Each year, millions of families and individuals face a decision that has significant implications for their future. Choosing which school to attend, at any level, means finding an institution that aligns with a unique set of values and aspirations.

Schools that invest in building long lasting connections with their current, former, and future students establish awareness in their communities. And because individuals don't impulsively decide which school to attend, institutions need to focus on long-term brand building strategies that align with the education-seeker's customer journey.

This article reveals several strategies schools of any size and educational level should leverage to drive engagement and grow enrollment.

1. Invest in Building Awareness and Affinity Among Prospective Students

From preschool to grad school, prospective students and their families start considering their educational options several months (or even years) before it's time to apply. Institutions that invest in cultivating brand awareness among future students position themselves to be top-of-mind when it's time to apply.

Our proprietary customer journey research reveals that 93% of people say brand awareness is important when choosing a school. This data highlights the importance of the Seeing & Hearing stage of the purchase process. During this phase, prospective students and their families are not actively considering which schools to attend but are passively gathering information that may be useful in the future. For example, a 6th grader (and their parents) may not be ready to submit high school applications, but the thought is ever-present in the back of their minds.

There are several marketing strategies schools can employ to reach this critical audience. Prioritizing a robust digital presence – leveraging tools like influencer marketing and paid social media advertising – increases visibility among future students. Optimizing profiles and including content that speaks to the next generation of students, combined with consistent messaging, is the recipe for establishing credibility. Lastly, creating a dedicated digital "pipeline" for prospective students can help reduce friction during the exploration and application process.

2. Leverage Paid Media Capabilities to Reach New Audiences

Social media is an invaluable recruiting tool that schools can use to reach younger demographics. And while connecting with future students is essential, institutions must also prioritize their parents. In elementary and high school (and college, in many cases), parents or guardians are the 'customers' in the sense that they're the ones paying tuition.

Because the two audiences, parents and prospective students, are so different, schools must segment messaging and delivery channels to align with the demographics of the two groups. One of the most effective ways to do that is through paid media.

Social media paid advertising allows brands to leverage two different recruitment strategies at once: one for students and one for parents. Paid media platforms give brands total control over their audience, which is valuable for getting the right message out to the right audience at the right time. For example, a TikTok ad campaign targeted toward younger individuals may focus on athletics, clubs, and culture. Additionally, some schools have turned to "brand ambassadors" to drive interest among prospective students.

Parents or guardians often have the final say regarding a child's school choice, meaning schools must include parental outreach in their marketing strategies. A Meta campaign (Facebook & Instagram) may target parents and speak to educational programs, financial assistance, and the parent-faculty relationship.

Lastly, search engine optimization (SEO) is vital to lead generation. When someone searches for "best high schools near me," brands that show near the top of search results get first consideration. In addition, knowing exactly where your leads are coming from is invaluable for optimizing advertising performance.

3. Use Conversion-Focused Campaigns to Promote Open Houses or Shadowing Opportunities

Our data reveals that education-seekers spend roughly three weeks evaluating their options. Throughout this Researching phase of the customer journey, brands must be present and showcase their value propositions to relevant audiences.

During this critical Researching period, institutions should strive to get prospective students in the building via open houses, tours, or shadowing opportunities.

When someone interacts with a product or service in person, they're much more likely to convert. (Think auto dealers insisting on a test drive.) A well-executed conversion campaign can help drive sign-ups for prospective individuals and their families by moving individuals through the "funnel."

Conversion campaigns that align several strategic components, like social media ads, a landing page, and analytics tracking, are immensely valuable for reducing friction during the sign-up period. Even if some individuals don't convert, you'll gain valuable data that you can use to optimize an existing or future campaign. For example, you'll be able to capture email addresses that you can use to reach prospective students when application deadlines are approaching.

If you're running a conversion campaign, ensure that your messaging addresses, and provides solutions to, the most common pain points your audience may hope to remedy. Accessibility is a crucial factor (especially in higher education or public institutions) in driving results, and making any sign-up or application process as seamless as possible will yield better-performing campaigns.

4. Once You’ve Built an Email Database, Put It to Work!

Opening lines of communication is essential to building a connection between your brand and your audience. Through various channels, most schools should have a healthy email database comprised of former students, prospective students, and parents.

Let's revisit the customer journey. There's a reason it's called a "journey." Most families spend a significant amount of time deliberating over school choices, and it's critical to be there during the months and weeks leading up to the enrollment period. Email lists and comprehensive CRM (customer relationship management) tools are immensely valuable for building a school-to-family dialogue and allow you to promote your school's best qualities while prospective students consider their options.

5. Tailor Messaging During the Final Stages of the Customer Journey

There's a Trigger Moment in every customer journey. It's an event that causes an individual to move from passively observing brands to actively Researching options before Deciding. In many cases, time itself is the trigger moment that changes an education-seeker's interaction with the category. For example, a student beginning his or her eighth-grade year may "trigger" families to explore high schools on a deeper level.

When students and their parents actively review their options, it's time to make your institution as compelling and relatable as possible. Creative messaging should speak to what they're going through (i.e., we know deciding on a high school is a big decision that could change your child's future, etc.). Visual elements should be consistent, engaging, and platform-optimized.

Brands that make an immediate impact following the Trigger Moment and reinforce their primary selling points during the Deciding phase position themselves as a leader in the minds of consumers. If you've laid the groundwork during the Seeing & Hearing stage, you'll have an excellent chance of attracting prospective students to your institution year after year.

Grow Enrollment with 2060 Digital’s Connected Performance Strategies

Like the students your institution hopes to attract, we've done our homework. 2060 Digital's proprietary customer journey research gives our marketing experts the insights necessary to build cost-effective campaigns that drive action.

If your school is ready to explore how a data-driven marketing strategy can help grow enrollment, book a consultation with one of our digital experts today.