We hope colleagues enjoy a well-earned break this Summer!
Do keep an eye out for our Summer Campaign...
The Summer Campaign is a key recruitment period in the Marketing calendar which sees us:
•Raise awareness of Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, and the full offer at each of our three Colleges
•Drive final applications and enrolments for September 2026 entry
•Produce key materials to begin September 2027 recruitment cycle
A Research-Led Campaign
All of our marketing activity is research led – in preparation for the Summer campaign, we’ve carried out Year 11 focus groups in local schools, completed a HE student survey, a parents survey, and have even asked you – our colleagues –about your advertising preferences.
Stand-out results which have informed our campaign:
75% of respondents prefer digital comms.
Taster Days help change perceptions more effectively than any other method.
TikTok and Snapchat are the favourites social media platforms amongst younger audiences whilst adults prefer Facebook.
50% of parents use the MyHeart App at least once a week sites are the most effective out of home advertising medium.
Key Promotional Activities by Area
Please note, this is not an exhaustive list of activities, it’s just to give you an idea of some of our key Summer Campaign activities.
Group/General:
• Mail drop to 350,000 households across the Castleford, Selby and Wakefield Districts with a different approach for each district:
o Wakefield & Castleford: Focus on Adult Learning offer, including HE and Apprenticeships
o Selby: 3rd edition of our Selby Spotlight newsletter, raising our profile and enhancing awareness of the full offer at Selby College
• Spotify ads to cover all course areas and full offering, for all age groups
• Organic and boosted social media including course-specific posts for ‘at risk’ courses
• Press releases and case studies – continually sharing good news
• Outdoor banners in key locations on College sites with ‘Not Too Late’/ ‘Top FE College’ messaging
School Leavers (16-18):
SummerCampaign
•Digital campaign including sponsored social media and Google Performance Max
• Press ads on and around GCSE Results Day (print and digital)
•Out-of-Home (OOH) ads including billboards, kiosks and bus rears
•Keep Warm activities including department-specific newsletters and ‘Good Luck’ postcards
• Producing 2027/28 prospectus and new promotional videos for launch in schools in the Autumn Term
University Centre (Higher Education):
•Digital campaign including sponsored social media, and advertising via Google Performance Max
• Press ads on and around A Level Results Day (print and digital)
•Out-of-Home (OOH) ads including billboards, kiosks
•Internal and external mail-shots for ‘at risk’ courses
• Joint digital campaign with Go Higher West Yorkshire
• Industry specific email campaign
• Keep Warm newsletters and 'acceptance packs'
• Keep warm email campaign focusing on student finance, NSS results and enrolments
Adult Learning:
• Distribution of courses leaflet to community spaces (supermarkets, job centres, libraries etc.)
• Paid advertising – local Mumbler websites, Yorkshire Living magazine, etc.
• Targeting of past enquirers/completers
• Sponsored social media for courses with low numbers
• Refresh of our 'Next Steps' fold-out, Access to HE brochure and Adult Learning mini guide
• Welcomed DWP to our open event in Wakefield
Apprenticeships/Employers:
• Launch of new Employers micro-site
• New edition of Engage (Employers’ Newsletter)
• Refresh of Employers’ Guide
• Targeted LinkedIn posts (organic and boosted), including LinkedIn newsletter
• Targeted e-shots
• Sector-specific literature e.g. Construction 'Support a Student' campaign
