This document provides strategies for web-based school marketing. It recommends focusing resources on web strategies like websites, mobile sites, search engine optimization, and social media. The key strategies discussed are: 1) Enhancing schools' websites with updated programs/information, virtual tours and videos; 2) Developing mobile-friendly websites; 3) Committing to search engine optimization; 4) Using Google AdWords for paid search; 5) Enhancing schools' Facebook pages and running Facebook ad campaigns; 6) Creating short video vignettes to tell the school story through stakeholders. It also recommends generating online leads through content strategies across websites, directories and reviews.

1. WEB BASED MARKETING
STRATEGIES
Presented by : Mr Israel Enuekwe.

2. What is web based marketing
• This is the marketing of products or services over the
Internet & it ties together creative and technical aspects
of the Internet, including design, development,
advertising and sale.
• Online marketing is used by companies/schools selling
goods and services directly to consumers as well as those
who operate on a business to business model

3. Focus resources on the Web-
based strategies
•The Web has changed how we
market our schools. Rely more on
online vs. print ads (they are more
effective).

4. Eight Web-Based Strategies for Every
School’s Marketing Budget
• 1. Website Enhancements. Your schools website is the
most important marketing and communicating tool.
It should be geared toward your prospective parents. This
should be one of the focal points of your marketing budget.
Ensure that the school’s website and the entire admissions
process communicate an authentic perception of your school.

5.  You may need to invest in some key enhancements
that may include improved copy that is keyword
rich or videos that tell your schools story.
 Keep in mind that your website is your most
important marketing and communication tool. It is
the face of your school.
 Update your school’s website with current
programs, tour dates and times, and other
recruitment information.

6.  Conduct virtual school tours and fair, Develop videos
of interviews on campus, and put on your website.
Suggestion: Content is everything. While slick(operating
or performing skilfully and effectively, without problems
and without seeming to need effort) and savvy(practical
knowledge and ability) websites are undoubtedly eye-
catching, well-written and organized content with easy-to-
follow links to other information and catchy photos are
extremely valuable, and can provide the information that
people are seeking.

7. 2. Mobile Website —
•With the increased use of
smartphones, it is critical to develop a
mobile version of your school’s
website.

8. 3.Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
• While it is important to have a great looking website, it is
essential to commit resources to SEO strategies that
include the effective set-up and use of title pages, page
descriptions and keywords. In addition, it is helpful to
work with a company that specializes in these services to
provide ongoing analysis and consultation.

9. Google AdWords
• While organic search results can be generated
through SEO, you will want to allocate your
marketing budget to paid search through Google
AdWords. This approach helps you to target
keywords and drive the viewer to your website or
specific landing pages geared to the specific ads.

10. 5.Facebook Enhancements
• You will want to consider taking your school
Facebook page to the next level by incorporating a
branded landing page, sign-up form and other
enhancements. NorthSocial.com provides some of
these helpful applications for you to integrate into
your Facebook page.

11. 6.Facebook Ad Campaign
• As the number one social media site, your prospective
parents are most likely on Facebook. You should allocate
marketing budget to create Facebook ads throughout the
year that drive the viewer to like your schools page as well
as to view your website and specific landing pages that
generate interest in your school.

12. 7. Video Vignettes
• Video is an important tool to use to market your school.
By incorporating short video vignettes on your website,
Facebook and YouTube, you will be able to tell your
schools story through students, parents, alumni, faculty
and staff. You should invest in some video cameras and
produce some of your students to provide some of the
videos you need.

13. 11 Ways to Tell (Sell)
Your School’s Story through Video
• Video is one of the best ways to tell your school’s story.
• Gone are the days of the professionally produced 10-15 minute video for private
and independent schools. If anything, you need a much shorter video to showcase
your school and some additional video vignettes.
• Video should be a key part of your school’s marketing strategy. It is an engaging and
appealing way to share your schools story. We live in a day where the homemade
“YouTube” video is what people like best. It has the feeling that it is authentic
instead of being produced as a marketing piece, even though there is a place for
this.

