How Strategic Digital Marketing Can Help Schools Grow and Connect with Parents
Table of Contents
The Role of Digital Marketing in Today’s World
This blog is not meant to be an essay listing down reasons why you need to review your digital marketing strategy, or why you should hire an agency. The fact that you have chosen to read this blog shows that you already recognise the importance of building a robust digital brand for your school! What’s even better is that you can make a huge difference in your school’s marketing by keeping in touch with current trends, and by understanding parents’ wants and needs. If you wish to know how you can achieve genuine results and effectively boost your school’s online presence, keep reading!
Being online is an essential part of our lives today. To connect with parents and students effectively, your online presence- ranging from your website to your social media- should leave a positive impression and appeal to them.
So when we suggest that schools should think like brands, we don’t mean to imply that you should commodify your institute and its offerings. Branding, in a broader sense, revolves around public perception. It is primarily concerned with the traits and adjectives that the general public associates with a product/company/association.
In a similar way, every school has its own reputation and public image. Therefore, to ensure that your institute stands out to parents and their students, it is extremely important to have a smart digital marketing strategy that showcases the best your school has to offer. A parent would be far more likely to admit their child to your school if they have a positive perception of it.
What do Parents Seek in a School Nowadays?
In recent years- particularly post Covid- the approach to education has transformed at a rapid pace. Being pushed into a new system of online classes has led to increased screen time and a fast depleting attention span.
In addition, the previous decade has witnessed an increased interest in educational institutes that offer international curriculums, such as Cambridge A Levels or International Baccalaureate (IB). A sea of new schools have emerged, claiming to provide a creative, free-thinking environment conducive to learning.
Traditional methods of teaching, that follow a cookie-cutter approach, is not something that appeals to parents anymore. They wish for their child to flourish and grow in an environment that gives them a good balance of academics, sports and extracurricular pursuits.
Most importantly, parents are interested in international schools for the kind of exposure they provide- be it in the form of award programs such as the International Award for Young People (IAYP), or renowned international school networks such as Round Square. Studying at an international school with premium facilities, quality education and global exposure can open up a world of opportunities for young learners.
Most of India’s renowned international schools, such as Dhirubhai Ambani International School, are based in metros such as Mumbai and Bangalore. In recent times, even Hyderabad has been witnessing a steep rise in demand for good quality international schools, as seen by a brief overview of Google searches done in the last one year.
Let us take a look at some insightful search trends!
Notice how these search trends from the last one year show an increased interest in International schools in Telangana.
Children born in the previous decade (especially those born around 2020) are digital natives. Unlike millennials, and even a certain section of Gen Z individuals, they have lived, breathed and consumed technology since the moment they were born. Ensuring that toddlers and growing children get a fair amount of time away from the screen is one of the biggest concerns that millennial parents have. Apart from this, an increased exposure to the world and different systems of schooling has also played a role in changing the general perception of what a “good school” really is.
This explains why parental expectations today are drastically different from what they used to be a few decades ago, especially for those whose children are about to start school. Parents want to opt for a school that provides the right foundation for their child’s holistic development, by engaging them in creative pursuits and quenching their curiosity. Even though the mode of learning has shifted online to a large extent, schools can play a huge role in ensuring that children get time away from screens and enjoy spending time out in the open.
Moreover, excelling at academics is no longer enough for students to make the cut and score admissions to elite colleges. Even though thinking of college admissions is seemingly far-fetched for parents of toddlers, there is no denying the fact that the foundation of a child’s education is set by their most initial years of schooling. Holistic development is given a lot of importance today, with children being encouraged to diversify their interests and explore new avenues outside the limitations of a classroom.
As shown in these images, the previous decade has witnessed a monumental rise in the number of students scoring 95% or more in their CBSE board exams. Cutoffs have skyrocketed to unrealistic numbers, intensifying the already stressful amount of competition for getting into the top institutes of the country. To prepare for a bright future, students need to harbour talents and develop skills that give them an extra edge. For this purpose, elementary education needs to be geared towards making children well-rounded individuals, rather than just academically proficient.
To ensure that their children are given the care and attention they deserve, parents nowadays are extremely mindful of choosing schools that have a healthy student-teacher ratio. Additionally, location is another integral factor that guides their decision, since it is much more reassuring to send young children to a school closer to home. Such factors should be kept in mind while crafting your school’s digital marketing strategies, to ensure that you reach the right people and get strong potential leads that are more likely to materialise into a conversion.
With new options cropping up each day, millennial parents need to narrow down their options in order to find the right fit for their child. In such a scenario, people have started relying almost completely on resources such as online reviews, school websites and official social media pages- all of which give them valuable insight into the institute and how it functions. They are using multiple portals, be it education related websites or Google reviews, to see what others are saying about the school.
A 2020 survey by EdTech platforms and local education consulting agencies indicated that around 40-50% of urban Indian parents considered online reviews, social media feedback, and school ranking websites before making a decision about schooling. This percentage was higher in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. The trend is growing as more parents are digitally savvy and schools have expanded their online presence, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic when virtual tours and digital communication became more common.
In cities like Hyderabad, which is known for its tech-savvy population, the percentage of parents relying on online reviews is likely to be similar or slightly higher than the national urban average (around 45-50%). Hyderabad, with its growing urban middle class, tech hubs, and increasing access to digital platforms, likely sees a significant proportion of parents using online reviews, especially on platforms like Google Reviews, education apps, and school aggregator websites.
In Hyderabad itself, a significant number of parents rely on online reviews to make decisions about schools for their children. Around 42% of parents use platforms like Google Reviews, and 21% use Facebook groups for this purpose. School-specific search and review platforms are even more popular, with 79% of parents using them to compare schools, demonstrating the growing influence of digital sources in the school selection process.
