Higher ed is changing rapidly. With demographic shifts causing the number of traditionally aged college students to decline, colleges and universities are facing mounting pressure to find new pathways for enrollment growth. One of the most promising opportunities lies in reaching adult learners – students between the ages of 25 and 40 who have not yet completed a degree.
But reaching these students means meeting them where they are. That’s where VisionPoint Marketing’s 2025 adult learner research study comes in. After surveying more than 1,000 adult learners across the U.S., we uncovered some surprising insights into the platforms they actually use, and one finding stood out: Colleges are underestimating YouTube.
In this blog, we’ll unpack some of the takeaways from our research study and explore why YouTube deserves a bigger role in your enrollment marketing strategy. We’ll also share practical tips for how your institution can best engage prospective students on this platform in ways that are both authentic and compelling.
Why YouTube Matters for Enrollment
Adult learners aren’t like your typical student. They are busy balancing work and family and are constantly being bombarded with over 200 ads per hour. With what little free time these prospects do have, pursuing higher education is an afterthought. To earn their attention, institutions need to be present in the spaces where these students already spend their time – and according to our survey of 1,000 adult learners, YouTube is at the top of that list.
So, why is YouTube such a valuable platform for connecting with prospective students? Not only is it the second most-used source for seeking information about higher education (trailing only behind Google), it also plays an important role during the consideration phase. That’s because prospective students often turn to YouTube after they’ve heard of your institution and want to learn more. Yet many colleges continue to overlook the fact that, from a student’s perspective, an institution’s social media channels, like YouTube, are a natural extension of their website and brand experience.
For too long, colleges and universities have treated YouTube as a video hosting tool – uploading content simply to embed it on their websites. While that’s certainly one use of the platform, this approach often reduces a college’s YouTube channel to an unorganized asset library rather than a place to connect and engage with prospective students. One key takeaway from our research study was that across all of the adult learner segments we surveyed, YouTube was ranked as both their favorite social media channel and streaming video service. In fact, 74% of our survey respondents said they use YouTube a lot or regularly for social media.
With YouTube ranking so highly among adult learners, it’s clear that institutions need to approach the platform with greater intention. Yet in our experience, many colleges have been hesitant to fully invest in YouTube – often because they’re unsure where to begin or don’t see it as a core part of their recruitment strategy.
With that in mind, here are some tips and strategies that you can use to build and grow your following on YouTube and connect with prospective adult learners in more meaningful ways.
Tips for Growing Your YouTube Presence
1. Start With a Thoughtful Channel Setup
Before you dive into content creation, it’s important to build a strong foundation. Whether you’re launching a new channel or refreshing an existing one, your YouTube presence should feel like a natural extension of your website and a clear reflection of your brand. Here’s how to get the fundamentals right:
- Channel description: Start with a clear, concise description that explains who your institution serves and what kind of content prospective students can expect. Be sure to include links to key resources like your admissions site, application portal, and financial aid page – making it easy for viewers to learn more.
- Featured sections and playlists: Take advantage of YouTube’s customizable layout to showcase your most important content. Pin a featured video to the top of your channel and organize related videos into playlists for easy navigation.
- Branding: Use your school’s logo as the profile image and design a banner that aligns with your brand’s visual identity. Treat your YouTube channel with the same brand standards that you would for your website.
2. Create the Right Kind of Content
YouTube offers a platform for your institution to answer prospective students’ questions directly. It plays a key role in the discovery phase and can influence a student’s decision-making process. That’s why it’s important to create content that speaks directly to their interests and needs. Here are a few types of videos that can help your institution stand out:
- Admissions FAQ: Have your admissions counselors answer the most frequently asked questions by prospective students. A simple Q&A video can proactively address concerns before a student even fills out an inquiry form.
- Application walkthroughs: The application process can be overwhelming, especially for adult learners who may be returning to school after a long period of time. A step-by-step “how to apply” video would make the application process much easier for students, as well as free up some bandwidth on your admissions team.
- Faculty thought leadership: Your faculty are among your institution’s most powerful voices. One way to easily create content is to film your faculty speaking at an event or giving an interesting lecture. This helps give prospective students a window into the classroom experience.
