Alongside our parental surveys, non-buyer interviews (also known as decliner interviews) are one of the most popular forms of research for schools that mtmconsulting carries out. Using our expert, dedicated in-house research team we carry out qualitative, in-depth telephone interviews with parents or families who either visited your school or requested a prospectus, but never went on to arrive.

mtm’s non-buyer interviews provide independent school marketing teams with a fantastic understanding of the reasons parents decide to go elsewhere, how their school’s marketing and admissions process might be enhanced, and the strengths and weaknesses of competitor schools that parents may have visited.

Typical areas explored include:

• How parents first heard about your school, often through school PR, word-of-mouth or school advertising
• What other schools parents visited
• Parents’ perceptions of your school’s website and prospectus
• What experience parents had of visiting your school and meeting pupils and staff
• The reasons parents decided not to enroll
• Perceptions of your school against your competitors.

Starting with a list of families that requested a prospectus or visited your school, but did not go on to arrive, our non-buyer interviews follow this process:

• mtm provides our client school with a letter to send to all non-buying families, offering them the chance to opt-out of being contacted
• mtm designs, alongside our client school, a loose questionnaire to structure telephone interviews around
• Foll0wing a two-week opt-out period, mtm’s expert, dedicated in-house educational research team begins to contact participants via telephone
• Telephone interviews are often carried out in the late afternoon or early evening to achieve a greater level of success
• Participating parents are assured that their feedback will not be attributed directly to them when we feed back to the school
• Once telephone interviews are completed, mtm produces a full report with our observations and findings, and supported by stats, charts, tables and verbatim quotes where appropriate

mtm’s Schools Consultant, Joe Faulkner, said “we often get a lot of schools requesting non-buyer interviews at this time of year. It is a very good opportunity to understand why parents have not registered at a school. The spring or early summer term is an excellent time to undertake this when the experience of visiting schools or colleges is still fresh in parents’ minds.”

“No other schools consultancy has an in-house, dedicated research team with the experience of carrying out this work that mtm does. Furthermore, we are confident that our independent schools research offers the best value for money available.”

For details of costs and how non-buyer interviews may help your school, please get in touch with mtm here.

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2. The future brings new independent school marketing tactics and higher parental demands, says mtm
3. mtmconsulting’s School Marketing Survey shows importance of web design for education groups

However, the event gave little insight to the impact that such moves might have on the existing fee-charging independent education sector, so Senior Consultant Joe Faulkner looks to our own independent schools research to assess what this might be.

Michael Gove, the Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, began his talk at the Spectator’s one-day conference at the Westminster Park Plaza by outlining the sharp decline in the UK’s education system over the past decade. Citing research by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) he asserted that over ten years UK student attainment in literacy has dropped from 7th place  to 17th (globally). Similarly, attainment in maths has dropped from 8th to 24th.

Despite this, the Shadow Education Secretary did point out that the UK’s fee-paying independent schools are the best in the world, offering universally recognised success and offering an opportunity to benchmark a level of excellence against which state education can be measured (“a very real public benefit”, he noted).

However, throughout the remainder of the event, little mention was made of the impact that establishing up to 4,000 free schools (independent of central control but with per-pupil funding delivered by the government) may have on the outstanding provision offered by the UK’s current independent schools.

This was one area explored in mtmconsulting’s Independent Education Sector Report 2010, published recently. The report, partially informed by a survey of 31 sector leaders, made a number of core observations:

Selective state schools have a negative impact on independent schools

55% of our survey respondents believe that over the next 20 years “a growing number of good state schools would draw pupils away from the independent sector”. This figure has risen from 30% in 2007.

mtm survey responses show increasingly people believe independent schools will lose pupils to good state schools

Using the evidence of grammar schools as a proxy for good state schools, we explored their effects on the local authorities where they exist. We found that:

• “In local authorities with no selective state schools, independent schools account for almost one-tenth (9.7%) of pupils aged 11+” (excluding pupils in state sixth-form colleges)
• “In those authorities where there is at least some state school selection, independent schools account for 6.4% of pupils aged 11+.”
• “So, on average, state selective schools have reduced independent school rolls by about one-third (34%), compared to what they might otherwise have been. If we assume that selective schools are a reasonable proxy for what better state schools might ultimately achieve, then good state schools will have a significant negative impact on independent schools.”

