Top 10 Ways To Build and Grow Awareness for a Newly Launched University or Institute

Introduction

In the past, educational hubs didn't have to advertise themselves or do much marketing. There weren't as many schools back then, so they didn't have to work hard to get new students.

But things are different now. There are lots of online schools and smaller, special schools. All types of schools have to work hard to get people to choose them which in turn increases the competition in the education sector.

So, the question arises how can newly established educational institutions be in the spotlight?

Fortunately, making more people know about your universities is not as hard as it might seem. By using the right tools in content and digital marketing, you can make a strong and successful image for your institution and let the most talented students learn about it.

Below are the stages to follow in order to create brand recognition for your educational institution:

#1 Develop profiles of potential students and map out their experiences

Your educational institution serves a diverse group of students, and your brand should reflect that diversity. To boost brand recognition, it's crucial to comprehend the individuals you wish to engage and excite with your brand.

The most effective approach is crafting buyer personas for your students as they progress through their decision-making process. This aids in understanding the varying requirements of students during different application stages. A student in the early school search phase has different needs compared to someone ready to make a final enrollment decision.

Use Case Example: 

Hult International Business School designed an infographic that explores how business schools can do more than just business and support students' success. 

This content is not only visually appealing and strongly branded but also offers valuable insights supported by research. 

This approach aims to delight potential students and enhance their involvement:

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#2 Impactful message strategy

Once you've grasped who your audience is and how their preferences might evolve, it's time to craft a potent brand, tagline, or message that encapsulates what your institution offers to students. 

Developing an education branding strategy is essential to connect with all sorts of students exploring your admissions page.

This central theme or message will serve as the bedrock of your brand awareness initiative. 

Reflect on the skills you want your students to acquire during their enrollment and the excellent opportunities awaiting them upon graduation.

#3 Take charge of how you're perceived

Visuals that shape your business identity hold significant power. Frequently, these visuals constitute the initial impression that potential students form about your campus, underscoring the importance of making a positive initial impact.

The visuals displayed on your website, advertisements, and social media accounts should consist of authentic images. It's advisable to steer clear of stock photos entirely. Students can usually discern when such images are not genuine. 

They wish to see your actual campus and the individuals who inhabit it. If you haven't done so yet, consider employing a professional camera to capture genuine campus pictures, or enlist a skilled photographer to encapsulate your campus's essence.

Example use case:

The CLC Canada website has an excellent blog with valuable and pertinent information for potential students. 

The blog post shared below, which discusses language learning through immersion, includes several internal links. 

These links not only enhance the experience for potential students but also lead them closer to the final stages of the admissions process.

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#4 Marketing across multiple channels

For effective brand promotion and awareness, it's crucial to utilize various marketing avenues. 

While having a website is important, your brand's growth depends on its presence across various online platforms.

Implementing multi-channel marketing integrates the concepts we've discussed earlier, enhancing your ability to connect with your target audience through your brand awareness initiative. 

#5 Website Content is the key

Consider your website as your headquarters, where your branding message takes centre stage. 

Ensure that every page is error-free and effectively conveys information that is meaningful and applicable. If you haven't already, consider launching a blog on your website and superteams.ai can help you on the same, click to find more.

#6 Social Media Marketing is your tool

This approach involves showcasing your offerings across different social media platforms. Social media marketing provides built-in tools for monitoring various advertising campaigns, their advancement, and success metrics. 

Social media is particularly effective for educational branding as both millennial students and their parents are extensively engaged on these platforms.

#7 Engaging digital initiatives tailored for students online

Students enjoy getting involved in interactive activities and eagerly take part in these occasions. 

Social media marketing enables effortless creation of online campaigns to captivate a larger student audience. 

For instance, consider organising an event and promoting it through social media marketing channels. When your post gains popularity, the outcome is almost magical with heightened brand awareness.

#8 Incorporate an information section on your website

Through efficient multi-level marketing, you can effectively attract visitors to your website. 

However, as your website traffic grows, it brings the responsibility of addressing their inquiries. 

Given that students are entering a new realm of possibilities, it's natural for them to have various questions in their minds.

Use Case Example: 

AAPS (Academy of Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences) crafted a blog post centred around a specific long-tail keyword. This keyword appears in the title and meta description of the post.

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#9 Ways to market your blogs and content

To let more people see your content, you can use social media websites and Google AdWords. 

On social media, it's good to share not just your own content, but also other blogs and news that your followers might like. 

This shows students that you care about what they're interested in.

Growing your brand awareness takes time, and it's something you keep doing. But when students start trusting you for information and advice, you'll notice that your school's reputation gets better. 

Your brand message will become more important than just a catchy saying for marketing.

#10 Online Reviews

Reviews on the internet, shape the initial perception of your school or district. Having four-star or five-star reviews, you will get people clicking through to your website.

Even before the pandemic, reviews had a direct impact on educational website visits. Now, after relying on reviews for over a year, they're even more crucial.

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Conclusion

Google, by itself, handles about 9 billion searches every day, and this number will likely rise. 

It's crucial to pick suitable, impactful keywords to make your school's content stand out among the increasing search results. 

Through focused research, using appropriate tools, and understanding how to optimize for search engines, you can greatly enhance your institution’s website and its prospects for success.

Need help to create content for your platform, contact superteams.ai for a seamless experience as we have trained experts to deliver as per your needs.