Why Digital Marketing Matters for Schools
Website
Making a good first impression counts more than ever nowadays, and it starts with your official website. Your website is the first point of contact that a parent will have with your school. A website with bugs or errors could put off users and increase your bounce rate. Having a user-friendly interface and well-designed layout goes a long way in leaving a positive impact on parents. The table given below is a quick guide for important points to keep in mind while designing a website:
Poorly Designed Website | Well Designed Website |
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We have listed down some helpful features that can enhance the user experience on your website even more-
24/7 AI Chatbots
AI chatbots that give prompt replies to your queries. This gives website visitors the additional advantages of real-time communication and instant access to information- both of which are greatly appreciated. Take the example of this Hyderabad-based international school that has a 24/7 AI Chatbot-
Admission Enquiry Forms
A smart way of garnering potential lead magnets is to effectively utilise enquiry forms for admission-related queries. Parents would be prompted to enter their contact details, requirements, and some basic personal information about their child and themselves. Then, they would sign up for further updates or additional information. Using this strategy would benefit you greatly by performing two important functions:
- Filtering out genuinely interested leads from those who are just browsing.
- Adding new potential leads to your email marketing list, allowing for direct communication.
See how a notable private school based in Bhopal has made use of this particular strategy –
Increased Visibility Using SEO Best Practices
Search engine optimization (SEO) helps boost the online visibility of your school’s official page and increases website traffic. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works –
While searching for schools, parents would enter some commonly used keywords, e.g. “best international school in Hyderabad”. Websites that are optimised properly will show up higher in the search results when these relevant keywords are entered into a search engine (such as Google or Bing). Since people rarely go beyond the first page of search results, your website needs to appear on page 1 itself.
Email Campaigns
A solid email marketing strategy is key to keeping parents invested in your school and its happenings. In the initial stages, you can keep parents informed about admission proceedings and campus tours or open house events.
Once their child is admitted to your school, you can keep parents in the loop about upcoming events, recent developments, and other school-related information.
Using thoughtful subject lines and adding an element of personalization to your emails is highly recommended, especially if you don’t want your emails to land up in the recipient’s spam folder.
SOCIAL MEDIA
While your website gives parents their first impressions of your school, it is your social media presence that helps build your institute’s public image and online reputation. Having a Facebook page and Instagram account helps your school stay in the public eye by giving people an in-depth, personal view of student life at your institute. From daily anecdotes and virtual campus tours, to school functions and landmark events, social media is the best way to keep parents informed about the recent happenings of your school.
By regularly updating your social media pages with engaging, interesting and relevant content, you can win the trust of parents and show them how your school is the right choice for their child. Let us now take a look at the Instagram pages of two renowned international schools in Hyderabad-
Chirec International School
Most of the posts showcase school events, class activities and the faculty, which is standard content for a school page. However, something that stands out in this particular screenshot is the interactive post which directly involves the parent community of the school, by asking them how they ensure that their child connects with nature. Such posts not only make parents feel included, but also encourage other parents to leave their own inputs and thoughts in the comment section. This is a great example of how social media can be utilised to directly connect with parents and build a sense of community. The content is displayed in a minimalistic fashion.
Oakridge International School, Gachibowli
This particular school’s Instagram page shows a mixture of different events that highlight the institute’s diverse array of activities, with clear emphasis on showcasing its campus and displaying a vibrant student life.
To create and maintain an Instagram page that truly stands out, there are certain important things to keep in mind:
- Stay true to your school’s core values, principles and main offerings.
- Identify and capitalise upon your school’s main USP (Unique Selling Proposition).
- Based on the aforementioned factors, craft a distinctive brand voice that reflects the ethos of your institute.
- Update your page on a timely basis (neither too less, nor too often).
- Keep your page responsive and interactive. Your contact information should be up to date.
P.S. Be sure to include links to your official website and other social media pages (such as LinkedIn or Facebook).
Instagram Ads (Targeted Ad Marketing)
A wonderful way of attracting better leads and increasing enrollment rates is to opt for targeted ads on Instagram. You can choose your audience by adjusting your ad settings. You can select the age-range, location and interests of your target audience to help ensure that your ads are reaching the correct people.
Based on the action that you want ad viewers to take, you can also select a CTA (call to action) that serves your purpose in the best manner. You can choose where ad clicks will lead the user. The three possible options are:
- Taking the user to your Instagram profile
- Taking the user to your official website
- Taking the user straight to your Instagram DMs
If you choose the last option, you can set automated messages that welcome the user and ask them what queries they have. This can be considered similar to a chat bot.
You can create a strong, impactful digital brand for your school by optimising your website and harnessing the potential of social media. While doing even one of these would show some results, focusing on both would bring you rich dividends and increased conversions from the most preferable leads.
CONCLUSION
Building or revamping your school’s digital brand might seem a bit daunting at first. However, taking note of the points outlined in this blog can help simplify the process immensely, to the point where you can take up this task by yourself. You know your school best- from its strengths and weaknesses to the unique features that make it stand out. Razor sharp focus and smart planning will ensure that you achieve your desired goals.
Talking about smart planning, the first step to achieving results is having clearly outlined goals or SMART goals that are- specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. An example of this could be to work on increasing the annual kindergarten enrollment rate of your school by 30% in a period of 6 months. Having a clear sense of direction will allow you to make targeted efforts and keep track of your progress.
Digital marketing is incredibly dynamic and flexible. To build and sustain a truly impressive digital brand, you must strike a balance between keeping up with changing trends and staying true to your school’s values and philosophy.
