International study came to a pause in 2020, with travel restrictions and pandemic uncertainty. But while borders remain shut, a strong interest in New Zealand education remains. As the world slowly returns to normal it’s now time to start marketing your school!
Here is a current snapshot of the New Zealand international education sector and some tips for marketing your school.
International Education in 2021
- New Zealand has always been a desirable place to study but this appeal has increased in the past year. With face-to-face learning possible, and a positive perception of our pandemic response, more students are looking to study here.
- Despite all government media campaigns being halted in early 2020, over 1.2 million people still visited the Study in New Zealand website. This organic web traffic shows that people have a genuine interest in New Zealand education.
- With people stuck inside and using technology to communicate, now is the time to market digitally. Social media usage has increased by 13% over the past year and mobile phone use is up 20%. So ensure your marketing materials are accessible across devices to reach the widest audience.
- International education in the regions is on the rise. The number of students studying outside of Auckland was 45% in 2019 compared with 37% in 2016. So highlight what your area has to offer and why it is a great place to learn!
Marketing Your School
Short-Form Content
Long Bay College Virtual Tour
Short-form content is quick to consume and easy to understand. It is an important tool for promoting your school and getting a message out. Instead of covering all topics with depth, use short-form content to highlight a single topic or aspect of school life. This is a fast and convenient way to reach prospective students who are researching a range of schools.
Here are some short-form content ideas to share:
- Virtual video school tours. Show your school to people who cannot be there in person with a short tour and overview of your campus.
- Video interviews with key staff, school departments, international students and homestay families.
- Photos and videos about what it’s like to live in New Zealand, and top local travel destinations.
Increase your audience by making your content easy to access and interact with. Short-form content should be fast in every way: fast format and fast response time. This is why social media is optimal for this content as it’s easy to communicate and respond to questions.
Make sure to also post this content on your school website as that is where many will come to find information. Just ensure your website is optimised for different devices and web browsers so viewers receive the best experience.
Long-Form Content
St Mary’s College International School Prospectus
Long-form content lets you cover a range of issues in one place. This means you can dive deep into important steps for enrolment, visas and student housing.
An international school prospectus is pivotal for telling your school’s story in a succinct and accurate way. Include all the necessary information into one booklet to ensure your important communications are easy to find. This is the perfect place for long, detailed content as your readers are likely already interested in international education. A great school prospectus takes some time to put together and to translate into different languages, so the earlier you get started the better!
The school website is an accessible place to include extra content and details that couldn’t fit in the prospectus. It is also the first place many people will look to find information on your school. Long-form content is also ideal for your website as it helps with good SEO. Repeated use of relevant words and phrases leads to your website appearing higher in search engine rankings for people looking at international education.
If your school would like help putting together international marketing materials, get in touch with Spacific Creative! We are experienced with school websites, prospectuses and international marketing collateral.
