Given my first job out of university was with Vichy L’Oreal where I served briefly as a junior product manager (because I was worth it) I tend to keep an eye of marketing and communication trends, always a moving target. As soon as one has upskilled, or briefed a sub-contractor, the goalposts have moved once again. Nonetheless, largely driven by the furious pace of technological advancements, and the slower shifts in social behaviours, we have seen several trends in 2024.
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have continued to rise to dominance in the social media space, with brands leveraging these formats to create engaging, bite-sized content in the form of short-form video content. Alongside this we have seen commercial organisations allocate significant budgets to creator marketing, where influencers and content creators play a significant role in promoting products and services. The two trends together are just now beginning to be leveraged by universities, and to a lesser extent schools, by encouraging students and staff to generate marketable, authentic, content.
Another trend of 2024 has been the nascent use of AI and marketing science to finetune marketing strategies and generate targeted personalise content. This, alongside with focussing on omnichannel, consolidated, messaging regardless of the device or platform promises to be a cost saving approach once embedded.
Everyone is fighting for brand recognition more than ever, so it is not surprising that we see several educational institutions, at all levels, exploring new branding avenues.
As we look forward to 2025, we can already identify several new trends emerging in marketing and communications. Ubiquitous debate about AI and Machine Learning promises to dominate, particularly as it relates to the regulation of responses to sales queries by AI tools. These should produce a wealth of insights into marketing content creation for those organisations that successfully close the loop.
The increasing use voice search across platforms requires institutions to think about how their ‘audio-brand’ runs in a crowded space. If the organisation is the ‘London School of Economics and Political Science’ but everyone who is already in the know says ‘LSE’, not problem. What about those that don’t?
The web is awash with predictions about the impact of AR and VR for 2025, but having presented at a conference in 2019 on AR/VR and Learning Design, and being assured that universal adoption was within 12-18 months… I am still holding my breath. There are great examples of 3D campus walk-throughs, and I suspect for most that works well enough.
The focus for everyone in marketing and communications, in education as much as elsewhere, will (almost) undoubtedly be on the importance of innovation and authenticity. The trend that keeps giving.
Staying connected with parents and the wider school community has become more important than ever. For K-12 school administrators and marketers, email marketing offers an efficient, cost-effective, and personalized approach to keeping parents informed, engaged, and connected with the school.
In this blog, we’ll explore various effective school email marketing strategies designed to help you increase parent and community engagement. When you follow the essential tips, you’ll be better equipped to build trust, maintain transparency, and foster an active school community. Let’s explore!
Our targeted email marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students.
Discover how we can enhance your recruitment strategy today!
Understanding the Importance of Email Marketing for Schools
Email marketing for schools is powerful as it allows for direct communication with the people who matter most—parents, guardians, and the wider community. In an environment where parents expect real time information, personalized content, and streamlined communication, email is the go-to method that allows you to achieve all three effectively. Parents are eager to be involved in their child’s education.
By ensuring that parents are well-informed about upcoming events, school policies, and student progress, administrators can build stronger connections between the school and the families they serve.
The benefits of email marketing don’t stop there as pictured below, an effective school email marketing strategy can offer increased brand awareness, an avenue for promoting programs and content, a great way to generate new leads, a platform for guiding new prospects down the enrollment funnel, and build relationships. The key lies in using email marketing correctly, focusing on strategies that boost engagement and build lasting relationships.
Source: Higher Education Marketing
Defining Engagement-Based Email Marketing
For schools, engagement is arguably the most crucial metric of email marketing. The success of your campaign depends on your emails being opened, read, and prompting the desired action outlined in your message.
With this in mind, What is engagement-based email marketing? Engagement-based email marketing focuses on creating emails that grab attention and encourage people to interact with them, standing out from the many emails they receive daily.
Consistency is key in engagement-based email marketing. The more frequently you send relevant messages to the right people that encourage action, the more likely you are to turn them into loyal subscribers and active members of your school community over time.
Join us as we outline ten essential tactics for cultivating the engagement that your school needs to build a stronger relationship with parents, prospects, and your community.
