Batch your ambassador content across the academic year
So first of all - what do we mean when we talk about 'batching'?!
Batching means asking your Student Ambassadors to create content at the moment in their own academic year when it's most authentic - and therefore, easier to make. You can then wait to publish it until it fits with your recruitment cycle.
This guide explains how to do that, and also includes a year-round plan to help you. You'll even find ready-to-send 'content briefs' for your Ambassadors further down in the guide.
Why batch?
It saves you time. One briefing + one filming window can replace weeks of asking Ambassadors to come up with something when they have a moment.
It keeps your Content authentic. A new student will describe their first term far better in their actual first term than they will six months later.
It covers the quiet periods. Ambassador availability drops during exams and holidays, which are often the times prospective students are making their decisions.
It makes content timely. You can publish a piece when applicants are sure to be asking that exact question, not just when an Ambassador happened to film and submit.
The idea: capture now, publish later
The approach has three steps.
Ask your Ambassadors to create Content (articles or short-form videos) tied to what they are experiencing right now.
When they submit it to you, you'll see it waiting for review in your Dashboard. (Content is only published on your Chat platform after you have approved and published it).
You can publish it at the point in the recruitment cycle where prospective students need it the most. (Visitors to your Chat platform see Content in the order it was published, so you can ensure a timely supply).
Your year at a glance
The table below maps ten pieces of content to the point in the academic year when they are easiest to create, and to the point when you are most likely to need them. It assumes a September start and a typical European recruitment cycle, so move the windows to match your own calendar. Each row matches a numbered brief in Part 2.
Content | Capture window | Who creates it | Suggested format | Publish to prospective students |
First few weeks at university | Oct-Nov | New first-years | Short-form video | Offer-holder period (spring) or pre-arrival (summer) |
Where I live | Sep–Nov | Any year | Short-form video | Accommodation decision window (spring) |
My first term in review | Dec | First-years | Article | Application deadline and open day period (Jan–Mar) |
Studying here | Jan–Feb | Any year | Video or article | Open days and offer-holder days (spring) |
Money, wellbeing and social life | Feb–Mar | Any year | Short-form video | Offer-holder period (Mar–May) |
Exam season | Apr–May | Any year | Short-form video | Autumn applications and open days |
What I learned in first year | May–Jun | Students going into second year | Video or article | Autumn open days and applications (Sep–Dec) |
Placements, internships and summer | Jun–Aug | Students on placement or working | Video or article | Autumn recruitment and the following spring |
What I did with my degree | Mar–Jun | Final-years and recent graduates | Video or article | Autumn recruitment, and postgraduate campaigns |
Things I wish I'd known before arriving | Aug–Sep | Returning students | Short-form video | Offer holders, from June the following year |
How to run a batching round
The below steps take you from briefing to a finished set of Content. You can repeat this three or four times across the year.
Pick the stage and the briefs. Look at the table above and choose the one to three briefs that match the stage your Ambassadors are at right now.
Choose the right Ambassadors. Match the brief to the experience. A first-term brief needs someone who has just arrived that year. A "what I learned" brief needs someone who is finishing a year. Aim for a mix of courses, backgrounds and years.
Send the brief and a deadline. Give each ambassador the brief, the format (short-form video, article or both), and a date to submit by. One to two weeks is usually enough.
Publish at the right time in your Unibuddy Content tab. Post each piece when it matches what prospective students are asking about. How to publish Content on Unibuddy.
Review your Content tab each term. Retire anything that is out of date, and note which topics are missing, so the next round can fill the gaps.
Tips for briefing ambassadors
Give prompts, not scripts. Questions such as "what was your course highlight this semester?" produce more natural content than a script.
Keep videos short and single-topic. 90 seconds is the limit on the Unibuddy Ambassador app - this makes content easier to film and easier to reuse.
Ask for honest answers. Students notice when content is one-sided. Mentioning what was hard, as well as what went well, is more credible.
Thank them and tell them what happened. Let Ambassadors know when their content goes live. It makes them more likely to take part again.
Brief 1: First few weeks at university
Who: New first-years. Capture: October to November. Format: Short-form video, 90 seconds.
The ask. Tell prospective students what your first few weeks were really like. Choose one of these ideas, or record one video for each:
The moment you arrived and what you did first
One thing that was easier than you expected, and one that was harder
How you met your first friends
What you wish someone had told you before you arrived
For admins. Publish to offer holders in spring, or in summer, while they are preparing to arrive.
Brief 2: Where I live
Who: Students in any year. Capture: October to November. Format: Short-form video, 90 seconds.
The ask. Show prospective students what it is like to live where you live. Choose one idea:
A quick tour of your room or flat
What it's like living with other people for the first time
What's nearby - shops, food, green space and transport
How you travel to campus and how long it takes
For admins. Publish in the spring, when applicants are choosing accommodation. Ask Ambassadors to leave out rent amounts and any other costs, as these change each year.
