Last Updated: December 4^th, 2024

In today's competitive landscape, effective digital marketing strategies are crucial for schools to attract and retain students. Modern families are discerning—conducting thorough research and favoring schools that not only satisfy academic expectations, but align with their values. 

The reliance on traditional marketing methods is a thing of the past; robust digital strategies are now imperative. Families expect the same level of precision and appeal from schools as they do from top brands. They demand instant access, seamless experiences, and personalized interactions.

Join us in this comprehensive guide as we explore tried and tested principles of digital marketing that will consistently strengthen your schools admissions funnel. 

 

Create Engaging Social Media Campaigns

Organic social content

Social media platforms are the pulse of communication with the average person using 6.7 social networks a month. Digital marketing for education is no exception. Prospective parents and carers are looking for an authentic glimpse into what school life is really like behind the scenes. For private schools, creating engaging content can significantly enhance visibility and brand awareness.

Share meaningful stories, student achievements, and behind-the-scenes glimpses to build a strong online community. Consider platforms like Instagram and Facebook, where visual content thrives. Use stories, reels, and live sessions to engage students and parents alike!

Social media management tools

Whether you're starting out with social media marketing or already have a strong presence, it's important to stay organised so that you can maintain a consistent cadence on your channels. Use social planning tools such as Hootsuite or Sprout social to plan your social calendar, community management and to push content across multiple channels.

Try and use engaging reels and video content where possible.

If you're struggling to produce more content, take some time to speak to faculty leads and get the academic staff involved in providing insights. You may even want to consider involving current pupils in your social marketing strategy. This is especially relevant when attracting 6th form pupils, who will often be more involved in the decision making process. Consider inviting current pupils to produce content in competitions and the like. User generated content will help build trust and authenticity.

Paid Advertising

Besides producing authenting brand storytelling on social media, it's one of the best channels for paid advertising. Whilst search ads have the advantage of user intent, social ads have a much lower cost per click and serve ads where the user spends most of their time! 

Utilize the meta pixel for more accurate reporting and to leverage remarketing audiences. If you need advice or support running your social media marketing campaigns - reach out to our friendly team who would be happy to help. 

 

Level Up Your Email Marketing

Email marketing remains one of the most effective communication strategies for schools. But it's important to personalize your emails to maximise results. Segment your audience breaking it down into at least the three major segments (i.e. parents, students, and alumni). If you can, break it down into further meaningful personas the do that too. 

Next use an email marketing tool to create email workflows. Email workflows are automations that get triggered by specific actions. For example you might use a prospectus request as a trigger, which then initiates a follow up email a few days later inviting a prospective parent to a personal tour. 

These email worflows (also referred to as email drip campaigns) can save you a huge amount of time whilst improving your schools touchpoints with prospective and existing communities alike. Use your email drip campaigns for various initiatives like: 

• Nurturing prospective inquiries
• Promoting and sending reminders for an upcoming event
• Onboarding newly enrolled families

Once you find your feet with email marketing, start optimizing your campaigns by testing things like subject lines and personalizations. Emails with personalized subject lines have a 26% higher chance of being opened.

There are plenty of inexpensive tools to get you started with email marketing. Here are some of our favourites:

• Mailchimp
• Campaign Monitor
• Hubspot

For tech-savvy schools who want even more personalization options and data on prospective families, a tool like AMAIS allows for advanced features. 

 

Audit Your School Website

Your school website is the digital front door to your institution. Conduct a thorough audit to ensure it's user experience is seamless, the site is mobile friendly, and content is up to date incorporating rich media where effective. It's a crucial resource for parents and students to find information effortlessly.

If you don't already closely monitor traffic to your website, consider leveraging tools like Google Analytics to track your website's performance and make data-driven improvements.

To conduct a technical and SEO audit either consult an SEO specialist agency or use tools like SEMRush and Screaming Frog to crawl your website like a search engine does, and indentify key issues for you. 

If your website needs a complete overhaul, find a provider who leverages the latest technologies that allow you to seamlessly personalise content, and that offer an engaging, responsive design. 

Learn more about UBIQ websites

 

Create A Virtual Tour

Virtual tours have become increasingly important, especially post-pandemic. They offer prospective students and parents a glimpse into the school's environment before arranging a visit on-site.

Use high-quality video and interactive elements to showcase classrooms, facilities, and more. A recent survey at The Independent Schools schow revealed that 70% of parents said that they would use virtual tours to research schools.

 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization is the backbone of any successful school digital marketing strategy. By optimizing your website for search engine results pages, for specific terms (or keywords), you can improve your school's visibility and reach among your target audiences.

To start with, research keywords that your ideal customer profile would type into search engines to find you. As part of developing your SEO strategy, focus on which terms have the largest search volume versus how competitive they are.

Once you have your keyword targets defined, weave those terms into relevant content on your website in a natural and readable way.

It's also important to ensure your local SEO is up to scratch. Start by creating and filling out a Google my Business profile if you don't already have one.

To learn more about SEO strategies for schools, check out our comprehensive article below.

SEO Strategies for Schools

 

Run Effective Pay Per Click Advertising Campaigns

Implementing targeted digital advertising for schools is a highly effective way of getting more enquiries.

Marketing channels like Facebook and Google Ads offer unique geo-targeting and demographic targeting options. This means you can reach families in specific locations that fit your ideal customer profile (ICP).

Use various ad formats that include imagery and video that portray the the unique selling points of your school. Expand your reach using Google's display network which comprises over 2 million websites, and can target prospective students based on their search histories.

Combining that with search and display campaigns with Google and other search engines, allows you to target prospective parents that are actively looking for educational options.

