Signing up for Spotify Premium during my college years back in March 2014 remains one of my all-time best purchases. It was perfect timing, really. I’d just accepted a job offer for after graduation and Spotify launched student discounts for their premium service. It felt like fate, and I’ve been a devoted, paying subscriber ever since. These days, I even have a family plan, successfully converting all my family members (and perhaps a few roommates) into Spotify enthusiasts.

The takeaway here is clear: early engagement with college students can transform them into your most steadfast customer base. Just look at Apple! This tech giant consistently offers student discounts, cleverly cultivating lifelong Mac devotees. Still not convinced about the immense value of the college student market? Let’s delve into some compelling statistics…

Why Target College Students?

College students constitute a significant demographic in the US, primarily comprising individuals aged 18 to 24. These young adults wield considerable purchasing power: the 15M group spends more than $200B annually. Notably, they exhibit age stability and remain geographically concentrated for 4-5 years. This provides you with ample opportunity to meticulously craft and refine your branding and marketing strategies tailored to this group, allowing you to identify what truly resonates. While this might already be on your radar, Gen Z is undeniably the tech-savvy generation. They’re perpetually online (especially evident during quarantine), actively consuming content, engaging in online shopping, and interacting with their peers. And when it comes to advertising, they’re more discerning than previous generations: almost 70% of Gen Zers use ad blockers. However, don’t be disheartened; successfully connecting with these college students has its rewards: 94% said an exclusive offer proved highly effective in driving their repeat business to specific brands. Let’s explore some top strategies to effectively reach college students through the power of marketing.

10 Proven Ways to Market to College Students

1. Freebies and Trials Are Your Secret Weapon

Let’s be honest, college students have a soft spot for freebies. I can’t even recall how many events I went to in college simply because they promised free food. What better way to cultivate a loyal customer base than by offering your product completely free? There are numerous effective ways to get those free samples or trials directly into the hands of your target audience. Consider collaborating with residence life programs to include a welcome kit for the fall semester or sponsor a well-timed study break during midterms or finals. If you’re a food vendor on platforms like Seamless, GrubHub, or DoorDash, entice them with discounts for first-time orders. Once they get a taste, they’ll be back for more.

2. Offer Exclusive Discounts

Much like personalized ads, discounts tailored specifically for your audience can be incredibly engaging. Everyone likes to believe their school is the best, and what better way to reinforce that sentiment than with promotions like “For a limited time, Villanova students get free fries with every cheeseburger.” For a more direct approach to drive in-store visits or online orders, offer enticing discounts to students who present their student IDs at checkout. You can often find these deals listed in coupon booklets distributed at student unions or included in move-in day packages. Talk about free advertising!

3. Speak Their Language with Clever Copy

When was the last time you spent time with college students? If it’s been a while, you’re missing out. Seriously, I pick up new slang every time I’m around them. Since the dawn of college, students have been crafting their unique vocabulary for academics and, of course, partying. (I’m personally on a mission to bring back “groovy”.) While I wouldn’t advise trying too hard to mimic their lingo, capturing their attention with witty and relatable marketing copy is crucial. Whatever you do, avoid coming across as out of touch. Need some inspiration? Here are some tips for crafting creative copy that truly resonates with this demographic.

4. Maximize Your Social Media Presence

If you’ve dabbled in social media advertising, you already know it’s a powerful avenue for reaching millennials and Zillennials. When targeting college students, make sure you’re actively leveraging these platforms, even without a substantial budget for ad campaigns. There are simple yet effective ways to engage college students on social media:

• Embrace user-generated content. Encourage your customers to tag your products in their posts for easy reposting.
• Be present and engage with your audience. Spend time liking and commenting on relevant posts to boost your visibility and reach a wider audience.
• Utilize your social accounts to announce new product launches or releases. If you’re a large, national brand, consider creating dedicated accounts specifically tailored for your target college demographic, such as “VillanovaDominos” or “MaybellinePHL.”

5. Don’t Shy Away from Traditional Tactics

Traditional advertising methods still hold weight with the college crowd. Believe it or not, they still clip coupons from flyers or dig them out when ordering food. Consider sponsoring on-campus events or setting up pop-up shops strategically placed in high-traffic areas on campus to maximize student visibility.

I can still picture stacks of coupons just like this one crammed in my kitchen drawer back in my college apartment. They were lifesavers when we were low on groceries, feeling too lazy to cook, but still bound by that tight college budget.

6. Spark Their Interest with Giveaways, Raffles, or Competitions

Looking to boost your social media following, expand your email list, or simply increase student engagement with your business? Hosting a giveaway is an excellent strategy. The key is to make the prize enticing enough for college students to willingly part with their information and/or money for a chance to win. Consider prizes like a Sonos speaker system for those epic dorm parties, covering the cost of a coveted on-campus parking pass, offering a lifetime supply of free sides (french fries galore!), or even naming a product after the lucky winner – the possibilities are endless.

Alternatively, tap into the competitive spirit inherent in college life! Just like highlighting exclusive college discounts, if you operate near multiple universities, foster a little friendly rivalry, as demonstrated by this 5K race.

7. Empower Student Ambassadors

Take notice of those students who are devoted patrons of your business. Whether they’re actively engaging with you in-store or online or consistently placing orders, acknowledge and appreciate their loyalty. Think of your student ambassadors as micro-influencers. Create ambassador kits complete with branded swag like t-shirts, bottle openers, water bottles, and arm them with materials to distribute to their peers. Sweeten the deal by offering them referral discounts. Aerie, while not exclusively targeting college students, excels at leveraging user-generated content on their social platforms. They regularly #regram content from their customers, making it easier for them to maintain an engaging social media calendar!

8. Align with Social Causes

College coincided with the KONY 2012 movement—what a time. Everyone was talking about it – professors, students, residence life staff, school administrators, even food service workers. It was the social justice cause of the year. College students are inherently idealistic and eager to make a difference. This generation, in particular, is deeply passionate about social justice. Consider aligning your business with a cause that resonates with the community you serve. Not only will you be contributing to a worthy cause, like sustainability or the Black Lives Matter movement, but you’ll also attract students who are more likely to support businesses that share their values.

9. Tap into College Media Outlets

Reach your target audience where they spend their time and consume information. Most likely, the students you’re trying to reach have access to student-run newspapers, weekly newsletters, or even popular online forums or apps. Connect with these publications and explore opportunities for sponsored posts or display ads. Similar to working with student ambassadors, reach out to student-run social media accounts and propose sponsored posts. Many schools have dedicated accounts for their mascots or “overheard at [school name]” pages. And let’s not forget TikTok, which is taking the world by storm. Connect with student organizations – trust me, the dance team definitely has a TikTok account – and inquire about potential collaborations or video features.

10. Don’t Forget the Parents

If your price point might be a bit high for the average college student, shift your focus to their parents. The prime time to do this? Move-in day and parents’ weekend. Sure, it can get tricky during a pandemic, but it’s not impossible. Never underestimate a college student’s ability to persuade their loving parents into opening their wallets. When targeting parents, think care packages! Highlight how your product can help their child excel in their studies – acing midterms, finals, presentations, or even job interviews. Alternatively, emphasize how your product can promote a healthy lifestyle or make that tiny dorm room feel a little more like home. (My mom definitely sent me plenty of happy lights to survive those harsh winters.) If you’ve had success marketing to college students, we’d love to hear about it! And if you became a loyal customer of a business that targeted you as a student, tell us what won you over!