1. Segment Your Email List for Personalized Communication
The first step in effective email marketing is creating segmented email lists. Not all parents and community members need the same information, and delivering relevant content to each group is critical for engagement.
Segmenting your email list allows you to target the right group of parents with messages specifically designed for them. This personalization ensures that the content you send out resonates more with the audience, resulting in better engagement rates.
Segmentation is central to the email marketing function of our open-source marketing automation platform, Mautic CRM. You can segment your contacts based on a multitude of criteria including admissions stage, program, and location, ensuring that each prospect receives the right message at the right time, inciting them to take the next desired action and move down the admissions funnel.
Example: Here, you can see how Mautic’s contact segmentation function allows you to track leads based on the language they speak, whether they’ve completed a registration form for any event you’re promoting, the nature of their relationship with your school, which of your school programs interests them, and more.
Source: Higher Education Marketing | Mautic
2. Craft Clear and Engaging Subject Lines
The subject line is the first thing parents see when they receive your email, and it plays a significant role in determining whether or not they open it. When crafting subject lines, keep them concise, informative, and engaging.
Highlight the key point of the email so parents immediately know what to expect. Personalization also works wonders in subject lines—try including the recipient’s name or their child’s class to make the email feel more personal and targeted.
Example: Here, Randolph-Macon Academy writes a clear, direct subject line in one of their emails. Long, meandering subject lines with no clear indication of what your email is about are more likely to be ignored so, always aim for short and snappy. Using a humorous tone when possible is also quite effective for catching readers’ attention through subject lines.
Source: Randolph-Macon Academy
3. Use a Mobile-Friendly Email Design
In today’s busy world where many parents lead an ‘on-the-go’ lifestyle, many parents will likely read your emails on their smartphones. Therefore, optimizing your email for mobile devices is crucial.
This means using a responsive email template that automatically adjusts to different screen sizes and keeping the content concise so parents don’t have to scroll endlessly. By making your email accessible on mobile, you’re ensuring busy parents can stay informed wherever they are.
Example: Pictured below are Mautic email templates. They are compatible with desktop and mobile devices allowing you to reach parents and community members wherever they are.
Source: Higher Education Marketing | Mautic
4. Include a Call to Action (CTA) That Encourages Engagement
Every email you send should have a clear purpose, and that’s where a strong CTA comes into play. Whether it’s asking parents to RSVP for an event, complete a survey, or check out the school’s latest blog post, the CTA should be easily identifiable and action-oriented.
Effective CTAs include:
“Sign Up for the PTA Meeting Here”
“Take Our School Climate Survey”
“Download Your Child’s Homework Schedule”
The CTA should also stand out visually—consider using a button with a contrasting color or a bold link to draw attention as pictured in the example below.
Source: Randolph-Macon Academy
5. Focus on Storytelling to Build Community
Emails that tell a story are much more likely to resonate with parents than those that only provide logistical information. Consider using email marketing as an opportunity to share stories about what’s happening at your school. Highlight student achievements, community events, and teacher spotlights. You can even share testimonials from parents or alumni to build trust and show the impact your school is making.
Storytelling humanizes your school, makes the content more engaging, and fosters a deeper connection between parents and the school community.
6. Set up an Automated Welcome Series for New Parents
New parents often feel overwhelmed when joining the school community and email can be a great way to make them feel welcome and informed. Create an automated welcome email series that introduces them to the school, provides helpful resources, and invites them to important upcoming events.
The welcome series can include:
A welcome message from the principal
Information about school policies and resources
Links to important documents (e.g., school calendar)
Invitations to join parent groups or sign up for the school newsletter
This helps new parents feel engaged and informed from the start, setting the tone for a positive relationship with the school. Automation isn’t only beneficial for sending welcome messages. Mautic enables you to save time and reach the right contact by automating any type of email interaction depending on various criteria.
Example: Mautic enables you to create emails that cater to specific segments within your contact list, send messages automatically, and time them perfectly depending on the nature of the interaction. See how simple the process is in the image below.
