Standing out isn’t easy. With so many schools competing for attention, having a strong advertising strategy needs to be part of your school's digital advertising budget. Whether you’re looking to increase inquiries, fill empty seats, or simply boost your school’s visibility, the way you advertise can make all the difference. 

But effective school marketing doesn’t mean throwing a few ads on social media or Google and crossing your fingers. Digital marketing, for your school, means understanding where your audience is, what captures their interest, and how to guide them from discovery to enrollment.

Some of the best advertising ideas for schools don't just focus on attracting attention but on leading families to action. From boosting social posts to running targeted Google Ads, here are the strategies to take your school’s advertising from the “scroll” back to your website, where the real magic happens.

1. Keep Boosting Posts on Social Media

Boosting posts remains one of the easiest ways to increase visibility without the need for a full ad campaign. Since the engagement rate of an organic post on Facebook can be as low as 1.52%, boosting helps build on content that’s already performing well and offers a simple way to reach a larger audience. It’s also a cost-effective way to keep your content visible.

If your school hasn’t boosted a post yet, it’s a good way to start amplifying your top-performing content. Boosted posts now offer more targeting and personalization options, letting you reach families who might be most interested in your school.

Boosting posts helps improve overall engagement on different social media platforms, which can also increase organic visibility. It complements other social media ads and is easy to manage using content you’ve already created.

Pro Tip: Focus on boosting posts that are already getting a lot of attention, and match them to a targeted audience for better results.

2. Use Direct, Parent-Focused Messaging

When creating ads, avoid using the same messaging that’s on your website or in value statements. Phrases like "Excellence Exemplified" may work on your homepage but won’t be as effective in an ad. Parents are looking for practical information, not slogans.

Use clear, direct language that speaks to parents' concerns and highlights real outcomes. Mention things like high graduation rates, test scores, alumni success stories, and unique campus perks. Avoid abstract or overly complex language. Ads should be easy to understand at a glance.

The goal of an ad is to get clicks, so wait once a prospective parent is on your website to go deeper into your school's story and share more detailed information. Stick to a casual tone in your ads and aim for a 5th-grade reading level—seriously! Focus on getting the click, then guide visitors to more in-depth messaging on your website, just like Woodland School has done with its various ads on Google.

Pro Tip: Consider adding a section about running testimonial ads on Facebook and Instagram. Authentic, positive stories from parents can be turned into short-form video content that resonates with prospective families.

3. Invest in Traffic and Conversion-Focused Ads

Boosting posts is a great start, but it’s important to take your school marketing plan a bit further. Running traffic and conversion-focused ads lets you drive parents directly to key pages on your website, such as admissions or event registration pages. These types of ads offer more targeting options and allow you to track conversions, which helps show a clearer return on investment (ROI).

Consider using Google and Facebook's ad platforms to run ads designed to encourage specific actions, like filling out an inquiry form or signing up for a campus tour.

Keep Reading: What Makes a Good Social Media Ad?

4. Use High-Quality Images in Your Ads

For paid ads, high-quality visuals are key. While everyday social posts may get by with less polished photos, ads need to make a strong first impression. If your school’s photos aren’t standing out, it may be time to consider professional photography.

Though video works well for organic posts, it's often better to use strong visuals for ads that aim to drive traffic to your website. If you want to include video, keep it short, around 15 seconds, and consider it a teaser for content on your site.

5. Use Pixels and Event Tracking for Better Conversions

Pixels are small pieces of tracking code that help retarget ads to users who have visited your website. This is crucial for staying top-of-mind with prospective families. Using retargeting ads ensures that those who’ve already shown interest in your school continue to see relevant content.

Pixels also allow you to track ad performance and prove ROI to stakeholders. It’s important to set up pixel tracking on your website so you can measure the success of your campaigns.

Plus, using the pixel in social media advertising will give you a record of your success — which you’ll want in your back pocket so that you can prove ROI to board members and key stakeholders. 

6. Follow Google Trends to Guide Search Ads

When managing Google Ads for your school, it’s helpful to stay informed about what prospective students and parents are searching for. Google Trends is a free tool that shows what search terms are popular, and it’s a useful way to track changes in parent interest, especially during times when trends shift quickly.

