Gen Z is forcing a rebuild of the martech stack in higher ed and beyond

Building a martech stack requires careful consideration — alignment with business goals, key features, integration, and compliance. But in higher education, those traditional criteria are no longer enough.

Today’s biggest driver isn’t functionality — it’s audience expectations. And for colleges and universities, that means adapting to Gen Z.

Gen Z isn’t just influencing how institutions market to prospective students. They’re redefining the entire martech stack:

• What tools to use.
• How to communicate.
• How to measure success.

From TikTok and texting to hyper-personalized outreach, this generation demands more than most legacy systems can deliver. Institutions must evolve or risk falling behind.

Gen Z is rewriting the rules of engagement

In the ‘90s, Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges and printed guides dominated the college research scene. In the 2000s, web-based tools like CollegeBoard.org and Google led the way. By the 2010s, social media platforms including YouTube, Facebook and student-driven content were central to exploration. 

In the 2020s, social media is often the first touchpoint, with TikTok, Instagram and AI influencing decisions. Web-based and mobile-first platforms are the go-to for Gen Z, with authenticity, diversity and real student experiences outweighing polished brochures.

Each decade brought a new medium — but Gen Z redefined not just the tools, but the expectations behind them.

Dig deeper: How Gen Z values are changing marketing

My experience with the Gen Z college search

I realized this in real time while watching my boys go through their college search. They completely rewired how I communicated with them. Responding to email? Not a chance. They never read email. If I wanted a reply, I had to text.

They ignored official social posts but gravitated to YouTube videos by students. My boys didn’t want polished brochures or slick campus reels. They wanted real stories from real students, showing what life was actually like.

They weren’t digging through school websites either. They asked ChatGPT and Perplexity the exact questions they had and received answers fast.

Watching them navigate it all was eye-opening. Their whole process was different. The schools they eventually attended were the ones that knew them, understood what mattered to them and met them where they were.

How Gen Z is shaping the new martech stack

While colleges used to control the conversation, Gen Z now controls how (and if) that conversation happens. They’re digital natives who grew up with smartphones, social media and hyper-personalization. And they bring those expectations to all interactions, including how they research and apply to college.

Here’s what the new normal looks like:

• Gen Z expects instant responses, not emails.
• Gen Z craves authenticity, not polished brochures.
• Gen Z trusts peers more than institutions, turning to Instagram and YouTube before admissions pages.
• Gen Z wants personalization, not mass emails that feel like spam.

Gen Z behaviors aren’t just changing content formats; they’re also forcing schools to reassess the martech stack.

1. Messaging platforms are replacing email

Gen Z prefers text, not an inbox. Email still has a place, but tools that support real-time conversations are growing in importance.

Institutions that use these platforms to send personalized nudges about deadlines, events or even financial aid will see increased response rates from and students and prospective students. While emails (like the ones I sent to my sons) may be ignored, Gen Z is more likely to respond to friendly, well-timed texts. 

2. Social listening is driving content strategy

More and more, Gen Z is turning to social media for content to help make decisions about college and to understand what the experience is like.

This is raising the importance of social listening and sentiment platforms. Monitoring trending topics and sentiment will help institutions analyze what’s resonating and can help shape messaging.

3. Video storytelling is now table stakes

While Gen Z still takes official campus tours, they often use “day in the life” TikToks to decide which campuses are worth visiting.

Schools are catching onto this and leaning into putting students, not marketers, in front of the camera. A real student’s perspective can build trust faster than a polished campaign. 

4. Personalization is the new standard

Mass marketing doesn’t work as well for Gen Z as personalized content does. CRM platforms are being used to deliver dynamic content like landing pages and even digital ads that are tailored to individual interests. 

With AI and automation, the expectation is that colleges and universities will take all of the information that was collected in the admissions process and use it to tailor the experience.

5. Influencer culture is mainstream

As mentioned, peer voices matter more than institutional voices. Schools are building ambassador programs and partnering with micro-creators to expand reach and build credibility. The tools are sometimes homegrown, but the results are clear. Authenticity wins.

Students trust students making tactics like an ambassador-led takeover on Instagram or a behind-the-scenes campus vlog more impactful than what an admissions team could script.

Dig deeper: The most effective influencer campaigns are built on fit, not fame

From reaction to reinvention

Too often, institutions implement new tools as a reaction to pressure. They might deploy a chatbot here and open a TikTok account there. But Gen Z isn’t just influencing individual tactics. They’re pushing institutions to rethink how their entire marketing tech stack works together:

• Moving away from siloed systems toward platforms that work together to connect admissions, marketing and IT.
• Investing in tools that prioritize experience over broadcast.
• Shifting KPIs from opens and clicks to meaningful outcomes like event signups, app completions and conversion rates.

It’s not about trends, it’s about building a martech stack that reflects how Gen Z navigates in a mobile-first, video-driven, authentic and always-on way.

The institutions that win will let Gen Z lead

Marketing in higher ed takes time to change. But when it comes to technology, the delay can be risky. Gen Z is already influencing how applications are submitted and how decisions are made. Schools that listen, adapt and build around these behaviors will stand out.

The institutions that thrive will be the ones that reimagine the entire student lifecycle — from prospect to graduate to proud alum — creating experiences that foster lifelong connection and loyalty.