GradComm

GradComm GradComm is a marketing and branding agency that works exclusively with community colleges and public education partners.

You’ve been in this meeting before.Someone asks, “Should we be on Amazon?”Then WhatsApp comes up. Then Nextdoor. And bef...
09/04/2026

You’ve been in this meeting before.

Someone asks, “Should we be on Amazon?”

Then WhatsApp comes up. Then Nextdoor. And before the meeting ends, someone asks, “Are we doing enough on LinkedIn?”

Sound familiar? No marketing team wants to miss an opportunity, but being on more platforms doesn’t necessarily mean better marketing.

Before adding another channel to your mix, here’s what you should consider.

09/02/2026

Stop trying to go viral. 👀

In the latest Higher Ed Conversations episode, Vance Morris shares a reminder every higher ed marketer needs to hear: Focus on creating an experience that delivers real value, entertainment, and WOW factor, and give people a reason to talk about it.

👉 For colleges, that can be surprisingly simple. Create experiences that are authentically yours. Get students excited. Pay attention to the small moments that make students feel welcomed, valued, and connected.

The best marketing moments aren’t always manufactured. Sometimes, they’re the result of creating an experience worth sharing.

🎧 Listen to the full episode, What If Colleges Designed the Student Experience Like Disney?

https://gradcomm.com/podcast-ep-84-what-if-colleges-designed-the-student-experience-like-disney/

Keeping it chic 💅
09/01/2026

Keeping it chic 💅

08/29/2026

Ever asked for feedback and somehow ended up with… a “shorse”? 🦈🐴

🤔 Someone says: “I just don’t love that. Can we combine Options 1 and 2?”

Next thing you know, you end up with something unrecognizable.

Feedback is important, but asking for feedback the wrong way can invite personal preferences, unnecessary wordsmithing, and ideas that pull the work away from its original goal.

In this month’s Client Question of the Month, GradComm CEO Cheryl Broom shares a simple approach for getting better feedback at every stage of the process, without losing sight of what really matters: Does this serve the student and support the goal?

There’s a pretty powerful story behind this year’s GradMag cover. 🔨While working with Cerritos College, we had the chanc...
08/26/2026

There’s a pretty powerful story behind this year’s GradMag cover. 🔨

While working with Cerritos College, we had the chance to spotlight its Apprenticeship Program—and the women breaking barriers in ironwork. Their grit, talent, and determination made such an impression on us that their stories became the inspiration for this year’s cover.

Through video, we helped bring those stories to life, giving prospective students a real look at where a skilled trade can take them. And the work didn’t just resonate with us—it earned a Bronze Telly Award in the Branded Content – Educational category. 🏆

A huge shoutout to Chelsea Van Doornum, Director of Public Relations and Communications, Atalie Oliva, Specialized Support - Outreach/ERiCA Grant Liaison, and the entire Cerritos College Falcons team for trusting us to help tell this story.

We couldn’t think of a better story to put front and center on GradMag. It represents so much of what we love about community colleges: opportunity, career pathways, life-changing education, and the people making it all possible.

There’s a pretty powerful story behind this year’s GradMag cover. 🔨While working with Cerritos College, we had the chanc...
08/26/2026

There’s a pretty powerful story behind this year’s GradMag cover. 🔨

While working with Cerritos College, we had the chance to spotlight its Apprenticeship Program—and the women breaking barriers in ironwork. Their grit, talent, and determination made such an impression on us that their stories became the inspiration for this year’s cover.

Through video, we helped bring those stories to life, giving prospective students a real look at where a skilled trade can take them. And the work didn’t just resonate with us—it earned a Bronze Telly Award in the Branded Content – Educational category. 🏆

A huge shoutout to Chelsea Van Doornum, Director of Public Relations and Communications, Atalie Oliva, Specialized Support - Outreach/ERiCA Grant Liaison, and the entire Cerritos College team for trusting us to help tell this story.

We couldn’t think of a better story to put front and center on GradMag. It represents so much of what we love about community colleges: opportunity, career pathways, life-changing education, and the people making it all possible.

Watch: https://youtu.be/oA6mdbkrk5Y?si=iDPOQgmtcOq5d0q4

6 GradComm clients use AMY. Here’s why. AMY is an AI marketing tool built specifically for community college communicato...
08/20/2026

6 GradComm clients use AMY. Here’s why.

AMY is an AI marketing tool built specifically for community college communicators and marketers.

AMY is tailored to each college. She knows their brand and their voice. She helps teams turn strategy into on-brand content, generate ideas aligned with their goals, develop messaging for specific audiences, and stay consistent with their brand voice.

AMY is not just another AI tool. AMY is a thought partner.

AMY is AI that Majored in You.

Curious? Ask us about AMY. gradcomm.com/AMY

Ever had a social campaign that felt like it couldn’t miss?The leads were rolling in. Engagement looked great. Costs wer...
08/19/2026

Ever had a social campaign that felt like it couldn’t miss?

The leads were rolling in. Engagement looked great. Costs were stable. And for once, nobody was asking, “How’s performance looking?”

Then… things started to slow down.

Not all at once. Just gradually.

Clicks became harder to earn. Costs started creeping up. The same creative that felt fresh a month ago suddenly started blending into the feed.

That’s creative fatigue.

But creative fatigue doesn’t always mean your campaign failed. More often, it means your content has reached the end of its shelf life and every social platform has a different expiration date.

Facebook ages like good leftovers. Instagram runs on meal prep energy. Snapchat is snackable. TikTok wants everything fresh off the grill.

Here’s your guide to refreshing your creative without rebuilding your entire campaign.

08/18/2026

Your college marketing 👏 can’t 👏 fix 👏 every 👏 problem.

But it can work smarter. Our latest research points to three practical lessons for higher ed marketers:

🎯 Understand the person behind the audience.
💡 Speak to the change they’re seeking.
📊 Choose your media and creative based on evidence, not assumptions.

In this clip from Higher Ed Conversations, GradComm CEO Cheryl Broom explains why understanding what students want and what may be standing in their way is key to creating marketing that actually connects.

🎧 Listen to the full episode: https://gradcomm.com/podcast-ep-83-quick-take-not-all-students-scroll-the-same/

08/13/2026

The creative arts are everywhere, from the shows we watch and the podcasts we listen to, to the visual experiences that inspire us every day.🎨

We partnered with Saddleback College to create a program video that showcases how students develop real world creative skills, from SketchUp and 3D modeling to hands on learning that prepares them for what's next.

Because great higher ed marketing doesn't just tell prospective students what they'll learn. It helps them imagine where that learning can take them.

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