Source: Higher Education Marketing | Mautic
7. Share Important Updates and Reminders Consistently
Consistency is key when it comes to email marketing. Sending regular updates and reminders helps keep parents informed about important dates and events, such as school holidays, parent-teacher conferences, and extracurricular activities.
You don’t need to send emails every day—weekly or bi-weekly updates can suffice. Just make sure the frequency is enough to keep parents in the loop without overwhelming them. You can also create a predictable schedule so parents know when to expect updates (e.g., a weekly newsletter every Monday morning).
8. Use Analytics to Measure Engagement and Improve Content
One of the biggest advantages of email marketing is the ability to measure engagement through analytics. Most email marketing platforms provide metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Use these insights to understand what types of content resonate most with parents.
For example:
If your open rates are low, consider experimenting with different subject lines.
If parents aren’t clicking on your CTA, try adjusting its placement or wording.
Analyzing these metrics allows you to refine your email strategy over time, ensuring that you’re always improving engagement with parents.
Example: Use Mautic Campaign Statistics to track the engagement of each email and predict the behavior of your contacts.
Source: Higher Education Marketing| Mautic
9. Incorporate Visuals and Multimedia for a More Engaging Experience
Visual content— photos, videos, and infographics—tends to capture attention more effectively than text alone. Including multimedia in your emails can make them more engaging and visually appealing. Share pictures from recent school events, videos of students’ performances, or a short introduction from a teacher.
Multimedia doesn’t just make your emails more attractive; it also provides a way to showcase what’s happening at the school, allowing parents to feel more involved even if they can’t physically be there.
10. Foster Two-Way Communication Through Surveys and Feedback Forms
Email marketing shouldn’t just be about sending information to parents—it should also be a way to collect feedback and facilitate two-way communication. The result is a more actively engaged school community that offers a host of benefits to your school brand and the education of your students.
You may be wonderfing specifically how to increase engagement through email marketing. Tryusing your email campaigns to invite parents to share their thoughts and opinions on various aspects of school life. For example, include a link to a survey asking for feedback on recent events or ask parents what topics they’d like covered in future newsletters. This approach makes parents feel that their voice matters and fosters a sense of partnership between the school and the community.
Let’s Review: The Role of Email Marketing in Parent and Community Engagement
Email marketing is a powerful tool that, when used effectively, can drive meaningful engagement between schools, parents, and the wider community. At its core, email marketing is about building trust and fostering relationships.
Schools that use email to maintain transparency with parents—sharing successes and challenges—are more likely to create an environment where parents feel comfortable getting involved. When parents trust the school, they are more likely to attend events, support fundraising efforts, and engage in their child’s education.
Use your email campaigns to provide insight into what’s happening within the school, such as new initiatives, changes in policy, or upcoming projects. By sharing this information openly, you’re helping to build a sense of trust and shared responsibility with the entire community.
The key lies in crafting relevant, personalized, and engaging content that meets parents where they are—whether that’s on their phones, at their computers, or scrolling through their inbox on a busy day.
By following the ten tips we’ve discussed so far, school administrators and marketers can create email campaigns that foster a deeper connection with parents, build trust, and ultimately enhance the overall school experience for students and families alike.
Remember that email marketing is not just about disseminating information. Rather, it’s about telling the story of your school, involving parents in their child’s education, and building a community where everyone feels valued and heard.
As you refine your email marketing strategy, keep these tips in mind and focus on delivering content that adds value, fosters engagement, and builds a lasting connection between your school and the community it serves.
Our targeted email marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students.
Discover how we can enhance your recruitment strategy today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is engagement-based email marketing?
Answer: Engagement-based email marketing focuses on creating emails that grab attention and encourage people to interact with them, standing out from the many emails they receive daily.
Question: How to increase engagement through email marketing?
Answer: Tryusing your email campaigns to invite parents to share their thoughts and opinions on various aspects of school life.
