Article source: https://www.schneiderb.com/23-ways-to-attract-more-students-to-your-school/

Attracting new students to your school can be challenging, especially in today’s highly competitive education industry. With so many options available to parents and students, school marketers need to find effective ways to stand out from the crowd and attract more students to your school.

In today’s blog post, I share 23 ways you can effectively attract more students to your school.

1. Craft marketing messaging for your school

Schools, like other brands, need to know who they are, who they’re talking to, and what makes them unique. The target families you’re talking to are the “who.” Crafting a clear value statement helps families understand what you have to offer.

In addition to the substance of what you’re saying, your school needs to pay attention to how you communicating. The “how” of your messaging is a mixture of voice and tone.

The voice of your messaging is equivalent to personality, and the tone is the mood or attitude of your messaging in any given situation.

When sharing your content, make sure you use the best voice and tone to represent your school and not contradict the substance of your message.

Learn more here: Crafting Your School’s Message

2. Enhance the user experience of your website

Many people think that having a visually pleasing website equates to a good user experience. The bottom line is that a successful website hinges on one thing – how visitors perceive it. Does it give visitors value? Is it easy to use? Can they find what they’re looking for easily?

A positive user experience on your website improves the usability, accessibility, and efficiency of interactions on your website. Keep in mind visitors often make split-second decisions about whether they “like” your website or not based on design elements.

Learn more: 7 Reasons You Should Redesign Your School’s Website

3. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly

While virtually all websites can be viewed on a mobile device, not all sites will present well. A mobile-friendly device is also known as having a responsive design. These sites are easy to read and navigate when viewed on a smaller screen. And, since 58.43 % of traffic comes from people viewing your site on a mobile device, having a responsive website is essential.

Google rewards mobile-friendly websites. You can check how Google sees your mobile usability through Google Search Console (GSC) (be sure to link your GSC account in your migrated GA4 account.) Learn more about how to use Google Search Console here.

4. Leverage the power of SEO

To fully leverage the power of SEO, you will need a two-pronged approach – technical SEO and content marketing. When it comes to content marketing, it’s crucial you create content that is not only optimized for search engines but also offers relevant, valuable information for your target families.

Optimization is the process of increasing the visibility and authority of your content and website by improving the technical aspects of your website and blog. This includes using keywords strategically, writing compelling descriptions and headlines and improving your site’s speed and performance.

Read more: How SEO Works Step By Step

5. Start (or keep up with) a blog

Using a blog as a marketing strategy for your school is one way you can reach potential families. Blogs make it easier for families to find your school through Google. It can also give parents a better understanding of your school, what you offer, and how you’re different. And, when you employ a multi-channel marketing strategy, blogs offer another touchpoint for families.

According to Hubspot, approximately 60% of people read blogs at least once a week. A blog gives your school the opportunity to create informative content for little or no cost. It also is a great way to keep a website updated with fresh content, improving your SEO. You can then publish links to your blog post on social media networks, giving families a reason to click through to your website.

Want ideas for blog topics? Read 50 Captivating Blog Topics for Schools

6. Start an inbound marketing campaign

Inbound marketing is marketing that attracts prospective families to your school, as opposed to traditional marketing that broadcasts messages to a broad spectrum of people. The benefit of inbound marketing strategies is that they build credibility and trust with your target audience.

Learn more: The Ultimate Inbound Marketing Strategy for Schools: A Comprehensive Guide

7. Set up your Google Business Profile

In order to gain more visibility on Google, your school needs a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). Google Business Profile (GBP) is another name for your Google listing. Your GBP allows your school to be listed in Google Maps and Google Search.

Your GBP listing helps local families find your school. It also gives them a way to interact with your listing. You can respond to reviews, answer questions, enable direct messaging, and set up alerts. You can also publish posts to your GBP, much like you publish on your social media networks.

Learn more: SEO Coach – Get to the Top of Google!

8. Build an email list

Having an email list is an important aspect of your marketing strategy because it is the best way to connect with your subscribers as well as nurture inquiries (leads). Emails are great because subscribers can open them at any time that works for them, they can read headlines and still get the gist of what you’re trying to communicate (helpful for busy parents), and the average expected return on investment (ROI) is $40 for every $1 you spend on email marketing.

One of the best ways to build your email subscriber list is to have a lead magnet, such as a downloadable ebook. A lead magnet is a free item you offer in exchange for someone’s email address.

Want a list of 24 lead magnet ideas? Check out this blog post: How to Start Email Marketing for Your School

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