There’s never enough time in the day to keep up with the endless demands of school marketing. From crafting the perfect social post to creating newsletters and engaging with prospective families, it’s a lot to juggle. But that was before AI…

Ever since large language models and generative AI entered our busy lives, we’ve heard the idea that AI is just an "assistant." There are countless ways schools can use AI to streamline work and automate repetitive tasks, but it does not replace your special skill set (or you.) Maybe Kevin down the hall, but...

Certain industries have seen AI improve performance by 66%, and with AI’s potential to streamline repetitive tasks, brainstorm new ideas, and even create visual content, school marketing teams can start focusing on what they do best: building authentic connections.

If you're wondering how AI can be used in schools or for creative ways to put AI to work in your marketing strategy, you're not alone. Here are seven practical but often overlooked ways to use AI tools to elevate your marketing and communication efforts—all without adding more to your plate.

1. Craft Creative, Personalized Admission Communications

Creating admission messages that are personalized can be time-consuming, but it’s worth it. For instance, if a family has expressed interest in a specific program like STEM or the arts, AI can adjust your communications to include those aspects of your school. By including details specific to the family’s background or questions, you can use generative AI tools to provide a warm, personalized approach that feels less generic and cold. But that only works if you have that information in the first place!

During the inquiry phase, collecting relevant information about an applicant’s hobbies, goals, and interests is a great way to personalize your admissions communications, just like Maine Central Institute has done with its inquiry form. This is a great strategy to connect with prospective families while saving time in the admissions office.

2. Generate Responses to FAQs

Answering the same questions again and again is time-consuming, especially over social media DMs. Use AI to generate responses for FAQs, from admissions inquiries to event logistics and general questions you hear All. Day. Long.

Using generative AI to build an extensive FAQ section of your site can be a saving grace.

ReadSource has a beautiful FAQ page built with Finalsite’s Post module, and whether or not AI played a part, many of these responses can be compiled through generative AI to save time and brainpower.

3. Discover Content Topics Based on Audience Trends

Staying relevant is easier when you know what topics your community cares about most. Many AI-powered tools like SEMRush, MarketMuse, or HubSpot’s AI, Breeze, can help identify trending topics that are gaining interest among parents, students, and other community members.

By analyzing search patterns and engagement data, these tools can predict content topics and relevant keywords. For example, if there’s a surge in interest in mental health, AI can suggest related topics for blog posts, newsletters, or social media updates. With these insights, you can stay on top of relevant issues and offer families helpful information that aligns with their interests—and your programming.

4. Generate Parent Surveys and Analyze Responses for Quick Decision-Making

While parent feedback is essential for planning, school administrators and marketers often deal with lengthy reports or data summaries, whether they’re from board meetings or family or staff surveys.

Tools like Google Gemini, ChatGPT, or Wordtune can summarize long documents, reports, or board meeting notes, making it easier for you to review information and skip spending hours reading.

Once responses come in, tools like MonkeyLearn or OpenAI can analyze and identify common themes to give you a clear picture of areas where you’re excelling or could improve without spending all day on detailed reviews.

5. Generate Video Scripts for Events and Content

Video is one of the best ways to reach school communities, but coming up with engaging scripts for short-form videos can take time and lots of focus. AI tools like Jasper or Pictory can write basic video scripts for events, updates, or even snippets to use in your social media posts.

For example, a script welcoming new families could highlight your school’s core values and programs or introduce important dates. Adjust the AI-generated script to add any school-specific details, making sure it stays aligned with your school’s voice. You'll produce more high-quality video content with consistent messaging and more control.

Yep—this one was started using a blog post, and with some assistance from AI, the script was then edited and tweaked to make sure it hit all the best practices.

Keep Reading: How to Use AI Responsibly at Your School

6. Create Engaging, Targeted Social Media Content

Maintaining an active social media presence is essential for connecting with school communities, but generating fresh content regularly can be challenging. AI tools like Copy.ai or Jasper can produce social media captions and post ideas that align with your school’s voice and message.

By choosing specific tones or prompts, these tools can offer variations of a single post that speaks to various groups, like prospective families, alumni, or current parents. For example, AI can help craft a post about a new program with multiple captions that highlight different benefits and let you reach different audiences more effectively.

Keep Reading: Leveraging AI & Social Media to Grow Your School Community

7. Unlock the Power of Audio with AI Transcription

Schools often have hours and hours of audio they can reuse as part of their content marketing strategy—from parent and donor interviews to important graduation speeches, but that content can go underutilized. Several AI transcription tools are available, including Otter.ai, Rev, or Descript (which I use often) to automatically convert spoken words to text and:

• Create accessible and searchable records of important events
• Repurpose audio content into written formats like blog posts and articles
• Save staff countless hours of manual transcription time

Key Takeaway

The possibilities for AI in education are endless, and as AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more exciting tools to emerge and make our work lives easier. Stay informed, and your school can leverage AI to stay ahead of the curve and provide the best possible experience for your students and community.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Connor has spent the last decade within the field of marketing and communications, working with independent schools and colleges throughout New England. As Finalsite’s Senior Content Marketing Manager, Connor plans and executes marketing strategies and digital content across the web. A former photojournalist, he has a passion for digital media, storytelling, coffee, and creating content that connects.