Running a successful digital marketing campaign can seem daunting for schools and educational institutions. With so many options and strategies to choose from, it's crucial to have a solid plan in place. An effective digital marketing campaign allows schools to reach prospective students and parents, build brand awareness, and meet enrollment goals. Follow this step-by-step guide to plan a winning digital marketing campaign that delivers results.
Set Goals And Identify Target Audience
The first step for setting successful campaign of digital marketing for schools is to establish clear goals and KPIs for your campaign. What exactly are you trying to achieve? Common goals include:
Increase website traffic
Generate more enrollment inquiries
Boost brand awareness and engagement
Attract students for specific programs
Promote upcoming events or campus tours
Once you know your goals, identify who you need to reach. Your target audience could include:
Prospective students of certain age groups or geographic locations
Parents looking for schools for their children
Donors and alumni
Current students
Defining your target audience allows you to tailor content and choose the right marketing channels.
Audit Your Existing Assets
Take stock of your current digital assets and platforms. Review your:
Website - Is it mobile-responsive? Easy to navigate? Does it need a refresh?
Blog - How often do you publish content?
Social media channels - Are they actively managed? Do you need to expand your presence?
Email lists and newsletters - How many subscribers do you have? Are emails personalized?
Paid advertising campaigns - What has or hasn't worked in the past?
Identify strengths to build upon and any weak points or gaps to address in your strategy.
Craft Your Key Messages
Determine the key messages you want to communicate to your audiences. For a school, these could include:
Academic excellence
State-of-the-art facilities
Diverse extracurricular activities
Nurturing environment
Personalized attention
Acclaimed faculty -Notable alumni
These messages should be echoed consistently across your digital platforms.
Choose Marketing Channels
With your goals, audience, and messages defined, decide which digital marketing channels you will leverage. Consider:
School Website
Your website is the hub that anchors your digital presence. Make sure it conveys your brand effectively and contains all the information audiences need.
SEO
Use SEO best practices to improve visibility and help your pages rank higher in search engine results. Quality content, metadata, and backlinks are key.
Pay-Per-Click Ads
Google, Bing, and social media ads can help you reach interested audiences beyond organic search. Track conversions carefully.
Content Marketing
Compelling and informative content boosts engagement. Blog regularly with news about academics, faculty, students, alumni, and more.
Social Media
Leverage platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok to attract and engage students and parents.
Email Marketing
Send targeted emails to share school news, promote events, and nurture leads. Segment your lists.
Paid Social Ads
Sponsored posts and PPC ads on social media are a cost-effective way to get more eyeballs on your content and boost followers.
Create A Content Calendar
Map out the digital content you plan to produce and share for your campaign. This may include:
Blog articles
Social media posts
Email newsletters
Videos
Webinars
Podcasts
Infographics
Schedule content across channels to keep prospects engaged. Tie content to seasonal topics, school events, and audience needs.
Track Performance
Set up tracking to monitor the performance of your digital marketing activities. Key metrics to watch:
Website Traffic
Lead generation and conversions
Engagement on social media
Email open, click-through, and conversion rates
Click-through-rates on ads
Cost per conversion
Continuously optimize based on data insights.
Leverage Retargeting
Retargeting helps you reconnect with website visitors through ads on other sites. This technique converts abandoning visitors into students.
Personalize Communication
Use CRM data to segment your audience and personalize communication across channels. Send targeted emails, social media posts, and ads.
Align With Admissions
Work closely with admissions to align your digital campaigns with their initiatives. Help admissions nurture leads and drive registrations.
Promote Events
Leverage digital channels to promote school tours, open houses, info sessions, and other events that allow prospective students to experience your school firsthand.
Utilize Influencers
Partner with student ambassadors and local influencers to create authentic branded content that resonates with your target audience.
Consider Paid Partnerships
Paid partnerships with university search sites, high school directories, community organizations, and local media outlets can expand your reach.
Highlight Alumni Successes
Promote renowned alumni and their career achievements. This builds your reputation and shows the caliber of students you produce.
Refresh Content Annually
Review your digital content regularly and update outdated information to keep prospects engaged year after year.
With careful planning and execution, your digital marketing campaign can yield impressive results for student recruitment and beyond. Monitor performance closely, adapt your strategies, and demonstrate how digital marketing contributes to enrollment goals. Soon you will be attracting top-notch students consistently.
What are some key performance indicators to track for schools?
Some important KPIs for school digital marketing include:
Website Traffic
Lead generation and conversion rates
Growth in email or newsletter subscriptions
Social media engagement and followers
Impressions and clicks on ads
Click-through rates on emails
Cost per lead or acquisition
Surveys measuring brand awareness or intent
What role can an online school management software play in school marketing?
An online school management system like Quick Campus can be invaluable for executing digital campaigns. It centralizes student data and inquiries in one CRM platform, allowing you to segment and communicate with prospects efficiently. You can track campaign performance and integrate it with marketing tools for automation. Powerful analytics give data-driven insights to optimize campaigns.
What types of content work best to attract prospective students?
Great content for prospective students includes:
Student spotlights and testimonials
Campus tours and daily life videos
Faculty interviews and thought leadership
Successful alumni stories
Posts from current students
Getting Started guides for the admissions process
Tips for choosing a school or program
Insights on school events, clubs, and facilities
Research and news from the school
How can you nurture leads through the enrollment funnel?
To nurture leads effectively:
Offer helpful resources to warm up cold leads
Send targeted emails when prospects take actions
Segment your audience based on their level of interest
Promote upcoming events relevant to each prospect
Retarget website visitors with related content
Track interactions to gauge interest levels
Provide free consultations to engaged leads
Create social media and email content specific to each stage of the buyer's journey
How much budget should schools allocate to digital marketing?
There is no universally ideal budget, as this depends on your school's specific goals and existing resources. Generally, aim to allocate 5-15% of your overall marketing budget to digital activities. Consider investing more if you are prioritizing online channels for a wider reach. But start small, test different channels and tactics, and allocate the budget to what delivers the highest ROI.