If you’ve scrolled TikTok recently, you might have noticed that some of your favorite creators have started bringing up their other handles, encouraging you to follow them on different platforms. With the ban possibly becoming effective as early as January 2025, this trend is becoming increasingly popular. From micro-influencers to brand giants, creators are taking decisive action, urging their audiences to follow them on alternative platforms as a failsafe. These creators aren’t just reacting—they are leading the pack by ensuring that their followers stay connected, no matter what challenges lie ahead.
As the calendar inches closer to January, the time to rethink and implement your digital strategy is now.
For marketers who have leveraged TikTok’s platform to amplify their brands and connect with consumers in unprecedented ways, the looming possibility of bans or restrictions raises pressing questions about the sustainability of their marketing strategies. As we navigate this pivotal moment in digital marketing history, it’s crucial for marketers to assess the implications of potential TikTok bans and explore alternative strategies to adapt to an evolving landscape.
Understanding the Current Landscape
In April 2024, President Biden signed the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to find a buyer within nine months or face a nationwide ban in The United States. The legislation, if enacted, would result in TikTok losing all market share in the U.S., effectively removing the app from the country’s digital landscape and preventing millions of American users from accessing its content.
The ban stems from rising concerns over national security and data privacy, given ByteDance’s origins in China. American policymakers and critics of TikTok contend that the Chinese government could gain access to sensitive data and influence Americans on geopolitical issues, both posing significant concerns for American users’ privacy and national security. U.S. Lawmakers have cited these concerns by drawing attention to potential laws that could “allow the Chinese government to secretly demand data from Chinese companies and citizens for intelligence-gathering operations.” Additional concerns include the app’s ability to fuel misinformation through TikTok’s content recommendations. This isn’t the first time these fears have been highlighted, as President Trump attempted to ban the video-sharing app back in 2020.
In May 2024, TikTok responded to President Biden’s proposed ban with a lawsuit, arguing that the bill violates Americans’ First Amendment rights. If the bill succeeds, the ban will remove TikTok from all app stores, effectively hindering the ability for the platform to garner new downloads and provide updates to active users, which would render TikTok obsolete over time.
The ban on TikTok could significantly impact the way marketers manage their advertising. Currently, U.S. ad businesses on TikTok are anticipated to see $10.42 billion in ad revenues in 2024. Furthermore, forecasts anticipate that TikTok will “make up 12% of US social network ad spend and 3.4% of US digital ad spend in 2024.” TikTok’s potential ban underscores the critical need for marketers to stay informed and adaptable, given the platform’s sizeable relevance in the U.S. ad market.
Building a Multi-Platform Ecosystem
In an era of rapid digital evolution, building a multi-platform ecosystem is no longer just a strategy—it’s a necessity. The volatility of social media platforms is no secret. Given recent challenges with platforms like Twitter, now X, we’re well aware of the vast changes in the realm of social media. The potential TikTok ban further underscores the risk of relying too heavily on a single platform. For marketers, this means a single-threaded approach to video marketing is a vulnerability they cannot afford.
One of the most effective ways to mitigate such vulnerability is to diversify. At EducationDynamics, we have long recommended a diversified approach when it comes to marketing at any point in the funnel. This strategy involves distributing your marketing efforts across multiple stages to achieve optimal stability and reach.
Our target audience consumes media across multiple channels and mediums, and always has. New vendors will always appear in the mix to test and integrate into full funnel marketing plans, but it is never recommended to place all your eggs in one basket. We need to reach our audience multiple times across multiple platforms to have effective reach and frequency.
Building a robust brand presence beyond TikTok is crucial, and investing in owned media channels such as websites and email newsletters is essential for gaining the most long-term value. An optimized website serves as the hub for your institution’s brand, providing credibility and important information about your institution’s unique offerings.
Similarly, email newsletters play an instrumental role in the student journey by fostering engagement and creating lasting relationships with both prospective and current students. Through personalized and consistent email communications, you will be able to keep your student audiences connected, engaged, and informed on the latest updates and offerings your institution has.
