-can-take-...2
Bulmer, D., & DiMauro, V. (2009). Executive summary from the society for new communications
research study: the new symbiosis of professional networks: social media's impact on business
and decision-making. Journal of New Communications Research, 4(2), 93-99.
Change comes to U.S. internet population. (2010, April 14). eMarketer, Retrieved from
http://www.adweek.com/fdcp?1273778434649
Clayton, D.E., & Haley, D.A. (2005). Marketing models in education: students as customers, products,
or partners. Marketing Education Review, 15(01), 01-10.
Experian Simmons. (2010, June 10). 2010 Social Networking Report. Experian Information Systems.
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King, T. (2009). Teens' use of online social networking. Journal of New Communications Research,
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Lipka, S. (2009, May 01). Admissions offices struggle to stay on message with social media. The
Chronicle of Higher Education, Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/Admissions-
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Lipka, S. (2009, April 29). Social media in admissions: no longer a choice. The Chronicle of Higher
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Marketing Charts. (2010). SocNet Reviews Most Influence Younger Adults. Retrieved on June 23,
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http://www.scribd.com/doc/33751159/Teens-Study-June-2010.
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Public Relations Journal. 4(2).
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Rudolph, K.R., & Sweetser, K.D. (2009). University blogs and organizational image. Journal of New
Communications Research, 4(2), 15-35.
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