Why does your university need a Customer Data Platform?

Let's be clear: if your university continues to send the same generic message to all its potential students, it is missing opportunities.   

Educational institutions have been working with SEO strategies, PPC campaigns, segmentation in buyer personas, conversion funnels, etc., for over 15 years. But the market has changed. Students are no longer simple segments within an acquisition strategy: they are individuals with unique interests and behaviors.  

As a solution, AI, machine learning, and personalization engines allow scaling personalization to unprecedented levels. But for this to work, we need to add new pieces to your technological stack.  

What is a CDP and why is it essential for your university? 

A Customer Data Platform (CDP) is a tool designed to unify and centralize user data from different channels, creating a unique profile for each person. In other words, it provides a 360-degree view of customers. 

Until now, universities have worked with CRMs and marketing automation systems, but these tools are not designed to handle large-scale personalization. CRMs manage business opportunities and lead tracking, but they do not offer a unified view of each student before they request information or register for a program. 

A CDP, on the other hand, allows: 

• Organize data from multiple channels 

• Offer hyper-personalized experiences 

• Create unique profiles for each customer or potential customer 

Esquema del funcionamiento de un CDP

The 2 main reasons why your university needs a CDP 

1. Hyper-personalization: each student is unique 

Imagine a student repeatedly visiting the page of a master's degree in artificial intelligence and reviewing three projects related to that topic. With a CDP, you can establish rules that automatically classify them into a high-interest segment in AI. 

This allows you to personalize their web experience and other channels: 

• Show them testimonials from students who have taken that master's degree. 

• Send them emails with relevant information. 

• Offer specific content when they return to the web, instead of generic information. 

Without this level of personalization, the user will receive generic information, not capturing their attention and harming their acquisition. 

Universities can no longer afford to send the same message to all potential students. They must treat each student as an individual, offering relevant content based on their behavior and interests. 

2. A single data repository for multichannel 

Students interact with universities through multiple channels: 

• They visit the website and browse different sections. 

• They send questions via WhatsApp or chatbots. 

• They receive emails with information about programs. 

• They attend online events and webinars. 

• They make inquiries through calls or voicebots. 

All this information is usually disconnected, scattered across different systems and tools. A CDP allows to group all this data into a single user profile, facilitating the analysis and activation of personalized strategies on each channel. 

For example, if a student has requested information about a program via WhatsApp, the CDP can ensure they do not receive irrelevant emails about other courses that do not interest them and could generate information overload and rejection. Everything is connected, everything is optimized. 

A well-utilized CDP generates a competitive advantage with relevant and personalized messages

If your university wants to differentiate itself in an increasingly digital and competitive environment, it needs to move away from traditional methods and adopt advanced personalization strategies. A CDP allows you to better understand students and helps optimize acquisition and retention. 

At Infinitum Digital, we collaborate with the best technological partners in the market, such as Raptor, a leading CDP in its sector that has recently strategically merged with Ibexa, the largest European provider of Digital Experience Platforms (DXP). 

Additionally, we have extensive experience in consulting and implementing projects in the education sector. If you want to implement a CDP tailored to the needs of your university, contact us.