Lastly, it is essential to monitor ongoing regulatory developments and adapt your strategies accordingly. The looming TikTok ban, and ever-changing social media landscape illustrate that shifts can occur at any time. Staying informed about these changes is crucial for being able to pivot your strategy and remain compliant with the latest regulations. By equipping yourself with the most current information, you can ensure that your marketing efforts stay relevant and that you can continue to effectively reach your audience.
Evaluating Alternative Platforms
As the social media environment continues to shift, understanding where your target audience is most engaged becomes increasingly important. In EducationDynamics’ 2024 Online College Student Report, we surveyed students to ascertain their media consumption habits and platform preferences.
According to the report, most online college students reported using Facebook (75%), TikTok (74%), and Instagram (72%) daily. However, a significant portion reported daily use of Snapchat (66%), Twitter (56%), Discord (48%) and LinkedIn (44%).
While Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram dominated daily usage, online college students reported LinkedIn (42%) as the most helpful and trustworthy platform when researching schools. Reddit (33%), Facebook (32%), Twitter (28%), and Instagram (25%) followed in terms of usefulness for this purpose. Only 19% found TikTok helpful for school research.
Given the potential ban on TikTok, the most viable options for delivering video content are LinkedIn for its trustworthiness and strong daily usage, Facebook and Instagram for broader reach and informal engagement, and Facebook and Instagram Reels for further boosting informal engagement and brand building opportunities.
Understanding which platforms are best suited for specific types of content and engagement can help you maximize their potential and mitigate potential losses from a TikTok ban. Prioritizing LinkedIn for research, strategically utilizing Facebook and Instagram, as well as exploring the latter platforms’ reels features for informal engagement opportunities offers a balanced approach to reaching and engaging online students in a changing social media landscape.
Expanding Reach through Multi-Platform Video Marketing
The 2024 Online College Student Report also found that nearly all online college students (98%) consume content from one or more streaming services. Seventy-five percent of online college students stream media daily on YouTube, making it the platform with the largest usage and largest opportunity for schools to build brand awareness and consideration. This highlights the importance of a diverse marketing strategy with a full funnel approach comprised of multiple platforms that deliver personalized messaging tailored to prospective students’ place withing their enrollment journeys.
At EducationDynamics, we encourage video production that can be used across platforms, in a variety of dimensions, and highlights what makes the university unique, such as student testimonials and graduation. By capturing this ‘evergreen’ video, we can quickly shift focus in social media platforms when challenges (or exciting changes like new apps) like this arise
The rise in alternative platforms for video marketing offers marketers a flexible approach by enabling the use of the same video content across multiple channels. This adaptability ensures that marketers can maximize their reach across multiple audiences by tailoring their content to the unique preferences of each platform. Additionally, marketers can now repurpose video files across platforms without worrying about intrusive cropping or coverage by platform-specific icons, titles, or captions. This ‘safe zone’ within a video guarantees visibility on all platforms, reducing the stress of potentially losing valuable messaging.
Consider These TikTok Alternatives for Your Video Marketing Needs:
Instagram Reels
Facebook Reels
YouTube Shorts
Reddit
LinkedIn
If the TikTok ban goes completely undownloadable, schools need to take away how TikTok changed the social media playing field. It changed how brands entertain while delivering information. Schools can see what content was successful for the platform and how they can develop other content for different platforms. TikTok also showed how quickly audiences can adapt to social media platforms, meaning it is essential to stay up to date with all social media adaptations and changes.
The landscape of higher education marketing, like all sectors in the digital realm, is marked by constant evolution. As both consumers and marketers, we understand the importance of safeguarding our data and audiences across platforms. The potential fate of TikTok serves as a reminder that new platforms will inevitably emerge, challenging the status quo and reshaping how we engage with audiences. Just as marketers have navigated through shifts in platforms in recent years, adaptability and proactivity remain paramount. The resilience of marketers throughout history underscores the industry’s ability to weather such storms. While legal challenges to platforms like TikTok may present hurdles, they are just one of many bumps in the road, and with each challenge comes an opportunity for innovation and growth.
