Higher education marketers have never had more digital channels available to them. Social media campaigns, display ads, retargeting, and programmatic buys have long supported awareness and engagement for colleges and universities. But the environment has changed. Students still live online, but their relationship with digital advertising has shifted dramatically.
Students are consuming more media than ever, but they are paying attention differently. Their habits, behavior, and expectations have evolved, and institutions need to evolve with them.
Gen Z and Gen Alpha move quickly across platforms. They scroll through feeds rapidly, multitask naturally, and make near-instant decisions about whether something is worth their attention. After years of being bombarded with the same types of ads in the same formats, their ability to filter out promotional content has become second nature.
This evolution does not mean digital marketing has stopped working. It means students expect more than familiar placements and predictable messaging. To stay relevant and visible, institutions must embrace channels and creative that resonate with how students actually consume media today.
The Rise of Digital Fatigue in Younger Audiences
Digital fatigue has become one of the biggest obstacles in student engagement. Recent research shows that 72% of young consumers feel overwhelmed by the amount of digital content they see daily, which directly impacts how quickly they filter out repetitive or irrelevant ads. With constant exposure to ads across apps, devices, and platforms, students have developed an automatic filter that screens out anything that feels repetitive or unimportant.
This filter is not intentional. It is instinctual. When students face an overwhelming amount of similar content, their brains focus on what feels personally meaningful and ignore everything else. As a result, even well crafted ads may go unnoticed simply because the digital space around them is too crowded.
During peak enrollment windows, digital fatigue becomes even more pronounced. Students engage in more college research, and institutions respond with higher ad frequency. But as volume increases, attention decreases. The message gets lost in the larger wave of noise.
Understanding Gen Z and Gen Alpha Media Behavior
Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s media habits are highly dynamic and deeply multi-screen. According to recent research, 81% of Gen Z uses social media daily, and half spend more than three hours per day on these platforms. They often watch a streaming show on one screen while scrolling TikTok or Instagram on another, moving between channels without losing awareness of what they are consuming. This type of layered consumption is normal for them.
Studies also confirm that their attention may look scattered from the outside, but it is far more intentional than it seems. Comcast’s Gen Z analysis found that nearly 70% of Gen Z watches streaming content daily, and they are highly selective about what they choose to engage with. They know what interests them, and they know what they are willing to skip. When content feels aligned with their preferences or reflects something about their lives, they engage quickly and stay longer.
What consistently holds their attention is content with purpose. They respond to clear, emotionally grounded storytelling and visuals that feel modern and relevant. They also connect strongly with material that mirrors their experiences or personal aspirations. The EDDY report highlights that students want content that reflects their lives and values. When advertising mirrors the tone and storytelling they already trust, attention increases and engagement lasts longer.
On the other hand, they disconnect immediately when content feels overly promotional or disconnected from their reality. Ads that resemble templates or generic claims are filtered out almost instantly, regardless of placement or frequency.
These behaviors highlight an important consideration for institutions. It is not only about what message schools deliver but where and how that message reaches students. When content meets them in the right environment, in a format that reflects how they prefer to consume media, engagement increases naturally.
Why Traditional Social and Display Ads Are Losing Impact
Social and display ads remain important parts of the digital mix, but their role has shifted as the online space becomes more crowded.
Students scroll past ads for several reasons, and most fall into a few predictable patterns:
- The formats look identical across institutions.
- Messaging tends to follow repetitive templates.
- The creative often feels overly polished or generic.
- Visual elements lack the authenticity students expect.
- There is little variation in tone or storytelling style.
These channels still have value, especially for retargeting and brand presence. But institutions cannot rely on them alone to build meaningful connections. Students notice when everything looks the same, and sameness is the enemy of engagement.
The Shift Toward Streaming and Connected TV
Streaming has become a cornerstone of modern entertainment for students. They watch longer form content on the biggest screen in the home and often engage more deeply when they are in this focused viewing environment. Unlike the endless scroll of social platforms, television content gives them space to settle in and absorb what they are watching.
Connected TV creates an opportunity for institutions to introduce their story in a more immersive way. With a larger visual canvas and sound, schools can deliver messaging that feels intentional and memorable. Students are more likely to recall what they see on a television screen because the experience feels different from typical digital ads.
This is why CTV has become such a powerful counterbalance to crowded digital feeds. It offers a place where a school’s message is actually seen, actually heard, and far more likely to be remembered.
As streaming continues to dominate viewing habits, CTV gives higher ed marketers a path to reach students in moments of real attention.
What Today’s Students Expect From Creative Content
Authenticity Matters More Than Ever
Students value honesty. They look for creative that reflects genuine experiences and real student life. When content feels staged or too polished, they disengage quickly.
Real Voices Build Trust
Students trust students. They want to hear real perspectives and learn from real stories. Testimonials and unscripted moments make an institution feel approachable and credible.
Visuals Need to Feel Modern and Relevant
Contemporary design and natural, realistic imagery resonate with younger audiences. They expect visuals that match the media they consume every day.
