Digital Marketing Services for Schools

For most businesses, In order to thrive in today’s business world, you need digital marketing. This applies to schools as well, which are businesses in and of themselves. So, which types of digital marketing does your school need? In this article, we’re letting you in on all of the services you can expect from working with an agency.

Digital Marketing for Schools

Marketing for schools has become increasingly important, with many more options available to parents. Instead of traditional marketing and replying on waiting lists, schools are being proactive in reaching their target audiences. While the need for digital marketing is there, not many schools are equipped with a marketing team to perform it effectively. This is where an agency steps in.

Working with an agency gives you the edge since they are experts in the field and can provide these services without you having to do the nitty-gritty of it all. By turning to market specialists, you can position yourself to take advantage of the opportunities available in the best possible manner.

We at Nexa are a creative digital marketing agency based in Dubai. We have worked with several educational institutions on award-winning campaigns. Our industry experience and 15 years worth of digital marketing to our name have primed us to be an appropriate agency for schools. You can have a look at our portfolio in education marketing to find out more.

Why digital marketing works

Since more and more of the world operates online and relies on digital means of communication, businesses have had to adapt to this model. It has had several benefits for businesses, who are better able to reach and connect with their audiences, increase their leads and build communities of brand advocates.

With so much potential to bring your school success, there is an equally important role of perception in play. Your online presence and messaging are what can either grow your school or diminish its ability to be successful by driving people away. One cannot only take advantage of affordable advertising, for instance. Having an active presence via these marketing channels is not about one-sided communication, but instead driving conversations or interactions. This is what builds relationships between your school and its customers.

Working with an agency ensures that a strategy drives the services you engage in with your digital marketing. From that point onwards, all of the campaigns, content, management and reporting can take place. The agency you work with will therefore place great value on your school’s goals and the specific ways that they will measure their efforts to ensure those goals are met.

Digital marketing services for schools

• Social Media Marketing

  
  For interactive and engaging channels to reach your audience, one needs to look to social media platforms. This is an essential part of digital marketing and for a good reason. Your school’s presence on these platforms can help build your brand image, as well as reach people organically and through affordable advertising.
  
  This also acts as a customer service portal, since audiences expect all communication channels with a business to be promptly responded to. When it comes to schools, there is a lot of content which you can create to share on these platforms. By ensuring you are continually posting and effectively showcasing the best that your school has to offer, you will be engaging with not only your current students but appealing to your future students too.
  
  There are various ways to mix the more ‘fun’ aspects of school life with the academically inclined. An agency can help you create a right balance between the two while ensuring that what you post is appropriate and meeting the needs of your audiences.

• Content Marketing

  
  Content marketing is an umbrella term in its own right and is a valuable, long-term marketing asset for any business to have. By building your brand through the content it publishes, you are deepening the information that search engines have relating to your school. Thus, by creating valuable content that is designed to benefit viewers, your website or school will be recommended to them when they search for schools.
  
  There are various ways your school can do this, from the actual media used (be it textual, visual or auditory) and the mediums in which you share the content on. Agencies have teams of content creators who can develop content that is unique and suited to your business. They will also ensure that it is shared optimally to be favoured by the searching rankings.  Schools should also consider creating high quality video content that can be easily embedded on their website, used within social media channels and as part of their creative assets used within lead generation campaigns.
  
  

• Search Engine Marketing

  
  With people using search engines for just about any and everything, schools can be created that parents are researching their options online. To be visible to these searchers, you’ll need to engage in search engine marketing.
  
  There are affordable ways of doing it, such as using pay-per-click models to have your ad visible to your target audience. By being seen ahead of the rest, you are positioning your school to be first and foremost of the search results, with the aim of gaining more traffic to your website with the increased visibility.
  
  There are other ways to advertise your school online as well. Part of the digital marketing services offered by agencies will be to help you manage your budget and select the best methods for your school’s needs.
  
  

• Lead Generation

  
  If there is one aspect of digital marketing that is paramount, it is leads. Digital marketing offers exact metrics, unlike traditional marketing, that schools may be used to. For marketers, generating leads, nurturing them and converting them are the three main goals.
  
  In simple terms, it’s all about creating valuable exchanges with those who find your brand.
  By exchanging value for information, you can assist these ‘leads’ as they experience your brand, ensuring that they are not merely ‘viewers’ who ‘bounce.’ The appropriate curation of leads can ensure that your school grows.
  
  

While the services mentioned above form part of the building blocks of digital marketing, there are various other services that also play a crucial role when marketing a school. These include:

• Email marketing: Email is one of the most effective forms of marketing and is essential when communicating with the parents of potential students. Having the necessary systems in place to facilitate this, with email strategies designed to further along their journey with your brand is key.
• Digital PR: Digital PR is all about your school’s reputation management. By sharing content on other third-party platforms, you’ll be link building, adding value to your school’s perception and potentially working with affiliates as well.
• Website: With all of these marketing channels leading people to your website, your school needs to ensure it is up to standard. The design and functionality of it are a reflection of your school, and its value cannot be underestimated.
• Analytics: Digital marketing equips marketers with robust reporting capabilities. Being able to draw on the appropriate figures and determine insights is necessary for long term digital success.

Recap of marketing services for schools

Schools operate as businesses, and in order to attract their future students, they need to use digital marketing services. This will help your school to grow and improve among the community. Working with an agency is the best way to ensure these services are carried out to the highest possible degree. The services you can expect are:

• Social media marketing to build your school’s online community
• Content marketing to effectively provide value to your audience and gain leads
• Search engine marketing to ensure your school is visible among its competitors
• Lead generation as the overarching goal to grow your school online

Looking for an agency to work with on your school’s digital marketing?

Book a meeting with us at Nexa to discuss what you need and learn about what we can do for you. From full-scale marketing to outsourcing elements of your marketing, we’ve got you covered.