How to use video marketing to increase enrollment in private schools

small films founder, george hughes

8th June 2021

written by George Hughes

As competition grows, private schools need to be clever in their efforts to increase enrolments. One way to do that is with video marketing, which can help your school stand out to parents and children. But how can promotional videos for schools achieve results? In this guide, we’re looking at video marketing and the role it has to play in private school enrollment.  

How to promote a private school

Private schools function just like any other business in the sense that they need to generate customers. Only a customer is a student in this scenario, and their education is on the line. That means there’s more at stake, as parents want to ensure they’re sending their children to a school that will provide them with the best education possible. 

So how do you make your school enticing? There are many ways to market your private school, but video marketing is the most intriguing. When done right, it can strike a chord unlike any other form of advertising – and a school video production could be just what you need to increase enrollment rates. 

Videos have multiple uses, and you can share them on your website, social media and other platforms to increase reach. An impressive 89% of video marketers say video gives them a good return on investment, while 66% of consumers prefer watching a video to reading about a product or service, such as a private school. 

Banner for marketing an independent school

Start with an explainer video

Video marketing works as an inbound tool, which is just what you need to increase your private school’s enrollment. One of the first things you can do is put an explainer video on your website, showing parents and children what they can expect from enrolling in your private school. 

The explainer video only needn’t be more than a couple of minutes long – just enough to get people intrigued and looking at other sections of your website. Think of it as the first point of entry that entices potential school-goers into finding out more. 

Include information about the school, giving a broad overview of what it’s like to attend and be a pupil. You can also show footage of the grounds, inside the classrooms and facilities, so viewers get a closer look inside the school. 

Don’t forget the social media videos

Younger demographics are spending more time on social media, with platforms like TikTok becoming important places to share your message. Using social media as a private school is a great way to ramp up your marketing efforts while making you more relatable. 

Don’t be afraid to have fun when marketing on platforms like TikTok, as students will see your content and be more inclined to show it to their parents if it resonates. Other platforms like Instagram and YouTube are also worthy platforms for showcasing your content. 

While most people think of social media as a way to gain more followers, it can also act as an effective lead generation tool. A solid social media presence can start building the foundations to get more people interested in enrolling in your private school.

Use video for SEO

Your digital output is only as good as your SEO when it comes to organic traffic. Fortunately, video marketing is a great way to increase SEO on your website. In turn, that can increase enrollment in private schools, as your website is getting more traction. 

If you have a news section and other forms of content on the site, try including videos for each piece of written content summarising the article. It will help boost your SEO, as more people are searching for video answers on Google. 

Google also shows a video thumbnail next to 26 per cent of its search results. And because video is the preferred method for most users, there’s an increased chance that people will click on your page if there’s a video attached to it.

Videos allow for more personalisation

A whopping 82 per cent of internet traffic is video, and using it to market your school can build a connection with potential prospects. Use video tactics to highlight the people who make your private school tick, from the teachers to the pupils. 

The further potential attendees move down the funnel; the more personal they expect you to get. So if you’ve previously captured some leads, why not send out a personalised email with videos focusing on your school and how it could impact them directly? 

Personalised videos are a great way to build a rapport and address your target audience’s situation and needs. They will appreciate the extra effort on your end, as they’ll know that you are the school to look after their child’s needs. 

Summary: video marketing for higher enrolment numbers

Well-executed video marketing will help your school stand out from the crowd and give people a great first impression. If you can leverage video marketing to strike a chord with parents and students, you can get your private school in front of the right eyes and ramp up the numbers for higher enrollment rates. 

If you’re looking for a school video production company, then we’re your guys. We’ve worked with some of the top private schools across the country and we’d love to help you tell your school’s story. Just drop us a line and we’ll get back to you within two hours.