Are you aware that 90% of all online experiences start with an online search?
As a result, people are unlikely to reach a website if it doesn’t rank well on search engines, which can be challenging to improve quickly without help.
Alternatively, in order to gain more traffic to a website and thus, more interest in an institution, consider investing in online marketing for schools.
In this article, we introduce several ways to establish an effective marketing plan for schools while also discussing how to utilize external resources to achieve the best results.
Where to Start
Online marketing strategies for schools continue to grow in importance, as potential students and parents shift their primary method of research to digital means.
Marketing schools online is an important part of recruiting students and establishing a brand while building trust with potential families.
Refreshing the Website
According to ImpactPlus, 79% of people who feel a site isn’t of a high enough standard will return to search for a different site. Consequently, it is likely that a website built more than five years ago is in need of an update. More than likely, your school website looks like 99% of your competitors. While analyzing your current website, be sure to evaluate whether your school website distinguishes itself from competitors.
Websites have come a long way in the last five years. New features and designs have emerged as a critical component of an engaging, yet elegant website design. Such modern website designs involve more integration of video, animations, interactive buttons along with native mobile and desktop versions.
Updating a website will have an enormous impact on client retention, which in turn will have an impact on how people view a school. Furthermore, a new website will instantly become a more robust marketing tool to recruit new families.
Blogging Helps
Starting and regularly maintaining a blog will establish a school’s expertise. This will also showcase its ability to communicate in areas that concern parents and students.
Developing a content marketing plan, which has efficiently implemented keywords to boost SEO is essential.
To gain recognition with potential new families, blog about relevant topics that align with the school’s mission that will engage parents and students such as entrepreneurship, academics, innovation, technology, arts, and more!
To connect with the existing school community, blog about sporting events, achievements by students or faculty, ways that the school is improving and developing, and more.
Consider bringing in a content marketing consultant in order to create the most effective plan.
Sharing blog posts on the school’s social media accounts will create a positive view of your school, improving the share-ability amongst the school community to reach an even larger audience.
Plan Ahead: SEO and Content Marketing
Without an effective, comprehensive plan established for how to create an ongoing series of impactful content, it is likely to be neglected or have incoherent content which fails to deliver your school’s authentic story.
By shifting the responsibilities to seo and content marketing expert, your school’s staff can concentrate on teaching and learning while caring for students.
Take a look at the VujaDay blog to find a series of reasons why SEO is an essential investment for your business.
Invest in PPC Advertising
There are a number of platforms where advertising is well worth it. Google, Facebook, and Instagram are three of the more influential platforms where you can purchase and plan advertising campaigns to advertise an institution.
Different social media platforms each offer unique advantages catering to specific audiences. Google is by far the most frequently utilized of the three but unless people are searching for a query or institute which is relevant, it is unlikely to rank well in the millions of pages available about schools. People are searching for new schools for their kids, so be sure to your website and content plan include keywords that people are searching for.
Paid advertising on google will highlight an institution above other results with the ‘ad’ marking which you have doubtless seen in your own searches.
Facebook and Instagram offer more direct advertising which will find its way into the potential clients’ feeds and other areas. While each has the capability to target specific audiences, there are a variety of settings which need testing and adjusting to achieve the intended results.
Once your target market and user personas have been identified, Facebook and Instagram are extremely adept at putting relevant ads in front of potential clients before they are aware they need them.
Email Marketing
As an academic institution who maintains various databases with family details, schools are in a great position to utilize email marketing in order to implement a lead generation strategy. Such a plan will involve communicating regularly to maintain current relationships while developing new ones as well.
In this email marketing article we outline a variety of ways to make a seemingly antiquated approach to communication, more personal and genuine. Accordingly, inserting individuals’ names and directing the message to families with an engaging title effective strategies to increase email opens and engagement.
As a direct method, engaging emails can yield fast, efficient results. Furthermore, email marketing can provide profound insights on what is or is not working for the marketing campaigns. Ultimately, combining email marketing with tools to measure the success of email campaigns, schools have the ability to analyze the number of opened emails as well as the click-through rates of included links.
Consider Hiring Professional Help
Many of these steps can be quickly undertaken by schools. However, in order to obtain the best results and realize the potential of effective marketing, it is always worth considering turning to professionals.
With a wealth of experience in matters of web development, design, SEO, content marketing, and improving online presence, your investment will be returned several times over when hiring qualified professional help for your marketing needs.
Are You Ready to Invest in Online Marketing for Schools?
Ultimately, developing a more rounded understanding of online marketing for schools will have an impact that will drive significant growth. Seeking professional advice will quicken the pace and efficacy of such marketing efforts.
For more online marketing tips for schools, keep an eye on our blog as we intend to release more education-based content to help you succeed in building your digital presence.
If you are ready to discuss the ways in which we can help you, contact us now to find out we can work with you to reach new heights with your online marketing strategies.
