Digital marketing is an important tool for charter schools to use online communication to overcome obstacles like fundraising, enrollment, and community support. The best tactics for charter schools include search engine optimization to produce high-quality content and mobile-friendly websites for free organic listings. Paid search advertising through Google AdWords allows schools to bid on relevant keywords. Social media, email marketing, video, and display advertising are also effective to interact with audiences and keep the brand top of mind. Schools should start by augmenting their current marketing plan with digital tactics and budgeting for both initial investments and ongoing costs depending on the strategy.

1. Digital Marketing 101
For Charter Schools
August 16, 2017

2. Why?
2
https://
youtu.be/
mKTm85Kz4L8

3. Hello.
3
KimBrater
VPMarketing
CharterSchool Capital
kbrater@charterschoolcapital.org
971-634-1880
MichaelBarber
Founder
barber&hewitt
michael@barberandhewitt.com
520-591-1658

4. 1. Overview// Digital Marketing Defined
2. Tactics //The BestTools forCharterSchools
3. Resources //WhereYou Can Learn More?
4. FinalThoughts //Where to Start? Budget?
5. Slides and recording // Emailed toyou today!
Agenda
4

5. 5
No. 1
What is digital marketing?
Let’s get definitive.

6. What is digital marketing?
• Communicatingwith the
appropriate target
audiences online in a
meaningfulway.
• Digital marketing can help
yourcharterschool
overcome obstacles such as
fundraising, enrollment, and
gaining necessarysupport
from the community.
6

7. Your vision online
Use your school’s purpose to create a powerful marketing
message.
• Defineyourbrand.
Whyisyourschool unique?What is the essence ofwhoyou are? Once
defined, howwillyou deliveronyourbrand promise?
• Whatareyoutryingtoaccomplish?
What is a reasonable goal foryourcharterschool? Increasingenrollment,
awareness in the community, newfacilities, etc. deliver.
• Communicatestrategically.
What channelswillyou use to connectwithyouraudience?What is
most effective and efficient foryourbudget and goals? Howwillyou
measure results?
7

8. No. 2
The best tactics for charter schools.
The digital channels at your fingertips.
8

9. Digital Marketing Tactics
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
9
Email Marketing
DisplayAdvertising
RetargetingAdvertising
Video Marketing
Social Media
Mobile/responsivewebsite
PayPerClickAdvertising (PPC)

10. Mobile/Responsive Website
10
Google rolled out changes to its algorithm that
favormobile sites lastyear. Recent changes
have focused on content fresh

11. Ensuringyourwebsite is fullyresponsive and quicktoload are the
two most important factors in a positive userexperience.
So,where doyou start?
Mobile/Responsive Website
11

12. Website platforms to consider.
Build Your Home Base
12

13. Ask the important questions:
1. Design:What does the layout look like. Howis colorand text used? Howare
visuals incorporated?
2. Innovation: Does thewebsite look like a template, oris it original, conveying the
uniqueness ofthe organization?
3. Content: Is the content fresh and interesting? Does it get updated frequently?
(Google cares about this.)
4. Technology: Do the pages load promptly? Do the hyperlinkswork?
5. Interactivity: Is the information presented in avarietyofways to engage the user,
including text,video, photos, and hyperlinks?
6. EaseofUse: Is it hard it is to navigate the pages orperform a search function?
Build Your Home Base
13

14. Foreverysecond delayin mobile page load, conversions
can fall byup to 20%.
Google PageSpeed Insights
14Source: Google/SOASTA, “The State ofOnline Retail Performance,”April 2017.

15. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• “Organic”listings are free
and based on relevance
to the search term.
• Goal: produce the best
userexperience.
• Best userexperience:
• Easynavigation
• Fast load time
• Relative content
• Mobile/responsive
website
15

16. SEO Example
16
1. Person searches for“Inspire
charterschools.”
2. Person clicks organic link to
Inspire CharterSchools.
3. Person is taken towebsitewhere
theyare prompted to enroll.
4. Person completes the
enrollment/interest form.

17. Local Search Results
17
MyBusiness
Putyourschool’s information on
search, maps, and Google+ so
that students and parents can
findyou, no matterwhat device
theyare using.
Local SEO is focused on providing search results that are
relevant based on the location ofthe user.

18. Five SEO Tips for Your School
1. Pick 10-15 relevant “keywords”with a monthlysearchvolume
of300-3,000 searches.
2. Incorporate keywords intoyourcontent naturally, asyouwould
in conversation.
3. Write original, quality, educational content foryoursite.Avoid
duplicating content.
4. Submityourwebsite’s sitemap tovarious search engines —
www.google.com/webmasters. Check indexed pages.
5. Reach out to reputable education directories and .orgsto get
them to link toyourwebsite.
18

19. Pay Per Click (PPC)
19

20. Pay Per Click (PPC)
• Organizations bid in on search
terms (keywords) users are likelyto
use to find theirschool.
• Keyword examples:
• “science charterschool”
• “Phoenix charterschools”
• Paid listings use a “Pay-Per-
Click”(PPC) systemwhere the
advertiserpays foreach click on the
theirad.
20
Best for giving a website maximum visibility to those
who are searching for your school on search engines.

