Less Polish, More Substance: How to Create Higher Ed Marketing Campaigns that Connect with Gen Z Prospects

Raised on content overload and actively outsmarting the algorithm, today’s college prospects have highly tuned B.S. detectors. They’re not impressed by glossy, overly salesy marketing materials. In fact, the more polished the marketing, the more likely Gen Z will clock it as trying too hard (cringe) or worse, trying to sell them. They’ve seen enough perfectly lit campus beauty shots and lofty promises to know when they’re being sold to instead of spoken with.

When it comes to choosing a college, Gen Z is looking for clarity, authenticity, and a healthy dose of humility. 

“Don’t tell me you know me. Tell me you’re willing to get to know me.”

For universities, that means the playbook has changed. Winning Gen Z’s attention isn’t about being louder or flashier. It’s about being clearer, more credible, and more human.

Here’s what Gen Z expects from higher ed marketing (and what they’re tuning out).

Five Things Gen Z Wants (and often isn’t getting) from Higher Ed Marketing

These expectations aren’t aspirational. They’re table stakes for today’s prospects. And when institutions miss them, they’re missing the mark.

1. Real stories from real students

Gen Z trusts their peers more than institutions. Student voices carry more weight than institutional messaging, especially when those voices feel unscripted and unpolished. Think day-in-the-life content, student-created social posts, authentic testimonials, and real conversations about academic life. If it looks like it came from a brand deck instead of an iPhone, it’s already at a disadvantage.

2. Outcomes, upfront

For this generation, “What happens after graduation?” isn’t a follow-up question. It’s the opening salvo. Career pathways, transfer success, licensure rates, internships, employer partnerships, and real-world ROI matter deeply. Gen Z wants to understand how a program connects to a job, not just how inspiring it sounds.

3. Transparency, right out in the open

When information feels buried, Gen Z students assume there’s a reason. Cost breakdowns, time to degree, average workload, and support services should be easy to find and plainly stated. Hiding the fine print erodes trust fast. Being honest, even about challenges, builds it.

4. A sense of belonging over promises of “community”

Gen Z is looking for signals that they’ll be supported as individuals academically, mentally, financially, and socially. They’re less interested in hearing that a campus is welcoming and more interested in seeing what support is available. They want to know how the community actually shows up day-to-day, student-to-student. 
They’re looking for academic advising, mental health resources, flexible pathways, cultural organizations, and faculty engagement that truly feels personal. They’re diversity- and inclusion-conscious, but allergic to performative claims. Community matters, but only if it feels real.

5. Values in action

Gen Z prospects care about equity, sustainability, and social impact, but only when those values are backed by action. Mission statements don’t move the needle. Programs, policies, and outcomes do.

What Gen Z Doesn’t Want

Just as important as what Gen Z responds to is what actively turns them away.

• Empty superlatives – “World-class,” “transformative,” “endless opportunities” mean nothing without specifics. If it could describe any institution, it doesn’t describe yours.
• Overproduced perfection – Highly staged visuals and overly curated stories can feel inauthentic—or worse, suspicious. Authenticity beats aesthetics every time.
• Lifestyle marketing without context – Highlighting luxury amenities without addressing cost, affordability, or access can backfire. Gen Z is practical and financially aware.
• One-size-fits-all messaging – This generation expects relevance, personalization, and pathways that feel designed for them. Broad, generic campaigns don’t connect and are easy to ignore.
• Talking about students instead of with them – When student voices are absent or feel scripted, credibility drops fast.

It’s Not Just What You Say—It’s Also How and Where You Say It. 

For Gen Z, marketing isn’t passive. Prospects expect to explore, interact, and ask questions on their own terms. The more they’re able to engage, the more invested they’ll become.

Promote Two-way Communication

One-way marketing (content that talks at students) gets ignored. Marketing that feels like a dialogue earns attention! 

• Short-form video and visual storytelling
• Chat, text, and quick-response tools
• Student voices and peer-to-peer communication
• Clear calls to action with immediate value

Gen Z prospects are less likely to sit through long videos, read dense PDFs, or navigate jargon-heavy pages.

Reach Them Where They Are

Being present on social media isn’t enough. How you show up, and how consistently, matters as much as where you post. 

• Prioritize platforms where prospects already are (e.g., TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts)
• Post consistently, not just during recruitment cycles
• Feature real students speaking in their own voice
• Respond to comments and messages promptly
• Use your social channels to answer real questions, not just promote events

When you do promote events, make sure to offer them in relevant and relatable formats (e.g., virtual events, digital open houses, Q&As with student ambassadors). 

Create Content Strategies That Resonate

The strongest campaigns targeting Gen Z prospects don’t feel like campaigns at all. They feel like stories that students recognize themselves in. 

• Highlight student voices
• Rely on content that feels more user-generated than brand-produced 
• Feature current trends in aesthetic and storytelling formats
• Incorporate AR/VR tours, gamified quizzes, and chatbot engagement tools
• Align with social causes and community impact topics
• Utilize personalization and segmentation tactics

How Do You Know It’s Working?

Success goes beyond impressions and clicks. To understand what’s really working, track metrics tied to trust, engagement, and conversion. Meaningful indicators include:

• Engagement quality (comments, saves, shares, replies)
• Time spent on key pages (program, cost, outcomes)
• Chat and text interaction volume and response rates
• Conversion rates across micro-steps (inquiry → visit → apply)
• Content performance by format (especially video completion)
• Qualitative feedback from prospective students

The strongest campaigns don’t just drive traffic, they reduce friction and answer real questions. Incorporating A/B testing for creative and channels can help you pivot effectively to make sure your message is resonating.

The Real Opportunity for Universities

Gen Z isn’t asking universities to reinvent themselves. They’re asking them to explain themselves better. For university marketing teams, the shift is simple but significant: Less slick marketing-speak and more straight-talk substance. Less selling. More listening. The institutions who will rise to the top are those who rise to the challenge with marketing that’s clear, authentic, and responsive.