As communications manager, I quickly learned that translation is never just about swapping words. It’s about tone, style, even design. A press release that sounded professional in Paris could feel cold in Rome. A social media graphic that looked fresh in Madrid felt too flashy in Berlin.
The solution was to build a common identity and then let each country adapt it. Slower, yes. But the result felt more authentic, and audiences responded.
These challenges are not unique to communication teams; they are central to journalism itself. The biggest stories today — migration, climate change, political unrest — rarely stop at national frontiers. To cover them well, reporters must collaborate across borders.
Translation beyond words
That type of collaboration is messy. Sources are harder to coordinate. Legal and cultural differences can complicate investigations. And readers, or listeners, may have very different expectations depending on their nationality or where they live.
But when it works, it is powerful. Our podcasts carried voices across Europe, letting audiences in one country hear accents, pauses and perspectives from another. It turned abstract debates into human stories.
Working across cultures also reminded me that projects are not just tasks — they are people. Some partners preferred long memos, others quick calls. Some valued hierarchy, others wanted open debate. I learned to leave space for informal chat, to ask how colleagues were doing before diving into deadlines.
Those small gestures built trust, and trust kept the project moving.
For young journalists and students, the lesson is simple: cross-border work can feel messy, but it’s worth it. Don’t be discouraged by misunderstandings; they often lead to clearer understanding. Pay attention not only to language, but to culture. And above all, listen.
My two years with WePod taught me that communication is less about perfect phrasing and more about building bridges. In the end, that is what journalism itself is meant to do: connect people across borders, cultures and languages.
Questions to consider:
1. What does the author mean by translating is more than swapping out words?
2. How can people from different countries and cultures find a common identity?
3. How would you communicate with someone who speaks a different language?
In higher education marketing, effective communication starts with understanding that no single message fits every audience. Treating all prospects the same not only dilutes your messaging but also wastes valuable opportunities to engage meaningfully. From hyper-segmenting digital audiences to tailoring follow-up communications, success lies in customizing the way you connect with each unique segment. Here’s how to refine your approach and avoid the pitfall of blanket communication.
Hyper-Segmentation: Getting Specific About Who You’re Talking To
Not every message serves the same purpose. Awareness messaging has its place—whether it’s introducing your institution to new markets or keeping your name top of mind for existing ones. But when your goal is generating actionable leads, hyper-segmentation becomes essential.
The question to ask is: What do we know about each audience, and how can we leverage that in both messaging and segmentation? For example, out-of-state prospects might respond to communication about scholarship opportunities designed for non-residents. A prospective student interested in music may be drawn to band scholarship messaging, while someone working for a partner employer might appreciate hearing about tuition reimbursement benefits. Even behavioral data can unlock opportunities. Consider those who’ve engaged with specific program content but haven’t applied yet—these individuals are prime candidates for abandoned cart-style messaging to re-engage them and move them closer to applying.
Hyper-segmentation is not about casting a wide net but rather creating smaller, targeted audiences with clear, actionable insights. The more specific you can get, the better your chances of connecting in ways that matter.
Follow-Up Communication: Treating Every Lead with Intent
When it comes to follow-up communication, understanding a lead’s origin is critical. A student who visited your booth at a college fair or participated in an in-person campus event has already demonstrated more active engagement than someone who passively submitted their email address after watching a social media reel. Similarly, a lead captured through a paid search landing page may already be deep in their decision-making process and need entirely different messaging than someone still in the exploratory phase.
The goal is to meet each lead where they are, considering their intent and what you already know about them. From there, you can take incremental steps to learn more and guide them through the enrollment funnel. For example, an inquiry generated at a college fair might warrant an immediate invitation to schedule a personalized follow-up conversation, while a more passive lead might benefit from an introductory email series designed to build familiarity and trust over time. By aligning your follow-up strategies with the context and intent of each lead, you avoid the misstep of treating them all as if they’re at the same stage of the journey.
Building a Messaging Matrix: Positioning Your Value for Every Audience
The core features and benefits of your institution don’t change depending on the audience—but how you frame and position them should. A messaging matrix is a critical tool for ensuring your communication resonates with specific groups while maintaining consistency across your overall brand.
Investing time in creating a messaging matrix allows you to align features, benefits, and proof points with each of your target audiences. There are certainly obvious points of messaging differentiators—for example, traditional undergraduate students might value campus life, student organizations, and academic advising, while adult learners may prioritize flexible scheduling, career advancement opportunities, and credit transfer policies. Within those broader categories, however, there’s even more nuance—transfer students and first-time freshmen have distinct motivations and concerns. Similarly, graduate students pursuing executive leadership roles will likely need messaging that’s vastly different from that aimed at career advancers just starting their journeys.
By taking the time to map out these variations, you create a framework that ensures your messaging aligns with the unique goals and priorities of each segment. This step doesn’t just make your marketing more effective—it also reinforces your brand as one that truly understands the diverse needs of its audience.
Closing Thoughts
In a time when higher education institutions are competing for shrinking pools of prospective students, a personalized approach to marketing is no longer optional—it’s essential. By prioritizing hyper-segmentation, aligning follow-up communications with audience intent, and building out a messaging matrix, you can transform how you engage with prospects at every stage of their journey. The closer you can get to marketing to an audience of one, the better your chances of not only capturing their attention but also converting them into students who feel truly understood and valued by your institution.
Jess Lanning began her career in higher education at a private university where she served as director of enrollment marketing on a record enrollment team. Over her decade-long career, she has focused on strategizing and implementing digital marketing campaigns as a senior vice president of strategy and senior partnership manager for higher education-specific agencies. In these roles, she served undergraduate, adult, and graduate audiences across the verticals of paid social, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, conversion rate optimization, digital PR, and user experience. Jess now serves as a Director of Digital Strategy at Liaison and we are very lucky to have her!