Track your campaigns closely. Once they have been running for some time, be sure to adapt your bidding strategies, keyword strategies and audiences to suit. An example of this might be using broad match keywords when you're first starting out, and want to reach broader audiences and gather data. As your campaign progresses you may want to refine your to phrase match and of course review your negative keyword lists.

Curious about how to optimize campaigns? Check out how we've propelled The Walker School's enrollments by 14% through strategic ad optimizations. 

Contact us about digital advertising

 

Create Alumni Success Stories

Alumni success stories are powerful testimonials that can influence prospective students and parents and should hold a place in your regular content marketing calendar. Highlighting graduates who achieved significant milestones and can demonstrate the quality of education and opportunities your school offers.

This sort of content is typically served as a landing page on school websites, but is also perfect for breaking down into microcontent on various marketing channels. Share snippets on social media, and newsletters to inspire the next generation. Don't forget to use tracking UTMs on your call to action's.

If your alumni are also willing ambassadors for the school, check if they're willing to act as online micro-influencers for your school. Perhaps they'd be willing to share posts on social media, create stories or video snippets and more. User generated, authentic content from micro influencers can be a powerful way to extend that brand story and share your school values in niches that are otherwise hard to reach.

Reviews; Manage Your Online Reputation

A school's online reputation can significantly impact its enrollment numbers. Encourage electronic word of mouth (EWOM) and online reviews from current students and parents on platforms like Google and Niche.

Address negative feedback promptly and professionally. According to BrightLocal, 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, including schools.

For a deeper dive into your online reputation, check forum channels such as Quora, Mumsnet and Reddit etc for authentic opinions on the school and respond where appropriate. 

Reviews are also a great source of new content. You can repurpose your reviews for user generated content (UGC) on social media channels.

For an extra boost to your website click through rates, add your reviews to your website and get your development team to use structured markup. When your aggregate review data is added correctly, users will see your star rating when you appear in search engine results pages (SERPs). This buikds trust and improves click through rates for both organic and paid search initiatives. 

 

Create A Newsletter

Consistent communication is key to maintaining strong relationships with your school community. A well-crafted newsletter is not just a tool for information; it's a bridge that connects students, parents, and staff.

By sharing updates, achievements, and upcoming events, you keep everyone in the loop and engaged with the school's vibrant life.

• Highlight School Achievements: Regularly feature stories about student accomplishments, innovative projects, and staff recognitions. This not only boosts morale but also showcases your school's unique offerings and successes to prospective parents.
   

• Incorporate Educational Resources: Provide value beyond updates by including educational tips, articles, or resources that parents can use at home. This can help reinforce learning outside the classroom and show your commitment to educational excellence.
   

• Engage with Rich Media: Enhance your newsletter with photos, videos, and links to additional content. For instance, a video recap of a school event or a photo slideshow of a recent class project can make your newsletter more engaging and visually appealing.
   

• Encourage Community Participation: Use your newsletter to invite feedback, share surveys, and promote school events. Encouraging active participation fosters a stronger community and increases engagement.
   

• Subscription Options: Make sure your newsletter is accessible. Offer easy subscription options on your school’s website, and consider creating segmented lists to tailor content for different groups within your school community, such as parents of different grade levels.
   

• Public-Facing Accessibility: While the primary audience might be current parents, having your newsletters accessible on your school’s website or through social media can intrigue prospective parents. It offers them a transparent window into school life, helping them visualize their child in your environment, which can be pivotal during their decision-making process.

By strategically using your newsletter as a comprehensive communication tool, you not only keep your current community informed but also attract potential new members to your vibrant educational environment.

 

Content Marketing: Write and Maintain a Blog

Content marketing is a crucial pillar for any successful digital marketing strategy. Maintaining your websites blog is an excellent way to showcase expertise, educate top and middle of funnel users, and enhance your SEO efforts.

When your content aligns with your keyword strategy, and matches your user intent you'll see incredible results.

Write insightful blog posts on educational trends, parenting tips, and school updates. Engage guest writers, such as teachers and alumni, to add diverse perspectives.

Before starting, it's important to plan out your strategic approach. Here are some helpful prompts:

• What publishing cadence can you maintain?
• What sort of articles will be produced?
• Who are they targeting? 
• Who will be writing them?
• What will the editing process look like?

PRO TIP - If your school attracts international students or offers boarding, attract prospective students and parents by using keywords that are appropriate to their nomenclature (e.g. Consider 'Kindergarten' terms as a variation to 'pre-prep'.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should you use digital marketing for school?
Because most families searching educational institutes will start their journey on a search engine. You'll get the best reach with your ideal customer profile, and, you'll be able to track your return on investment better than through offline tactics.
How do I market my school?
Leverage a mix of traditional and digital strategies. Use social media, email marketing, and SEO to reach potential students and parents. Highlight your school's strengths and success stories to resonate with your audience. If you need support marketing your school or don't know where to begin, contact our friendly team today.
Do schools need digital marketers?
Absolutely! Digital marketers help schools effectively reach prospective students and parents, enhance their online presence, and adapt to changing communication trends. That being said, many schools don't want to take on another full time salary. Instead they can choose to outsource specific digital marketing services such as SEO & PPC to agencies, or even bring on board a fractional Marketing Director or CMO for their school.  This can often be more cost effective than hiring, training and onboarding a new member of the team. Since outsourced agencies like The Virtual Marketer also have a whole team of specialists at hand, you will likely get better returns on your overall marketing spend too.

Key Takeaways

Digital marketing for schools is no longer optional—it's a necessity. By implementing these strategies, you can enhance your school's visibility, build a strong community, and attract more students. Ready to take your school's digital presence to the next level? Start by auditing your website and brainstorming engaging social media content. Or, get in touch with a digital marketing agency that specializes in the education sector (we don't bite!).