Inigral Helps Colleges Reach Students With Twilio SMS

January 31, 2013
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Choosing the right college is difficult. It’s a big decision based on what you want to study, but it’s still influenced by smaller factors like where your friends are going to school, or how friendly your tour guide was. Those moments add up and play a huge role in deciding which university a student says “yes” to. Inigral is helping higher ed institutions figure out how to measure friendships and interactions on Facebook to increase student enrollment and retention.

Inigral’s Schools App offers universities a private social network on Facebook where admitted students can post questions, join groups and interact with other potential classmates. But, Inigral is also giving schools a way to reach students directly–via text.

“Students send around 200 texts a day. We knew this was an important channel for schools to tap into,” says Senior Marketing Manager Brandon Croke. Inigral allows schools to text important updates to students via Twilio SMS through their app using a shortcode. “The response has been great. Of our active 2013 Admits, 27% have signed up to receive notifications on their mobile devices.”

When it comes to getting an admitted student to become an enrolled student, every little text and interaction counts. Using Schools App, universities can monitor interactions on Facebook like community managers. They answer students’ questions, improve community engagement and see what they can do to increase enrollment.

After a student enrolls and goes off to college, the next hurdle is keeping them in college. Inigral’s success in increasing student retention and graduation rates did not go unnoticed. In 2011, the Gates Foundation invested in Inigral. They’re continuing their work with over 125 colleges and universities to expand, improve the app, and decrease dropout rates.

To learn more about Inigral, visit their website here.