Brands, Welcome Week 2022 is coming – and it’s an optimal chance for you to engage with 1.5 million students in Australia. Stay ahead of the game with all our top tips.
Also known as Orientation Week or O-Week, Welcome Week is one of the biggest events for students in Australia. In the weeks and months leading up to the big day, students will be busy getting prepped for the start of the next academic year, which means their spending will be high.
For brands, Welcome Week is a key opportunity to win with Gen Z consumers. If done correctly, your brand could secure brand loyalty that lasts way beyond students’ university years.
So, where to start? We asked students in Australia what exactly brands can do to make university better for new students. Keep scrolling to see how you can feed their top four preferences into your Welcome Week strategy (and thank us later).
- Freebies and giveaways
70% of the students we surveyed said brands offering freebies and giveaways on-campus would make their experience more enjoyable. They might be digital natives, but Gen Zs do value in-person interaction, especially in a university environment where making friends is a top priority for most students. Positioning yourself on-campus soil will instantly propel your brand in the eyes of Gen Z consumers – making you a memorable name for them next time they shop.
Our advice? Get creative on-campus! Play some music, secure some exciting freebies and draw attention in with your giveaways. Gen Zs are big fans of gamification, so consider trying out scratch cards or a spin the wheel to get students on-campus excited.
Also, don’t completely disregard the digital. Use your presence on-campus to encourage students to sign up to your brand’s promo activity with QR codes, and make sure your social media platforms are represented – this could be done through an event hashtag, Instagram live or a TikTok competition.
2. Exclusive discounts for students
69% of students want to see brands incentivising students with exclusive offers this Welcome Week. New students especially will have a long list of cross-sector items to purchase, so offering an exclusive student discount will instantly put your brand front of mind for financially-sensible shoppers.
To really pop on page, we suggest offering discounts that are stackable to really position your brand as student-facing. Alternatively, limited-time offers are a great way to promote urgency and speed up a student’s path to purchase.
3. Advice on what to buy for university
55% of students would like brands to offer more advice to students on what to buy for university. The key thing to remember here is that a student’s Welcome Week shopping list spans a number of sectors. Whether they’re shopping for a whole new wardrobe, something shiny and digital, items to create a cool home set-up, stationery, or even activities to do once Welcome Week begins, you can guarantee your brand sector will have a place on that list.
One of the best ways to reach students, of course, is social media. Instagram carousels, influencer vlogs or TikTok videos are all ways you can offer guidance to students on what to buy for university.
4. Advice on how to get ready for university
51% of students are interested in brands giving advice on how they can get ready for Welcome Week and what is to follow. This is a great way to increase brand awareness, whilst positioning yourself a student-friendly brand.
As with tip number 3, social media is a great way to engage students in content of this nature. Partnering with influencers who have been through the university experience themselves will make your advice more authentic to Gen Z – which is super important.
Remember to consider your audience when producing content for students. A huge percentage of university students in Australia are from overseas. For the international cohort, getting ready for uni will be even more challenging – they will require support on moving to a whole new country, as well as what to wear, how to pack, and how to make the best of Welcome Week. For brands, creating good content is key to gaining a loyal following – just make sure you are always considering your audience.
There’s plenty more where that came from! Discover all the key themes for Welcome Week and gain access to all of our student insights by downloading our ultimate guide to Welcome Week 2022, today.
