Digital Marketing Tips for Private Schools

Statistics show that only a small portion of American students are enrolled in private schools. It has become extremely important for private schools to market themselves well to encourage enrollment. However, the strategies many private schools have used to increase enrollment in the past have become quite dated. If private schools don’t embrace new forms of marketing — specifically, digital marketing — their enrollment rates will continue to decrease.

Fortunately, there are lots of digital marketing ideas for private schools that are fairly easy to implement. You may be overwhelmed by the thought of digital marketing at first, but there are some small changes you can make that will have a big impact on your outreach. Here are just a few private school marketing tips for the digital age:

Make your website functional, attractive, and optimized for mobile 

A simple landing page is not going to cut it for your school website. Not only do current students and parents need to be able to use your site as a resource for what’s happening at school, but potential students and their families need to be able to get a sense of the atmosphere from the first few seconds on your site. Your site should be easy to navigate, have useful information, and look great. Website design is inextricably linked to how visitors will perceive your organization. In fact, 48% of people surveyed cited a site’s design as the top factor in determining that company’s credibility. Take that to heart and make sure your website looks good and functions well on all platforms, including mobile devices. If your site doesn’t work on a smartphone, visitors will get frustrated and Google may even penalize your site.

Create a blog 

You might not realize it, but nearly every website needs a blog. You’ll be able to implement far more of our digital marketing ideas for private schools if you actually have a specific place to create content. Many businesses and organizations don’t give blogging a second thought, but it’s a great way to get Google to promote your website, which will result in more traffic. If you consistently create interesting and useful content, you’ll be creating more pages, will be able to rank on specific keywords, and will show up more often in search results. So be sure to create a blog and update it often; answer questions or discuss topics that are relevant to kids, teenagers, parents, the benefits of private schools, or education in general.

Get on social media 

Some people think social media is just for teens, but it’s actually a beneficial marketing tool for businesses and educational organizations. Social media marketing platforms provide you with a way to cross-promote your content creation, keep the community informed, and connect with potential new families. Facebook is a great platform to promote events and communicate important information. Twitter can be useful for alerts and to forge relationships with other organizations in the area. Instagram is excellent for sharing photos and memories, as well as getting everyone involved. It may take a little time to get the hang of each platform, but your students can also be a great resource for this type of marketing!

If you want more marketing ideas for private schools or want to focus on web design and SEO, contact Ibis Studio today. We’d love to help your school make a bigger impact in your community.