By monitoring search trends, you can adjust your ads to match what families are actively looking for during the school year, so your budget is spent wisely on terms that matter.

Don’t have time for that kind of work? Invest in a team who can take care of it for you. Finalsite’s consulting team, a certified Google Ad Partner, spends every day looking at school-related search terms — they can help you craft the right kind of campaign for your school’s needs.

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7. Stop Bidding on Your School's Name

Many schools are already at the top of search results for their own name, so there’s no need to spend ad dollars bidding on branded terms. Save your ad budget for more important non-branded search terms that prospective families are using.

Exceptions can be made for schools with names that might be confused with others or those needing reputation management. But for most schools, your money is better spent elsewhere.

Exceptions to this rule: 

• If your school has a name that gets confused with unbranded search terms. For example, Google may confuse the branded search term “International School of Beijing” with the unbranded search query “international schools in Beijing”.
• If your school has multiple campuses. Some schools with multiple locations bid on branded search terms because they want to control which campus Google shows. 
• If an item on the results page is hurting your school’s brand. Schools in need of a reputation management strategy can bid on their names to push an unfavorable item from another source onto page two. 

Pro-Tip: Search your school’s name (i.e.: do a branded search) in an incognito window. If your school is showing up on the first page the way you want it to, don’t waste your money on a branded search ad. 

8. Research Actual Search Terms for Better Ad Performance

When running search ads, it’s common to use phrases or broad matches to capture a wider audience. However, this can sometimes lead to ads being shown for irrelevant terms. For example, if parents search for “free summer camp,” but your school's camp has a fee, that’s a wasted click.

By mining your search terms and identifying negative keywords, you can stop your ads from showing for terms that don’t align with your goals. This improves your conversion rate and helps you get more out of your ad budget.

That’s a waste of perfectly good ad dollars! To avoid this, look for keywords that your ad was shown for that don’t match your intent or won’t result in a conversion. Mark them as “negative” and you’ll improve your conversion rate — which helps you stand well with Google and saves you money.

9. Run Multiple Ad Versions for A/B Testing

A/B testing is a great way to improve your ad performance. By running two versions of the same ad with small differences, like varying the headline or image, you can see which one works better. This helps you fine-tune your approach and maximize clicks or conversions.

This North Carolina school ran an A/B test to see which summer camp ad had a better click-through-rate and cost per conversion: 

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10. Use Automated Bidding to Simplify Campaigns

Manually setting bids can be time-consuming. Automated bidding tools allow you to set your campaign goals and let the platform do the work. Whether you’re focused on maximizing website traffic or conversions, automated bidding helps optimize your ads without constant oversight.

Google Ads offers several automated bidding options, allowing you to focus on results while the system adjusts bids to meet your goals.

11. Audit Ad Copy and Landing Pages for Consistency

It’s important to make sure that your ad copy matches what’s on your website. If your ad says “Visit Campus,” but you’re only offering virtual tours, it’s a mismatch that could lead to a poor experience for families.

Check your ads regularly to confirm they are up-to-date, especially if they are promoting events or admissions deadlines. As mobile usage only increases, ensure that your ad landing pages are responsive and mobile-optimized and that the transition from ad to the page is seamless for both mobile and desktop users—check out the Gow School's social ad as an example; the ad leads to a mobile-friendly online form, making sign-ups easy.

12. Spend More on Digital Advertising

It's important to invest enough to see meaningful results from digital advertising. For local ads, schools should spend at least $1,000 per month. If your school serves a wider audience, like a boarding school, the budget should be higher.

When working with agencies, make sure you know how much of your budget is going directly toward ads and how much is going toward management fees. Prioritize getting the most out of your ad spend.​

Key Takeaway

Digital advertising has taken the world by storm. Schools should be maximizing social media ads and search ads to drive admissions, build up their school brand, and give their website the attention it deserves. Need help? Our team of Google Ads-certified digital marketers and social media experts are ready to customize and execute a campaign for you.