The Strategy: Peer-To-Peer Student Content
At a time when trust in content is at an all-time low, peer-to-peer student conversations are a winning university content strategy.
The objectives were:
- Produce unfiltered student-led content
- Address anxieties around starting university through real stories
- Produce a library of content that integrates with all student recruitment activity
- Create the most entertaining student conversations in HE
Episode 29: Switching Courses and Creating Confidence (YouTube Podcasts)
The Execution: Creative Collaboration
Host >> Key to the success of any podcast is the host. Jack already had Cardiff Met Student Content Creator Holly Davies in mind. And she is brilliant. She owned the podcast and brought it to life with her own experiences and personality.
Guests >> Jack and the team worked very hard to identify a diverse mix of students who represent Cardiff Met’s student body. They had a good chat with the prospective guests, so we could design each episode around their story.
Episode planning >> Carnival planned the episode structure and drafted questions. We added in features such as the ‘quick fire round’ and ‘student confessions’ to break up the episodes, keep the listeners engaged and to get the most out of the guests.
Each episode was designed to help the guest tell their university story. To share their anxieties and then what the reality was actually like. Show the unexpected, the challenges and the highlights of studying at Cardiff Met.
Behind The Scenes
Location >> The set was designed to give a low-fi, intimate look. With two branded chairs (Holly’s is always blue) and fairly low-key lighting, plus Cardiff Met blue backlights.
Production >> To make the most of the budget, we batched filmed three episodes in half-day sessions. Three 4K cameras captured host, guest and wide shots, giving us flexibility to create long-form episodes and high-energy social clips.
Postproduction >> Carnival edited each recording to keep with the energy of the episodes. Each episode has a trailer intro, high energy music and fairly fast paced cuts between cameras.
We then edited the highlight clips for social in landscape and portrait, with English and Welsh subtitles. Finally, we provided copywriting options the episode title and description with a focus on SEO for discovery.
Publishing >> Each episode was published on Spotify and Apple Podcasts (by Carnival) and then on YouTube Podcasts, YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook (by the team).
Episode 19: Game, Set and Met (YouTube Podcasts)
The Outcomes
A double award-winning podcast that went on to lead the University’s summer conversion and Clearing campaigns. The University exceeded year-on-year recruitment, despite the sector-wide declines.
Content & stats so far:
- 3 seasons produced
- 30 episodes recorded and published (with more planned)
- 60+ social media edits
- 11,000 episode streams
- 800,000+ organic views on social
- Brilliant comments from prospective students on social media
The podcast content has been adopted across Cardiff Met Marketing resulting in:
- Holly and guests starring in the prospectus
- Live ‘Help, I’m Going To Uni’ sessions at campus recruitment events
- ‘Help, I’m Going To Uni’ AI Knowledge Base powering personalised content at UCAS events
Explore more of our university video production work →
See how we approach open day campaigns for universities →
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Or email us: hello@carnivalcontent.com