Print vs. digital communications

CollegiateParent

Print and digital communications each have their own strengths and weaknesses. How do you use print vs. digital communications, and what results have you had?

Digital communication is easy to update.

Digital is a great medium for messages that need frequent updating, or for items that need to be sent frequently. For example, a digital newsletter can be a great way to update parents on events or to reach out on a monthly basis.

Print communication can feel special and is well-suited to evergreen information.

Items such as calendars and essential guides are things family members may keep and refer to throughout the year. It can feel special and inclusive to receive a printed product, especially one with content that is useful and presented in your native language.

We recommend mixing and matching.

A strong mix of print and digital communication can help you reach a larger range of families. Consider direct mail for parents who may not be able to make it to campus, and work with other departments in your university to expand your family email list. Make sure that your parent and family page is easy to find makes it simple for parents to navigate to the information they need most. Think about how parents might search for information online, and make sure to use that wording in your urls, headers, alt image text, and page descriptions. That will help to ensure that your site shows up in a search engine query.

What do you think? Comment below.

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