The Impact of Rankings as a Marketing Strategy for Universities

Humans have a natural obsession with rankings. From sports to movies, ranking pages generate millions of views, and these views often translate into substantial ad revenue for companies. As a result, rankings have become a highly profitable marketing tool, capable of propelling topics and brands into the spotlight. One significant example of this is college rankings, which can dramatically alter a university's popularity and reputation.

However, while rankings can be powerful, they can also lead to ethical concerns, making it essential for organizations to use them thoughtfully.

In the 21st century, rankings have risen as a prominent marketing strategy, largely due to the internet’s vast reach. Popular platforms like WatchMojo, which boasts over 25 million YouTube subscribers, have leveraged rankings to draw billions of views. Videos such as "Top 20 Underrated Animated Disney Films" and "Top 10 Most Addictive Video Games of All Time" attract viewers, and the resulting ad revenue supports a mutually beneficial relationship between ranking platforms and advertisers. Companies pay to be featured on these high-traffic pages, increasing their visibility and potential revenue. This cycle fuels further rankings, creating a continuous loop of advertising and content creation.

Beyond entertainment, rankings also have a profound psychological effect on consumers, influencing their purchasing decisions. This is especially true in the education sector, where college rankings play a major role in shaping public perception.

College rankings are now a staple in higher education. The most widely recognized is the U.S. News & World Report National University Rankings, which launched in 1983. Many prospective students rely heavily on these rankings when choosing between schools, often only applying to institutions within a certain ranking bracket, such as the top 20 or top 50. Yet, much of the criteria used in these rankings has little to do with students' actual experience, focusing instead on factors like institutional prestige, publication counts, and faculty salaries.

Universities are keenly aware of the influence of rankings and, in some cases, have manipulated them to their advantage. A notable example is Northeastern University, which rose from 162nd to the top 50 in U.S. News rankings. This transformation was achieved through strategic changes like reducing class sizes, recruiting high-scoring students, and increasing the yield rate (the percentage of accepted students who enroll). As a result, Northeastern’s reputation and applicant pool improved, leading to a more academically accomplished student body.

Despite their popularity, rankings are far from perfect. They raise ethical concerns, particularly regarding the methodologies behind them. Rankings can oversimplify complex decisions, such as choosing a college, and may lead individuals to make choices they wouldn’t have otherwise considered. Moreover, some institutions attempt to "game" the system by manipulating the data they submit, as demonstrated by Columbia University in 2022. After submitting false information to U.S. News, Columbia plummeted from 2nd to 18th in the rankings when the discrepancies were revealed.

Rankings undeniably wield significant influence, shaping public perceptions and driving consumer behavior. For universities, rankings can elevate or diminish their reputations almost overnight. However, it is important to recognize the ethical challenges that come with using or creating rankings. While they can be a powerful tool, they must be handled with care to avoid distorting the truth or misleading the public.

Written by: Jacob Goroff