January intake starts in October: admissions marketing for colleges

Most Kenyan colleges run a January intake, and the decisions behind it are made from October onwards. Form Four leavers, people switching careers and parents paying fees are comparing institutions now, mostly on phones, mostly in the evening.

They are asking the same questions they always asked, just to a screen instead of a relative: Is it accredited? What will I learn? What do graduates do? How much is it, and can I pay in instalments? Is it safe? Where will I stay?

Answer one question per video

A long institutional film rarely gets watched to the end. A series of short clips, each answering one question in under a minute, does far better:

• The course in 30 seconds: what you learn and the jobs it leads to
• A day on campus: classes, labs, the library, the canteen
• The fees and how to pay, clearly, with instalment options
• Accommodation and safety
• How to apply, step by step, with the deadline

Make them fast, with your own campus

With Tari Studio, an admissions team can describe a scene, attach real photos of the campus, labs and hostels, and get a short video back. Before anything is made, the quote lists the length, shape and credits. Build from your own photos so students see the real campus; nothing loses an applicant faster than a visit that does not match the video. How attachments work.

For the fees and deadline posts, use an image ad built for clear lettering: pick Ideogram 4 (clear text) on the quote and check every figure and date.

Speak like your students

Applicants are young, and they speak the way young Kenyans speak. Under Look and feel on the quote, set the language to English as Kenyans speak it, or the Kiswahili-English mix. A formal register belongs in the prospectus; the TikTok clip should sound like a conversation.

TVETs have a strong story

Technical and vocational institutions often train for jobs with clear demand: electrical installation, plumbing, hospitality, fashion, automotive repair, ICT. Show the practical work and the tools. A clip of a student wiring a panel or plating a dish says more about employability than any brochure.

Show graduates, with permission

Real graduates are your best advert. If they agree, feature them. Ask for written consent, especially before you show anyone's face. Do not invent alumni success stories; prospective students and their parents can check.

Follow up fast

An applicant who messages at 9 p.m. and hears back at 9 a.m. may have already applied elsewhere. A shared inbox and automations that answer common questions (fees, deadlines, requirements) in seconds keep you in the conversation. Tracked WhatsApp links on every post show which video brought each applicant. WhatsApp and leads.

Plan the calendar

From now to the start of January: course clips in October, fees and accommodation in November, "last places" in December. Steady, honest, specific.

Make your first admissions clip.