Marketing to adult learners

As the traditional undergraduate market experiences a slump in the US, it's imperative now more than ever for HE institutions to adapt and cater to the growing segment of adult learners.

However, engaging with and marketing to this type of demographic presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities for university marketing teams. As the traditional undergraduate market experiences a slump in the US, it’s imperative now more than ever for HE institutions to adapt and cater to the growing segment of adult learners. However, engaging with and marketing to this type of demographic presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities for university marketing teams.

When the economy dips, job applicants look for ways to bolster their resume. One of the most notable spikes of enrollment for higher education programs in recent history was in the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, which saw a sharp rise in higher education enrollments by 16%. A significant majority of that jump was due to adult learners looking to improve their odds of landing a gig in the dwindling amount of opportunities.

Looking at 2024, for many, it’s a similar situation. The economics of a post-Covid world, with rising inflation, a cost of living crisis, and marginal growth across the globe, is offering higher education a once again unique opportunity. As we see birth rates drop across the US and traditional pathways being questioned by high school leavers, the job-switchers and the upskillers can fill the hole in tuition fees.

Now everyone’s using videoconferencing tools, virtual classes are no longer an alien concept for adult learners and are becoming more and more accessible.

Understanding the adult learner

Adult learners come in different shapes and sizes.

- Career-switchers: Those who are looking for a career change horizontally. They require introductory course content which will open doors for them in different vocations. They likely have developed a skill set from their existing career experience and are looking to apply it in a different field.

- Up-skillers: Those who want to pursue career acceleration. Quite usually they will want to learn something that makes them stand out from other colleagues. A specialization within a certain technology or niche concept highlights them in a tough market.

- Passion chasers: Likely to be the more mature of the lot, these adult learners are excited by learning something that interests them. It is not necessarily a career-informed decision, but one gains self-actualization through education.

Late bloomers: Because of circumstances earlier in life, these adult learners did not have the opportunity to go to college. Now, they’ve returned to learn and gain the skills they need for the modern workforce.

Tailoring university marketing for the adult demographic

In today’s digital age, adult learners are increasingly found online. For higher education institutions, this means utilizing digital marketing to craft campaigns that resonate with adult learners’ lifestyles and aspirations.

Key takeaways:

Emphasize program flexibility and practicality in marketing efforts.

The adult learner is usually very time-conscious. Usual responsibilities like childcare, work, or looking after elderly parents can often be a perceived barrier for them to enroll.

Emphasize the program’s flexibility and practicality, making sure those who already have a few plates spinning can easily spin this one as well. Focus on key elements such as virtual sessions so they won’t have to come to campus, pre-recorded lectures so they can catch up on coursework on demand, and examinations done over Zoom to lower travel expenses and overcome the perceived barriers of enrollment.

Use targeted language and resonant imagery that reflects adult learners’ lives.

The purpose of continuing education courses should be tailored to the group of adult learners it serves. If the course is for the career-switchers, then it needs to be very generalist in its messaging. Opposing this would be the upskillers, where more technical and detailed messaging around what the course covers will be important.

It sounds obvious, but imagery will need to be carefully considered as well. We all hate feeling like the oldest person in the room, so don’t have imagery with typical undergraduate students. Rather, use imagery grouping together your mature students. This not only signals the age appropriateness of the course, but also is significantly important to portray that adult learners are a community, and normalizes the undertaking of adult courses.

Focus on digital marketing channels like Facebook and LinkedIn for better reach.

Unsurprisingly TikTok and Snapchat are not where the typical adult learner resides. Instead, think of Facebook, whose early users would be in the age bracket ripe for a career upgrade. Also, given the psychographic profile of someone looking to upskill for career purposes, LinkedIn is also a key advertising partner to engage with perhaps bored workers, scrolling through their feed rather than doing work (we’ve all been there!).

The targeting capabilities of LinkedIn offer a unique aspect of how you can boost and seed your advertisements. If your short course is an advanced accreditation in AI for example, LinkedIn will let you target users by their academic background and target computer science graduates, for example.

With the ability to chop and change courses to serve different purposes, adult learning provides room for educational innovation. If done well, institutions can open a new, reliable revenue stream (and get some sleep) while combatting the woes of declining undergraduate enrollment numbers.