Why Does a Prospectus Need to be Interactive?

Technology advances and shifts in user behaviour mean independent schools cannot wait when considering moving their prospectus to a digital, interactive format. But why is this so important?

Shifts in Consumer Behaviour

Users no longer consume media in the traditional sense. We know this since less and less people are reading newspapers, watching live television, listening to CD’s etc. Why? Because these models of consumption are limited. It is not that these mediums are not good it is that the alternatives are better.

Discovery

How do we find content in the 21st century? Most of us discover content via search engines or social media. If your prospectus is not online then people are not accessing your content. If Google cannot find you and people can’t share your prospectus then how do you expect to be found?

We all know the traditional method of interruption advertising no longer works. It’s a fact. It is thought the average person is exposed to over 3000 ads per day and how many of those can you remember? Most people would say 0.

By allowing your prospectus to be instantly discovered online, you become highly visible to your prospects and bypass the need to interrupt them with adverts. And how much does it cost to be found through Google or social media? Nothing.

Experience

Your prospects are shifting from a world of consuming content, to a world of experiencing content. You want your prospectus to be an experience to remember. The ability to embed rich, interactive digital content such as video, audio, galleries, animations etc. means your prospectus can be a instrument to inspire. You can no longer buy attention, you must earn it.

Social

‘Create content worth sharing.’ That is the goal of most content marketers. Your prospectus is your school’s message; you want as many people as possible to hear that message. By having a tangible prospectus you are limited by supply and by the ability for people to share it. Prospects may in fact want to share parts of your prospectus but they are restricted in how to do this.

This is where social media thrives. Your prospective parents are on Facebook, they are on Twitter, they are online. People have a natural need to be sociable and by creating a remarkable experience within your prospectus, you create something for parents to talk about and share.