Grad School Paid Social Media Strategies and Best Practices
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X: Stand out in those competitive online spaces using our grad school paid social media strategies and best practices.
Social media platforms have become household names themselves in recent years – and that’s good news for graduate schools looking to reach their target audiences effectively. By leveraging paid ads on various social media channels, graduate schools can build brand awareness and expand their audience in an efficient and cost-effective way.
So, let’s explore some of the top paid social media strategies and best practices for graduate schools like yours so you can leverage social media marketing better.
Know which social media channels to use and when
Not all social media platforms are created equal.
It’s important to know which ones to use and when. For example, Facebook skews towards a slightly older audience compared to newer channels like TikTok, meaning it may be more of an appropriate platform for reaching prospective graduate school students. However, channels like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram can be great for certain types of video content like alumni testimonials and student success story videos, which is something grad schools need to keep in mind too.
Ultimately, it’s very important for grad schools to understand their specific audience, goals, and content strategy first before deciding which channel to advertise on. By having a better grasp of these details, you’ll be able to target your ad budget and content more effectively.
Leverage video content
Social media platforms lend themselves well to video content, including paid and promoted ads.
Video testimonials, success stories, campus tours, staff interviews, and admissions guides are just a few ideas to consider for paid video content on social media. Using them can go a long way towards achieving your goals and hitting your KPIs efficiently.
Use the “three-second rule” for videos
When employing video ads, however, it’s important to keep in mind the “three-second rule” for them. That is, the first three seconds are the most important for capturing and keeping your audience’s attention. Bear this in mind when creating any type of video ads, as they’ll need to be engaging, interesting, and relevant to your target audience within the opening few seconds to be as effective as possible.
Match your ads to marketing funnel stages
One of the many advantages of paid ads on social media is that they can easily be tailored to a specific stage of your marketing funnel.
For example, if your institution is focused on building brand awareness, ads can easily be created to catch users’ attention and promote relevant content to grow your audience. On the other hand, if you’re focused more on conversions, content like admissions guides and video testimonials can also be advertised and promoted. By crafting your content and messaging for specific funnel stages, you can cover all of your bases and employ a number of flexible strategies that can build your brand awareness, incentivize consideration, or boost conversions cost-effectively.
Test and optimize constantly
Finally, always remember to test and optimize.
If an ad campaign fails to deliver, look at the data carefully and adjust your messaging, content, budget, and target audience rather than just thinking that channel doesn’t work for you. Gleaning insights from your data and optimizing your ad campaigns as you go along is a great way to both get the best bang for your buck when it comes to your budget and hit your marketing goals successfully.
Use paid social ads today for success
Paid social media advertising can be a powerful marketing tool for graduate schools – if done correctly. By using these actionable strategies and best practices, your institution can better reach its target audience and achieve its goals in a cost-effective manner. Contact GPRS today to learn more.
