Schools all across India depend on digital marketing to bring in admissions as they should. The problem lies in the approach of digital marketing that they take and expect to fill a large number of seats. One example of the incorrect approach is too much dependence on social media marketing for schools, which includes regular posting on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube. While such an approach grants visibility to your school along with likes, shares, and followers, these metrics do not mean that you can fill seats successfully. Rather, measures such as geographic SEO, Google & Meta ads targeting, and addressing common needs or queries of parents with your content are some ways you can attract successful enrollments to your school during the admission season.
What Are the Myths Related to Social Media Activity for Schools?
Many school owners or marketing managers believe that growing their social media channels is the best way to attract students and parents to the schools. The following are some myths that revolve around this belief, along with the actual truth.
1. More Followers Mean More Admissions
Consider that you hold an annual function at your school and upload a reel of that event, which gets thousands of views. It will bring followers and engagement to your page, but not students, because:
- Followers may include an audience unrelated to school admissions.
- Viral content does not necessarily attract parents ready for admissions.
- Engagement metrics are not a sign of the admission intent.
2. Posting Daily Will Automatically Increase Admissions
Consistency matters in social media marketing operations, but it is not enough to attract admissions. Parents evaluating schools’ research about:
- The overall performance of a school and its alumni
- Quality of teaching
- Campus safety
- Curriculum
- Fees
- Student achievements
- Parent reviews
3. Going Viral Will Increase School Admissions
Viral content on your social media platforms, like Instagram, can increase the awareness of your school in not just a particular city but the whole country. However, it does not help bring admissions leads for colleges or schools either. The common problems associated with such an approach are that:
- Viral content also attracts a large non-local audience.
- Entertainment-heavy content weakens the educational positioning of the brand.
Why is Social Media Useful For Schools?
If social media alone does not help you reach your targeted number of admissions, then why exactly should you focus on building your social media presence? It is beneficial for the following reasons.
- Building brand awareness by posting about student achievements, teaching, and the overall school environment.
- Strengthening the trust of parents by answering their concerns related to the growth of children, safety measures, and the satisfaction of other parents.
- Managing reputation by showing constant activity and engaging content.
How Can You Increase Admissions in School Without Social Media?
After having the above myths busted, you would have a question: “If not social media, then how can I bring admissions to my school?” To get an answer, you have to look at the many more useful strategies of digital marketing rather than just social media marketing.
1. Geographic SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Google is the first platform a parent goes to for getting good school recommendations. A good geographic or local SEO strategy that makes your school’s official website the top ranking answer to queries like “best CBSE school near me”, “top school in Bangalore”, etc. In SEO, you should focus on:
- Optimizing their Google Business Profile
- Ranking your website for location-specific keywords
- Maintaining updated contact and location details and a working lead form
2. Focus on Google Reviews and Online Reputation Management
You will be instantly rejected by parents if there are negative reviews for your school on any online platform, including your own GMB profile. You can elevate the trust of parents in your school by:
- Encouraging satisfied parents to leave reviews
- Responding to comments professionally
- Showing authentic testimonials
3. Run Targeted Google Ads During Admission Season
Well-planned and targeted Google Ads help reach parents in the largest number who are looking for a school for their child. For running a successful Google Ads campaign, you should target:
- Location-specific searches
- Board-related keywords
- The intent of your targeted audience
4. Create Helpful Content for Parent Questions
Parents search for a school that can fulfill their or their child’s specific needs during the research stage. You should upload content on your website that answers those questions that generally revolve around:
- The best curriculum
- Extracurricular activities
- Quality of teaching
5. Build Presence on School Listing and Education Platforms
Many parents find the best schools to enroll their child at on platforms like Justdial to compare many schools at once and pick the best one. On such platforms, schools should ensure:
- Accurate information across listings
- Updated admission details
- Attractive photos and descriptions
- Correct contact information
Final Thoughts
Keeping the social media channels of your school active and their content engaging is valuable. However, you should not be dependent on it to bring a massive number of admissions to schools and be distracted from other marketing operations. This fact is understood by a large number of schools across India, many of which do not run the digital marketing operations themselves and rather let a good agency handle it all.
In your case, Mediagarh is the best agency to help you run digital marketing activities for your schools and fill all your seats. Contact and join us now to get your number of admissions rising.
