"Throughout our engagement, Alona's agile methodology allowed us time and space to engage in an honest dialogue that resulted in a better work product. Alona’s deep expertise in all aspects of brand experience and the digital customer journey made her an invaluable partner that we will continue to work with and trust."

Steve Gross, CMO, University Of Phoenix 

University of Phoenix Brand Programming

A multi-format, omnichannel content strategy, in-housing, execution and distribution across brand experience to increase enrollment.

CHALLENGE

The University of Phoenix (UOPX), an online university designed for non-traditional students, primarily targets working adults over the age of 37 who juggle full-time jobs and family responsibilities but seek a better career for themselves and their families.

In response to a shifting job marketing disrupted by the pandemic, UOPX came to me to help them with a robust content marketing initiative that would help drive affinity for the brand, increase enrollment, and empower prospects, students, and alumni toward choosing a career and life they love.

NO QUITTERS CLUB SERIES

APPROACH

I devised a comprehensive three-part plan to benefit UOPX both short-term and long-term:
1) Create of a more efficient marketing model called Brand Programming putting content at the center of the organization, implementing new workflows, a new content model, and the necessary documentation (editorial guidelines, editorial calendars, briefs, content education, content templates, social media templates) to onboard current and future content contributors.
2) Design an SEO and organic omnichannel marketing strategy along with the necessary amplification assets to ensure content visibility and distribution at the right time and place.
3) Develop 12 multi-format content franchises that UOPX could sustain beyond our engagement.

SOLUTION

To achieve a marked increase in content engagement that would lead to increased enrollment, I crafted brand themes, designed customer journeys, and cultivated a new brand voice. The content produced included informative and inspiring videos, articles, and infographics, addressing what matters most to our target audience.

We produced the articles with our in-house writers as well as commissioned award-winning writers. Here's a taste:

Committedby Kieran Dahl
Now Whatby Zak Stone
Future You & Public Health by Kieran Dahl
Lifelong Learningby Brian Fairbanks

"Committed" Series

The Committed series interviews students, professors, and alumni, on what good habits and discipline are necessary for achievement in work and life.

"Now What" Series

KEY ART

The "Now What" series delivers everything you need to know about what online university is. To make University of Phoenix the premier resource on what to expect out of an online education delivers confidence to students who might be on the fence about attending online university while also bringing them into the community.

"No More Sunday Scaries" Series

KEY ART

"Future You & ____" Series

FUTURE YOU & ____ is an in-depth thought leadership article series about the future of working within the industries represented by our programs. We interviewed partner company executives from companies like T-mobile and Fidelity, current and alumni students, and the Dean of individual programs. The articles were written by journalists who have written for Fast Company, Atlantic Magazine, and more.

Awards

RESULTS

The results were remarkable, demonstrating the power of creating consistent, watchable content that kept UOPX top-of-mind for its audience:

  • The blog became the primary entry point to the UOPX website, accounting for 28% of total traffic.
  • Content production and publishing surged by 400%, echoing the continuous flow of an always-on editorial calendar.
  • Content conversion rates increased by 23%.
  • Website traffic grew by 640%.
  • Page views jumped by 424%.
  • Google search rankings improved by 155%.
  • Featured snippets on Google grew by an astonishing 4600%.
  • Average time on page rose by 166%.
  • Monthly traffic value increased by over 25,000%.

By producing and amplifying this dynamic, serialized content across social channels and strategic web placements, we turned UOPX’s content strategy into a watchable brand experience, allowing them to connect with their target audience in meaningful and engaging ways.