21. Social Media
• Connectwithyouraudience
instantly,visuallyand on an
individual basis.
• Advertising available through
these platforms.
• Targetyouraudience based on
location, industry, job title, etc.
21
Best for interacting with community and advocates (in real-time).

22. Social Media
22
By the numbers.

23. Social Media
23
Don’t forget to leverage the older platforms and test the new.

24. Email Marketing
• Create personalized messages
and newsletters foryourleads,
customers, and target audience.
• Email marketing is cost effective
and easyto implement.
• Email is easyforusers to share
and schools to track.
24
Best for keeping your brand top of mind of an interested
audience who opt-in for your updates.

25. Email Tips
• Almost everyone reads emails on theirphones these days; keep
emails mobile friendly.
• Ifyou can, let the images do the talking.
• Copy/text should be minimum 15pt font
• FollowSPAM compliance.
• Technicallyyou can email email address one time, but focus
on opt-in contacts only.
• Ensureyou includeyourorganization name, address, and
phone number.
• Ensureyou give subscribers the abilityto unsubscribe.
25

26. Mobile friendly = single column, “skinny” layouts
26

27. Mobile friendly = single column, “skinny” layouts
27

28. Fonts & buttons
28
Headlines
30px+
Body copy
16px+
Minimum
13px
BecauseApple Yo

29. Fonts & buttons
29
Buttons
44 x 44 points

30. MailChimp is free*
30

31. Video
• Helpyourschool stand byconnecting
withyouraudience and creatingvideos
worth sharing.
• Create aYouTube channelwhere all of
yourvideoswill reside foryouraudience
toview.
• Shareyourvideos through social media
orblog posts.
• Video doesn’t have to be pricey, but it
can be. Let’s look at the options…
31
Bring your brand to life by creating captivating videos your
audience can share.

32. High Production Value
32hops://youtu.be/jhyPGmtA1HQ

33. Animated/Sketched
33hops://youtu.be/dJp71WQEqaI

34. Short video :15
34hops://www.instagram.com/successacademy/

35. No. 3
Resources
Tools for lifelong learners.
35

36. Resources
OrganicSearch&SearchEngineOptimization
**GoogleAnalytics IQ Certification
Moz (SEO Software)
The Beginners Guide to SEO
PaidSearch(PPC),Display,&Retargeting
**GoogleAdwords Certification
The Beginner’s Guide to Setting UpAnAdwordsAccount
The Beginner’s Guide toAdwords DisplayAdvertising
Tips forCreating Effective DisplayAds
CreateYourFirst Remarketing Campaign
5Tips to MaximizeYourRetargeting Campaign
EmailandSocialMedia
MailChimp
Hootsuite
Hootsuite Resource Library
HowTo Set Up Facebook,Twitter, and EveryOtherSocial Media Profile
36

37. No. 4
Final Thoughts
Some thoughts on where to start & budget.
37

38. Where to start?
• Yourdigital tactics should supportyou overall marketing
objectives and/orstrategy.
• Execution can be internal orexternal.
• Look forsocial advocates inyourcommunityand parent
groups.
• Don’t reinvent thewheel.
38
Augment your current marketing plan.

39. What to spend?
• Time + money= total investment (especiallywith digital).
• Some tactics require initial plus ongoingbudgets,while others
require just initial investments.
• Add to orleverage current marketingbudget.
39
Different tactics require different budgets.

40. Thank you.
40
KimBrater
VPMarketing
CharterSchool Capital
kbrater@charterschoolcapital.org
971-634-1880
MichaelBarber
Founder
barber&hewitt
michael@barberandhewitt.com
520-591-1658

41. Display “Banner” Advertising
• Displayads appearnext to
content onvariouswebsites in
text, image, orvideo format.
• Best forincreasing brand
awareness.
• Displaycampaigns can be set up
to target audiences in avarietyof
ways: specificwebsites, time of
day, geography, etc.
41
Use visually engaging display ads to increase brand
awareness and target potential customers.
Learn&More&

42. Retargeted Advertising
• Retargetingleverages the user’s
familiaritywithyourbrand to
encourage them to complete a
conversion.
• Most users do not convert on the
first interactionwithyourbrand.
• Keepyourbrand top ofmind
when theyare readyto enroll,
donate, etc.
42
Use image advertisements to target users who have
previously visited your website.