3. Optimize for the YouTube algorithm
Creating great content is only half the battle – getting it seen is just as important. And this is where many colleges fall short. To increase visibility, you’ll need to optimize your videos so YouTube’s algorithm displays them to viewers who are actively interested in your content. Here are a few best practices to keep in mind:
- Titles: Use clear, descriptive titles that include both your institution’s name and the keywords that your audience is actually searching for. For example, “How to Transfer Credits at X University” is far more discoverable than a vague title like “Transfer Info Session.” Think like your audience – what would they be typing into the search bar?
- Descriptions: Your descriptions should provide a detailed summary of your content and include relevant keywords that help YouTube understand what your video is about. Keep in mind that YouTube’s algorithm evaluates descriptions – not just titles – and a well-crafted description can significantly improve visibility. At the end of your description, don’t forget to include links to important resources like your admissions page, application portal, or financial aid info – just like you would in your channel description.
- Tags: While not as prominent as titles or descriptions, tags still play a role in helping YouTube’s algorithm understand your video. Think of them as supporting keywords that reinforce what your video is about. When adding tags, use a mix of broad and specific keywords that are relevant to the content you are uploading. For example, a campus tour video might include tags like “college campus tour,” “X University campus tour,” “student life,” or “residence halls.”
- Playlists: Playlists are more than just a way to organize your content – they’re a signal to YouTube that certain videos belong together. Group related videos into themed playlists on your channel. This not only makes it easier for viewers to find your content on your channel, but YouTube’s algorithm is also more likely to display and suggest your video to others if it is part of a playlist.
4. Use Thumbnails
While optimizing your video with strong titles, descriptions, and tags helps YouTube serve your content to the right audience, it’s the thumbnail that ultimately drives clicks. A compelling thumbnail can make the difference between someone scrolling past your video or choosing to watch it. Here’s how to make yours stand out:
- Create a unique thumbnail for each video: Many institutions miss this step – but custom thumbnails are essential. They allow you to quickly communicate what your video is about and why it’s worth watching.
- Use bold, easy-to-read text that highlights the video’s value: Think of your thumbnail as a mini billboard. When creating your thumbnail, think about what value your video is offering and how you can convey that value in a way that grabs attention and encourages people to watch.
- Keep it accurate and relevant: Remember that your thumbnail should accurately reflect the content of your video. Misleading thumbnails can result in low watch time and encourage viewers to click away from your video.
5. Know When to Use Paid Promotion
Even with a well-optimized channel, breaking through the noise on YouTube can be a challenge – especially when you’re just getting started. That’s where paid promotion comes in.
Paid YouTube advertising allows you to place your videos directly in front of the audiences who are most likely to engage with your content. Whether you’re looking to grow your channel’s visibility, drive traffic to your admissions page, or build awareness among prospective students in a specific geographic region, YouTube’s targeting capabilities make it possible to reach the right people at the right time.
Here are a few examples when YouTube ads can make an impact:
- Promote high-value content: If you’ve created a strong video, paid promotion can help maximize its reach. If a video is already performing well organically, consider using paid ads to connect with an even larger audience.
- Reach specific audience segments: If you would like to reach a specific demographic, YouTube’s ad platform allows you to target prospects based on factors like age, location, interests, education level, and more.
- Support a larger campaign: Paid YouTube ads are especially effective when they’re part of a larger integrated marketing campaign – especially when paired with channels like Google Search, display, and social ads. Use video ads to tell a more compelling story and stay top of mind across multiple touchpoints.
- Retargeting prospects: Retargeting allows you to serve ads to prospects who have already watched a video on your channel or visited your website but did not convert. Paid YouTube ads are particularly effective when retargeting because they allow you to present more detailed content to prospects who are already familiar with your institution.
YouTube is more than just a video platform. It’s a powerful tool for reaching and engaging with prospective students. With the majority of our 1,000 adult learner survey respondents sharing a strong preference for the channel, it’s clear that colleges and universities need to make YouTube a stronger component of their enrollment marketing strategy.To learn more about YouTube and the media habits of adult learners, download our 60+ page research study for deeper insights and actionable takeaways.