14. Videos should be posted on your school’s website, Facebook
page and other social media sites. These videos should also be
part of your video channel on YouTube or Vimeo.
 While you should try to capture short video footage of
events and activities on campus, it is also important to
consider some other video vignettes that are more intentional
and focused.

15. The following are video ideas you should produce now using a
key question for your target groups:
• Ask current parents: “What do you like best about your school?”
• Ask new parents: “Why did you choose this school for your child?”
• Ask faculty: “What do you like best about teaching at your school?”
• Ask students: “What do you like best about your school?”
• Ask seniors: “What college do you plan to attend next year?

16. For each question, you will have a variety of responses that
you can edit together into a short and compelling video vignette.
Other ideas:
• Share your traditions by producing a short video vignette showcasing what
you do and telling your story through students, faculty and parents.
• Provide a short interview with the head of school discussing his or her
passion about the mission of the school and vision for the future. You could
also do this with the board, principals and faculty.
• Produce a day in the life video of any of your students by following them
around school for a day.

17.  Ask students to describe the school in one word or a short phrase. Edit
these words or phrases together in a short video vignette.
 Produce a series of video vignette that describe your key brand
messages. Whether your key message is about the community
environment or college preparation, use video vignettes to tell these
stories.
 Produce a series of short video vignettes to tell the story of every
faculty member. Imagine a page on your website where a prospective
parent can click on a link to view videos profiling each member of your
faculty.

18. 8. Blog
• Incorporating a blog into your schools website can help
you tell your schools story as well as to provide ever-
changing, rich content source that is important for search
engine optimization. You might want to take the
approach of launching a head of school blog or a general
school blog that is written by multiple contributors from
your school team.

19. Generate leads through online
marketing strategies
• When prospective parents search for your school online, what do they find? What
happens when they use an online private school directory or a local business site?
Do they find outdated or incorrect information? Old or even negative reviews?
• Your schools online presence should be part of your comprehensive marketing
strategy. Prospective families are finding your school online and it is critical to pay
attention to what’s out there on the Web.
• While many marketing and admissions directors are focused on improving their
schools website, online directories and local guides are also critical to explore and
enhance.

20. There are many online directories and search engines that provide listings of
your school. As part of your marketing strategy to upgrade your online
presence, you should take a look at how your school is presented online at the
following sites:
Websites
• Google Place Page
• YahooLocal.com
• Yelp.com
• Citysearch.com
• Insiderpages.com
• Superpages.com
• Yellowpages.com
In addition, you will want to investigate your online presence on the
following school sites devoted specifically to private schools:
• Greatschools.com
• PrivateSchoolReview.com
• SchoolDigger.com

21. • Most all of these sites will allow you to claim your listing so that you can update your
schools information and post pictures. In addition, online reviews can be posted by
parents about your school on most of these sites.
• Generating leads through your online marketing is based on three foundational
online marketing strategies: search engine optimization (SEO), paid search and
content strategy.
• SEO is all about high-credibility, organic search results; it’s about doing the right
things with the content and the code to earn better search results.
• Paid search, also called pay-per-click, allows a school to move to a front-and-center
position on a search engine results page or display network. We can determine which
keywords and phrases make sense for a school and set a monthly budget for click-
troughs. This budget can be restricted to show only within a specific radius to avoid
paying for clicks outside of a school served market.

22. • Content strategy can contribute credibility and build school
brands through a variety of ways. With valuable, consistently
updated content on their site, schools can establish
themselves as experts in their community. A strong content
strategy should be executed across a range of media: blog
posts, social media, videos, infographics, eBooks and more.
By aligning a content strategy with a greater marketing goal,
such as key enrollment seasons, schools are able to zoom in
on particular demographics to provide valuable information
to the right people at the right time.

23. • Tell your school story online. Telling stories about your school on your
website and on Facebook is your main online strategy. While you can get
overwhelmed with the plethora of social media sites online, your effort
should focus on Facebook. By posting at least one story a day, you
provide a window into your school. Just think, you never know who is
browsing your school’s Facebook page and thus making a decision about
whether or not to take the next step based on what they read and see.
This is what has worked in schools that experienced an enrollment
turnaround.

24. Thank you….