Let’s face it, marketing trends change so fast that we couldn’t blame you if you’d missed a trick or two when it came to getting your independent school noticed by the right audience.
Over the last year we’ve been keeping a close eye on your behalf, and noticed a few areas where some schools are falling short. So here are 5 ways to ensure you don’t fall off the shortlist of families in your catchment.
Not being consistently active on social media
For many schools, social media can be a bit of an afterthought in their marketing calendar. But the fact is, not only is your audience right there and waiting to see your content, but being active on social media can seriously supercharge your overall online visibility and search engine optimisation (SEO).
The great news is, you don’t have to be active on all platforms – just those that are right for your school. Secondly, you don’t even have to post every day, though it pays to be consistent. We suggest picking two or three key platforms and focussing on them.
So how do you decide which to use? We recommend asking yourself, where are your prospects likely to be? LinkedIn can be a great place to reach those career-minded parents who are open to investing in their child’s education, while Facebook and Instagram may appeal more to the whole family.
One channel you should really consider investing more of your efforts in is YouTube. As the 2nd biggest search engine in the world next to Google, featuring your content on this channel can pay dividends.
Trying to be all things to everyone
As with people, every school is unique – whether in your pastoral approach or academic specialisms. And it’s vital not to water these down by trying to appeal to the masses.
Focussing on your strengths and showcasing these with social proof, results, photos and videos are a sure fire way to ensure you attract the right families to your school.
If your strength really is in your diversity, then it might be more of a case of getting to know your audience on a more personal level and segmenting your marketing to ensure they receive only content that resonates with them.
Not keeping potential families on your website long enough
When admissions season begins for the new academic year’s intake your school website will often be the very first port of call for families in search of the right independent school for their child. And, like many of life’s big decisions, first impressions count.
From the colours you use to the style and quality of photos and other content, and the tone of voice of your copy, they all play a part in captivating your audience and keeping their attention.Regular reviews of your website content from a user experience (UX) perspective are vital in ensuring that people stay on your website for longer.
Not acting on the data
Whereas historically, marketing data would cost a princely sum to obtain to ascertain the success of a campaign, so much data is freely available to our school’s marketing teams that it seems crazy not to act on it. From your social media channels to your website and your email marketing CMS, it’s possible to analyse patterns in audience behaviour such as likes, clicks and even those that unsubscribe to find out what resonates well and what doesn’t and indeed whether you’re reaching the right people.
Being resistant to integrating new tech
Adopting new tech is something that many can be resistant to, some through fear or unfamiliarity and some through perceived high levels of investment. But the truth is, for many, the experimental use of tech demonstrates an aptitude for progression, and not all tech comes with a hefty price tag.
Virtual school tours can be a great way of demonstrating your progressive approach. When you consider that many families’ lives nowadays revolve around digital experiences, it’s a no brainer that a high-resolution 3D digital replica of your school site, just might be appealing. For adults and children alike, the ability to explore every corner of your school at their own pace, engaging with multi-media interactive hotspots and learning everything they need to know about your school can be hugely entertaining.
But there are lots of other ways you can integrate new tech into everyday school life and you can check them out here >>>