Brief 3: My first term in review
Who: First-years. Capture: December. Format: Article, 400 to 600 words.
The ask. Write about your first term as if you were writing to someone who is deciding whether to apply. Cover as many of these as you like:
What you expected before you arrived, and how it compared in practice
A typical week, including study, social time and rest
The best thing and the hardest thing about the term
One thing you would do differently if you started again
For admins. Publish between January and March, when applicants are working on applications and attending open days. Ask for a title that tells readers what they will get, such as "What my first term was really like".
Brief 4: Studying here
Who: Students in any year. Capture: January to February. Format: Short-form video (90 seconds) or article (400 to 600 words).
The ask. Explain what studying your course is like. Choose one idea:
How you are taught and how that differs from school or college
How you are assessed, and how you prepare
What you do when you are stuck and who you ask for help
A day on your course, from start to finish
For admins. Publish in time for open days and offer-holder events in spring. You can also use the link to the article or video in email campaigns for open days. Ask ambassadors not to quote contact hours or assessment weightings, which can change.
Brief 5: Money, wellbeing or social life
Who: Students in any year. Capture: February to March. Format: Short-form video, 60-90 seconds.
The ask. Share how you look after yourself and enjoy student life, especially at the quietest and coldest point of the year. Choose one idea:
How you manage your money week to week, without giving amounts
What you do to switch off when you are busy
A society, team or club you joined, and what it gave you
A good free or cheap thing to do near where you live
You only need to talk about what you are comfortable sharing. You do not need to talk about your own health or personal circumstances.
For admins. Publish to offer holders between March and May. Ambassadors share their own experience and should not be asked to give advice on health, money or other topics where professional support is needed.
Brief 6: Exam season
Who: Students in any year. Capture: April to May. Format: Short-form video, 60 to 90 seconds.
The ask. Show prospective students what exam season is really like. Choose one idea:
What a revision day looks like for you
Where you study and why it works for you
One revision method that helped, and one that did not
How you looked after yourself while you were busy
You only need to talk about what you are comfortable sharing, and you do not need to give advice on stress or health.
For admins. Publish in the autumn, when applicants are asking how demanding the course is and what support is available. Ambassadors are busiest in and around exam weeks, so ask early and allow extra time for submissions.
Brief 7: What I learned in first year
Who: Students going into their second year. Capture: May to June. Format: Short-form video (60 to 90 seconds) or article (400 to 600 words).
The ask. Look back on your first year and tell prospective students what you know now that you did not know in September. Choose one idea, or write or film a few:
Advice you would give your September self
Something you were worried about that turned out fine
Something you did not expect to enjoy, and did
One thing you would change + one thing you would keep exactly the same
What you are looking forward to in second year
For admins. Publish between September and December, when applicants are researching universities and attending open days. This content is so valuable to that audience because it covers the breadth of a whole year.
Brief 8: Placements, internships and summer
Who: Students on a placement, internship or summer job, or doing research or volunteering. Capture: June to August. Format: Article (400 to 600 words) or short-form video (60 to 90 seconds).
The ask. Tell prospective students what you are doing this summer and how your studies led to it. Choose one idea:
How you found the opportunity and what the application was like
A typical day or week
Something you have learned that you could not have learned in a classroom
How your course, your university or your fellow students helped
For admins. Publish in the autumn or the following spring. Ask ambassadors to check their employer's policy on sharing details of their work before they name the organisation or show anything on screen.
Brief 9: What I did with my degree
Who: Final-year students and recent graduates. Capture: March to June. Format: Article (400 to 600 words) or short-form video (90 seconds).
The ask. Tell prospective students where your studies have taken you so far. Choose one idea:
What you are doing now, or what you plan to do next, and how you got there
Something from your course or university life that helped, which you did not expect when you started
What you would tell someone who is choosing this course
A moment from your time here you are proud of
Speak for yourself. Please do not mention salaries or promise any particular outcome.
For admins. Publish in the autumn and in postgraduate campaigns. Recent graduates may no longer be active Ambassadors, so check that they are happy for you to use their content after they leave, and agree how long you can keep it.
Brief 10: Things I wish I'd known before arriving
Who: Returning students, such as those going into second or third year. Capture: August to September, just before term starts. Format: Short-form video, 30-90 seconds.
The ask. Give practical advice to someone who has accepted an offer and is about to arrive. Choose one idea, or record a few:
One thing you brought that you did not need, and one thing you wish you had brought
What to do on your first night if you do not know anyone
How to meet people when you are not sure where to start
What to do if you feel lost in the first few weeks
For admins. Publish to offer holders from June the following year, once they have accepted. Avoid anything that refers to a specific intake or year, so the content still applies when you publish it.