StudentHub, Element451’s integrated student portal mobile app, has the potential to transform student engagement on your campus. But StudentHub can’t make a difference unless it’s actively promoted and made an integral part of each student’s daily routine. At Element451, we don’t see ourselves as just your software partner but as a strategic partner. We wrote this guide to walk you through our recommended rollout approach for StudentHub, providing actionable insights on change management, timeline milestones, and communication strategies so your students benefit as much as possible from the application.

Before rolling out StudentHub, you should create a clear vision and structured plan so that every department is prepared to support and promote StudentHub from day one. During this phase, establish your rollout team, define measurable success goals, and build a communication plan to generate anticipation among students and staff.

Start by assembling a team of key stakeholders from departments like IT, Student Affairs, Academic Advising, Marketing, and Student Success. Each member of this cross-functional team will support and promote StudentHub, helping ensure the app is seen as a trusted, valuable resource across campus.

Collectively within your Implementation Team, Set measurable targets to track adoption and engagement. Consider goals like a specific percentage of students using the app by the semester’s end, weekly active user targets, and feature-specific metrics like appointment bookings. Clear success metrics will keep your team aligned, help you monitor adoption rates, and adjust your strategy as needed.

Think through the students you will be rolling out the tool with, and create a messaging strategy that will resonate with them. Consider emphasizing benefits like “24/7 support” and “quick appointment scheduling.” Plan for a multi-channel outreach strategy, incorporating emails, social media posts, posters, and digital signage across campus. Sustained communication will help students recognize StudentHub’s value and make it a part of their daily routines.

During this phase, configure StudentHub to match your school’s branding, integrate it with essential campus systems, and conduct thorough internal testing so you have a strong understanding of how the tool works. Testing with a pilot group of students and staff will help identify potential issues, improve user experience, and fine-tune the app to ensure readiness for the soft launch.

Customize StudentHub by applying your institution’s logo, colors, and brand elements. If there are key systems that you have not yet integrated with Element451, such as your LMS, now is a good time to conduct those implementations. The more you have in Element451, the more powerful StudentHub can be.

Before the soft launch, test StudentHub with your Implementation Team and student workers. Their feedback will help identify any changes you may want to make and allow you to create documentation to support users during the full rollout. Use this phase to get to know the app and ensure you are ready to support students during the soft launch.

Instead of rolling out StudentHub to your entire institution at once, we recommend a "Soft Launch" with a small group of students. This allows you to generate early feedback and build excitement for the full launch. Be strategic and choose a group of students who have a felt need for deeper student engagement and which you can easily coordinate. This phase is essential for refining your approach, troubleshooting last-minute issues, and creating authentic testimonials to boost credibility during the full launch.

Develop quick-start guides, tutorial videos, and troubleshooting resources that make it easy for students to navigate the app. Send these materials out to your Soft Launch group.

Note that students can access StudentHub using the URL provided within the StudentHub settings, and if they go to that URL on their mobile device, they will be prompted to install the app directly on their phones.

Get your early adopters using StudentHub. Track their progress and check in with them frequently. Ask your early adopters to share their insights and act as advocates, helping build trust and enthusiasm among students.

Test some communications to users who installed the app on their phones using the Push Notifications channel in the Element451 Communications feature. This will allow you to see how the notifications appear and refine your approach.

Before moving on to the full launch, meet with your Implementation Team and discuss what you have heard from your testers. Adjust your settings, resources, and AI assistants to address their needs better.

Finally, you are ready to launch. Moving your entire student body onto a new tool is tricky, but after a successful soft launch, you are prepared. You will want to promote the rollout with a well-coordinated multi-channel marketing campaign to explain it and guide students through its use.

A successful launch requires high visibility. Use Element451’s campaign tools to promote the launch using email, SMS, social media, and the student portal, alongside on-campus posters, table tents, and digital displays. The goal is to reach students wherever they are, reinforcing that StudentHub is the go-to resource for everything from advisor appointments to event updates.

Promote StudentHub’s practical use by making it a core part of New Student Orientation, course registration, and campus events. For example, encourage students to use the app to schedule their first advising appointment or access orientation schedules. Tying StudentHub to pivotal student experiences helps it become an essential tool rather than an optional app. Consider small incentives to encourage consistent usage, such as perks only advertised via push notifications.

Long-term success with StudentHub depends on continuous engagement and regular updates based on feedback and data. Your Implementation Group should stay together and meet quarterly to ensure the app is being used successfully and discuss any changes you may want to make. Keep students interested by promoting new features, sharing success stories, and rewarding active users. Regularly assess adoption metrics and gather feedback to adapt the app and keep it aligned with evolving student needs.

Track metrics like daily active users, appointment scheduling rates, and event registrations. Gather feedback through student surveys and focus groups and adapt based on data to ensure StudentHub continues to meet students’ evolving needs.

Every institution is different, but here is a reasonable timeline breakdown of what a best-practices rollout looks like:

Rolling out StudentHub successfully requires strategic planning, proactive communication, and ongoing support. By following this phased approach, you can ensure that StudentHub becomes a widely adopted tool that enhances student engagement and builds a connected, supportive campus community. With careful management and a clear commitment to its value, StudentHub will be positioned to become an integral part of your institution’s success.