Clarity Helps Students Connect Quickly
Students decide quickly whether content matters to them. Clear, direct messaging helps them understand what makes an institution distinctive without unnecessary complexity.
Emotional Storytelling Drives Memory
Stories that highlight transformation, belonging, or opportunity stay with students long after the ad ends. Emotion creates connection.
New Attention-Driving Tactics for Higher Education Marketers
Standing out in a crowded digital environment is not about producing more content. It is about producing content that feels intentional and different from what students see in their daily scroll. Today’s prospective students want relevance, clarity, and a sense of real connection, so the tactics that cut through clutter are the ones that offer something fresh.
Short form video remains one of the most effective ways to quickly capture interest. When a message is introduced in the first few seconds with strong visuals or student voices, students are more likely to pause and continue watching. These videos do not need high production value. They simply need authenticity and purpose.
Another tactic gaining traction is behind the scenes content. Students appreciate seeing what life actually looks like on campus. These moments help them imagine themselves in that environment, which makes the institution feel more approachable. Informal glimpses of classroom moments, labs, residence halls, or events can communicate a school’s personality far more accurately than scripted narratives.
Creative variety is also critical. Experimenting with new formats, tones, or visual styles keeps content from feeling repetitive. Schools that blend polished brand assets with student generated clips often see stronger engagement because the mix feels both credible and relatable. The goal is not perfection. It is resonance.
How Performance TV Reaches Students Where They Actually Watch
Performance TV blends the power of television storytelling with the precision of digital targeting. It allows institutions to reach students in contexts where they are already attentive and engaged. Because the content appears on a large screen, ads feel more impactful and memorable.
One of the major advantages of Performance TV is its measurability. Institutions can understand not only who has seen their ad, but how viewers behave after exposure. Schools can see which pages receive traffic, how visitors navigate the website, and what actions they take next.
This knowledge helps schools pair emotional storytelling with concrete performance insights, giving CTV an important role in the enrollment strategy.
Integrating CTV With Your Existing Digital Strategy
CTV does not sit in a silo. Its real power comes from how it elevates the rest of the marketing ecosystem. When a prospective student sees an institution’s message on a television screen, that moment of connection influences how they interact with the institution across other channels.
Many schools notice that after launching CTV campaigns, engagement on social platforms increases. This happens because students begin to recognize the institution’s name and message. Recognition builds trust, and trust makes students more willing to click, explore, or revisit content they may have ignored before. The same effect appears in paid search campaigns, where branded search volume often rises after strong video exposure.
The relationship works both ways. Social and search strengthen CTV’s impact by reinforcing the message and offering next steps for students who are ready to learn more. When the creative is aligned across channels, the journey feels cohesive and intentional. Students see the same tone, visuals, and messaging wherever they encounter the institution.
A well integrated strategy also helps institutions use their budget more efficiently. Instead of treating each channel as a separate investment, teams can let CTV drive top of funnel awareness while digital channels handle mid funnel engagement and conversion. This type of alignment ensures that students have a clear path from discovery to decision, without feeling overwhelmed or lost in the process.
Creative Approaches That Help Schools Stand Out From the Crowd
Lean Into What Makes Your Institution Distinctive
Students want to understand what sets an institution apart. Highlighting signature programs or showcasing unique aspects of campus life helps differentiate your story.
Show Real Student Stories and Experiences
Authentic stories stay with students. Featuring real voices and real experiences builds familiarity and helps prospective students imagine themselves on campus.
Use Tone and Personality to Your Advantage
Your creative should reflect the institution’s identity. A consistent tone across channels helps students build a connection with your brand.
Highlight Signature Programs and Unique Strengths
Every institution has something special to offer. Spotlighting these strengths gives students a reason to remember your message.
Measuring Impact and Proving ROI With Modern Channels
Measurement is essential in today’s marketing environment. Institutions need visibility into how each channel influences student behavior.
Schools can use this data to:
- Identify which creative drives the strongest engagement.
- Understand which audiences respond most effectively.
- Optimize media spend across channels based on performance.
- Strengthen leadership reporting with transparent results.
- Make more confident, data informed decisions.
Performance TV offers a level of insight that gives marketers clearer direction and supports long-term planning. Data helps institutions refine strategy in ways that align with student behavior and institutional goals.
When schools combine performance data with the right creative and audience strategy, CTV not only strengthens engagement but also supports the enrollment outcomes institutions care about most.
Final Thoughts
Gen Z and Gen Alpha are discerning, but they are not unreachable. They engage deeply with content that feels authentic, emotional, and relevant. They respond to brands that communicate clearly and show up in places where attention feels natural.
To reach them, higher education marketers must look beyond crowded digital spaces. Performance TV and streaming provide opportunities to deliver meaningful messages in environments where students are more open to receiving them. When these channels work alongside social, search, and retargeting, institutions create a more cohesive and compelling presence.
Standing out is not about doing more. It is about choosing the right places to show up and presenting stories in ways that matter. If your team is ready to strengthen its reach with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, we would love to talk. Connect with us today!