With the uncertainty around platforms like TikTok, now is the perfect time to adopt a multi-platform approach designed for the entire student journey. Our experts can help you build a resilient, full-funnel marketing strategy that drives enrollment, regardless of future shifts. Reach out today to start the conversation.
FAQs About the TikTok Ban
This FAQ section will be regularly updated to reflect the latest developments regarding the TikTok Ban. Check back for new insights and answers to frequently asked questions.
How did we get here?
TikTok’s undeniable popularity surged during the pandemic, with lockdowns driving a significant increase in users. During this time, the app saw a staggering 45% increase in monthly active users from July 2020 to July 2022. According to data from the 2024 Online College Students Report, 74% of online college students who use social media visit TikTok daily. With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok quickly became a major player in social media, known for its ability to spark viral trends and innovative marketing opportunities. However, its future is now uncertain due to growing regulatory and geopolitical challenges. As these issues continue to unfold, TikTok’s position in social media has become increasingly uncertain.
What is the current status of the TikTok ban?
While a complete US TikTok ban isn’t in effect yet, the situation is evolving rapidly. Several states have banned TikTok on government devices, and there’s ongoing discussion at the federal level about potential security risks and data privacy concerns.
How might a TikTok ban affect my marketing efforts?
TikTok ban could significantly disrupt your marketing efforts if you rely heavily on the platform to reach prospective students. Losing access to your TikTok audience and content could mean losing valuable brand awareness, engagement, and lead generation opportunities.
Are there any contingency plans I should have in place?
Absolutely. Don’t wait for a ban to happen before you act. Here’s what you should be doing:
Diversify your social media presence: Focus on building a strong presence on other platforms like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and even emerging platforms relevant to your target audience.
Download and save your existing TikTok content: This way, you’ll have a library of assets you can potentially repurpose on other platforms if needed.
Focus on building your owned channels: Prioritize growing your email list, website traffic, and content marketing efforts to reduce reliance on any single platform.
Engage with your TikTok followers on other platforms: Encourage them to connect with you elsewhere to maintain that connection.
What are the potential alternatives to TikTok for marketing purposes?
LinkedIn: Enables targeted outreach to prospective students during their decision-making process, capitalizing on the platform’s reputation for credible professional networking and industry insights.
Facebook and Instagram: Offer powerful tools for amplifying brand awareness, cultivating vibrant online communities, and driving early-stage engagement through diverse content formats and a vast, active user base.
YouTube Shorts: Provide access to YouTube’s massive audience, allowing institutions to connect with prospective students through engaging short-form video content while also leveraging the platform’s strength in longer-form video.
How can I stay updated on the latest developments regarding TikTok bans?
To stay updated, don’t hesitate to leverage your EDDY resources, as we are always here to help you with your marketing and enrollment journeys! In addition, we recommend following Social Media Today and HubSpot’s Blog as resources for staying aware of the latest industry updates.
Links to additional resources about the latest news about TikTok:
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What are the benefits of working on MBA marketing projects?
MBA marketing projects let students use their book knowledge in real business situations. They learn skills like market research, data analysis, and strategy making. Plus, they make professional contacts that could help their careers later.
What are some popular topics for MBA marketing projects related to branding and positioning strategies?
Popular topics include checking brand value and making strategies for changing or refreshing a brand. Students also work on creating marketing plans to improve a brand’s image and stand out in the market.
How can MBA marketing projects help students understand consumer behavior and develop effective retention strategies?
These projects look into what makes customers loyal and how they make buying decisions. They focus on managing customer relationships, improving customer happiness, and making a brand stand out from others.
What are some emerging trends and innovative strategies that MBA marketing projects might explore?
Projects might look into digital marketing, using artificial intelligence in marketing, and how social media fits into marketing plans. They also cover using games in marketing and how data changes marketing strategies.
Where can MBA students find inspiration for their marketing project topics?
Students can get ideas by looking at industry trends, studying case studies, and doing market research. Talking to professors, industry experts, or going to marketing events can also give them new ideas and insights.
