How can media buying help education providers?

Education providers are constantly seeking innovative methods to attract students, recruit talented staff and elevate brand presence.

Within every education provider’s marketing strategy, advertising should always be considered. When used correctly, it can be a valuable tool for achieving these objectives.

By strategically investing in targeted advertising across multiple media channels, education providers can effectively reach their desired audience, boost their message and achieve results.

Here, Marketing Manager Sophie Proctor explores how media buying can significantly benefit schools, colleges and universities.

Student admissions

Every school, college or university needs students to want to learn at their institution. It is important that the desired audience is targeted through advertising, whether that is the students themselves or the parents who decide where they are educated.

Out of home (OOH) advertising can reach the target parents effectively. For example, bus exteriors and billboards in the local area could be seen while they are commuting to work. If the demographic is likely to travel, for example those within a commutable distance of London, then train stations also provide valuable advertising opportunities.

Platforms that potential students are using are where the establishment should have a presence. TikTok and Instagram advertising provide an opportunity to showcase the educational offering and for the target audience to see what it would be like to learn there.

Using digital advertising allows you to tailor messaging to resonate with specific demographics, geographic regions and interests. For example, a boarding school could target potential students who live locally with one message for day students, but create another advert for a different geographical area with an alternative message tailored for potential boarders.

Digital advertising also allows for data-driven decision making. Tracking your ads performance through metrics such as impressions, clicks, conversions and engagement allows informed decisions to be made about targeting and ensures you get the best ROI.

For our current client, Bedford School, we do exactly this. We use data provided by the school to target specific areas on a range of media platforms to capture the attention of both students and parents, focusing on outdoor and digital advertising platforms.

Staff recruitment

Not only can advertising be used to target potential customers, but it can also be used to target potential members of staff.

Using advertising to showcase your school as a good employer and a good place to work can help you to reach the right candidates to work for you.

Using social media platforms such as LinkedIn allows you to target people with adverts based on their job titles. Other social media platforms allow you to target users with particular interests.

Targeted advertising can ensure that job postings reach qualified candidates who are actively seeking employment in the education sector.

Third party online platforms, such as local news sites, professional networking sites and industry-specific publications not only increases the visibility of your brand – they also maximise the chances of attracting qualified applicants.

For our client Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School, we regularly run social media advertising campaigns to reach ideal candidates and expand the reach of the job advert outside of the standard network.

Brand awareness

Building a strong brand presence is essential for educational institutions to stand out in a competitive landscape.

Media buying allows education providers to boost their brand messaging through various channels, including digital advertising, outdoor media and sponsored content.

By consistently showcasing their unique value and achievements, institutions can establish themselves as reputable brands within their target audience.

Promotion of events

From open days and campus tours to academic conferences and training programmes, educational providers tend to host a wide range of events throughout the year.

Media buying enables them to effectively promote these events and drive attendance. Whether it's through targeted social media ads, email marketing campaigns or partnerships with local media outlets, institutions can ensure that their events receive the visibility they deserve.

If you are an education provider that would like support to incorporate advertising into your marketing strategy, contact Sophie today.

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