How Higher Education Can Leverage OTT Marketing

Advertising on OTT channels expands the audience reach. Users can now communicate from anywhere they have access to the internet.

FREMONT, CA: As colleges and universities rethink their marketing strategies for the remainder of 2020 and beyond, many are looking to Over-the-Top, or OTT, advertising. This emerging channel is a highly effective approach to connect with prospective students, or at the very least, to place advertising messages in front of digitally adept consumers under the age of 30.

Before diving headfirst into the OTT pool, it's a good idea to understand what this channel is and how it might fit into a marketing strategy. The news regarding OTT is encouraging.

How OTT advertising works

The majority of OTT platforms derive at least some of their revenue from advertising. Ad-supported video on demand, or AVOD for short, is entirely funded by advertising. Consider YouTube. Hybrid supported models charge users a monthly fee but also serve advertisements. Specific OTT platforms provide several service tiers, with consumers paying a greater charge to upgrade from a hybrid to an ad-free model. Hulu is an excellent illustration of this tiered system in action.

Advertisements are not accepted on all OTT platforms. Indeed, Netflix is one of the most popular over-the-top video providers in North America, although it does not sell advertising space. It is subscription-based. While over 50% of the US population uses this service, advertisers must seek alternative avenues to reach their target demographics.

When users purchase advertising on OTT platforms, they have the option of serving the advertisement in a variety of formats, including display, video, or audio. The digital format's data tracking and audience recognition capabilities make OTT advertisements an effective marketing tool. It enables more exact targeting and increases the relevancy of ads, particularly when compared to traditional television.

OTT Marketing in Higher Ed

OTT has many advantages for higher education institutions. It allows users to retarget audiences better because their viewing data is part of their digital footprint. It also will enable users to contact people on their phones, which is rising. Millennials use their phones for 7.2 hours per day, more than television.

Aside from these broad benefits, OTT has some specific benefits for higher education institutions.

Geotargeting. Identify regional or local audiences. Because most adult students pick colleges within 50 miles of home, one can use OTT to focus the marketing dollars.

Creative energy. Serve adverts based on interests if the platform allows it. Many already do, and most OTT platforms are constantly improving targeting. Different majors or support services may appeal to diverse audiences.

Audience Selection. Students who are already familiar with online learning are more inclined to enroll. OTT media is always digital. Those who utilize it frequently are likely to be more comfortable online.

The OTT ecosystem and advertising alternatives are dynamic.

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