Education marketing tips and best practices

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higher education marketing
Marketing your school or educational institution can be a daunting prospect. You’re asking potential students to invest thousands of dollars and several years of their lives with you – the stakes are high! Of course, you could follow much of the general marketing advice that’s out there and probably get some decent results. But the higher education industry also has unique challenges and opportunities that differentiate it from other industries. Here are some tips and best practices specifically geared towards higher education marketing.
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Education marketing tip #1: Choose the right channels.

Education marketing tip #1: Choose the right channels. 

It’s hard to overstate the potential of digital channels (such as social media) to effectively target potential students where they are online. Young people live much of their lives online, and social media is a massive and crucial part of that. But don’t discount the power of traditional media! Traditional channels such as print, TV, and billboards, with their long history, bring a level of gravitas to your ads that can’t really be attained anywhere else. Investing only in digital platforms might get you seen by plenty of potential students, but you’ll be missing out on the level of prestige only reachable by traditional channels. (There are other benefits to traditional media too – check out our rundown here.)

Long story short – a solid social media campaign will be absolutely essential, but don’t think that social success means you can skip everything else. A thoughtful blend of digital and traditional media will be best to achieve your goals, and a trusted advertising partner can help you get there.

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Education marketing tip #2: understand your audience.

Education marketing tip #2: Understand your audience.

It’s not enough to say that your audience is potential students and be done with it. It’s important to understand the specifics of who you’re trying to reach. Are you aiming for high school juniors and seniors? Or is your goal to connect with their parents? Are you trying to reach adults interested in returning to school? Does your school have specifically strong or unique programs you want to promote to interested potential students? The answers to these questions will determine how you move forward. It’s likely that you’ll need several types of campaigns with different kinds of messaging to cover the various audiences that will be interested in your school. Just make sure you’re reaching them purposefully so you can speak to their unique needs.
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Education marketing tip #3: Share real stories.

Education marketing tip #3: Share real stories.

There’s no getting around this critical fact: higher education is expensive. In fact, it’s one of the most expensive investments people can make in their lives. That means that the bar for winning students over is high – and getting higher! If you want students to invest their money and futures with you, they need to be able to picture themselves as students at your school. The best way to achieve that is by sharing stories of real people that students can connect to.

Most obviously, this would include stories of past and current students, showcasing their experience and achievements. But don’t forget to profile your unique programs and educators. Has one of your professors recently won a grant? Interview and profile them! Is one of your programs participating in a unique project? Write a blog post or make a video about it! The more real you make the experience of your school through content, the more likely it is that people will be able to actively picture themselves as students at your school. For more about why education content marketing matters, see our article here.

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Education marketing tip #4: Invest in your brand voice.

Education marketing tip #4: Invest in your brand voice.

Is your school a longstanding institution? Or is your school a cutting-edge new digital academy? Whatever the answer, it should be clearly reflected in your branding and voice. Every piece of content that comes out of your school should have your name written all over it, literally and figuratively. Colors, logos, and other design elements should always have a uniform look and feel, and any written content should have a consistent voice reflective of the type of institution you are and the students you hope to reach. That doesn’t mean you should be dropping Gen Z slang in your blog posts – students can smell inauthenticity a mile away. But you should aim to speak in a way that resonates with potential students.

This is, of course, easier said than done! You’ll likely need to invest in surveys and focus groups from time to time to take the temperature of your student body. Another invaluable source of information is comments and feedback on social media posts. If you’re really trying to reach Gen Z and your comments section is filled with cringe emojis, it may be time to rethink. Conversely, if you’re seeing an uptick in engagement and shares, you’ll know you’re doing something right. Either way, potential students will take note. Your brand voice needs to be something that you spend real time developing and refining.

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While education marketing can feel intimidating, following these best practices – and partnering with the right marketing agency – can help guide you on your way to reaching potential students. You already know what makes your school great – it’s time to let the rest of the world know!
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