Less selection is worse for independent schools

Following on from the above observation, we compared those local authorities in which there is a little selection (<10% of secondary pupils go to state selective schools) with those with more selection (>10%). We found that:

• Where more than 10% attend selective state secondary schools, independent schools account for 7% of pupils.
• Where less than a tenth attend selective state schools, the share of independent schools drops to 5.9%.   

This anomaly may be explained by the idea that “when a less able child of wealthy parents fails to get into a state selective school, if the alternative is a secondary modern then they are probably more likely to go to an independent school.”

Free schools may attract pupils away from independent schools

We asked our survey respondents to judge whether the Conservatives’ plans for free schools would be implemented and attract pupils away from independent schools. 39% felt it unlikely while 36% thought it likely. We would side with those who think it likely, and in particular the smaller minority who believe there is significant potential for independent schools to lose out to free schools.

In quantifying this, our estimate is that “if the grammar schools are a guide, then there could be a reduction of about a third of pupil numbers over a period of 20-30 years”.

Of course, our own research for independent schools can never be taken as a firm prediction. There will always be opportunities for schools to overcome the threats of regulation, legislation, competition and demographic change. We believe that all independent schools should focus their school’s strategy on identifying a niche, differentiating their school from its competitors and consolidating its position.

Schools marketing, of course, plays a crucial role in this and school business leaders should work towards a marketing strategy which clearly outlines aims and objectives, routes to acheive these and the right messages to enhance perceptions.

To discuss how we can help your school to find or maintain a position of strength, or our marketing, strategy, communications and research services, please contact mtm.

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An article within the EDP newspaper about how Gresham’s – “one of Norfolk’s top public schools” has remained full despite the recession has featured mtmconsulting’s views on independent school strategies to maintain high levels of pupils.  

The article, which is not online, details how Greshams is currently enjoying its highest pupil numbers in ten years. It then turns to mtmconsulting’s Principal, Melanie Tucker, who says that average wage increases are an important factor in determining affordablity.

“We note that independent schools often feel the effect of a recession two or three years later”, says Melanie. Then, paraphrasing mtm’s Independent Education Sector Report she adds “public sector budget cuts, widely expected after the next election, often have a beneficial effect on demand for independent schooling”.

The sector report, published last year by mtm is widely seen as the most authoritative and complete overview of the independent schools sector. It is used by school marketing teams, business leaders and educational research groups to gain an overview of sector trends, scenarios and how the sector may change.

For more information on the report, or to discuss any of our school support services, please contact mtm.

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2. mtm School Matters newsletter issue 3 released

Anyone who has read mtm’s 2009 Schools Marketing Survey (2009, follow the link for a free download) will have noticed the dramatic variation in provision for marketing across different schools. The survey found, for example, that one school in ten does not have a member of staff with responsibility for marketing, and that one in five does not have any formal school strategy for marketing.

Perhaps triggered by the challenges to maintain pupil numbers over the coming years, in recent months mtm has seen increasing numbers of schools requesting a comprehensive audit of their marketing function.

A marketing audit is an excellent way of understanding how suitable your staffing, planning and budgeting are; the areas for immediate focus for enhancing school marketing; how parents are likely to respond to your admissions processes; and to talk to mtm’s school business experts to understand the wider context for schools.

Usually carried out through considerable planning, a whole day spent at the school and a full written debrief, areas covered during mtm’s audits include:

• Review of school websites
• Review of mystery shopper type requests for information
• Quality of printed school prospectus and any accompanying information
• Ease of finding the school
• A tour of the school as would be given to a parent
• Interviews with the head and any staff with responsibility for marketing in schools
• Review of school admissions records
• Review of school communications with parents, PR and press cuttings
• Assessment of school marketing strategy and budgets

In the report all of our observations are included along with recommendations for actions.

For more details or to request a call back please contact mtm.

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2. School marketing staffing shows dramatic variation
3. Marketing: making the right appointment

An article in today’s Times Educational Supplement cites evidence that “middle-class parents are increasingly choosing to “swing” between private and state sectors when selecting schools for their children, treating the education system like “a box of chocolates”. The Good Schools Guide has suggested that around 60% of people calling its advice line say they are planning dip in and out of state and private sector education during their child’s education.

The report underlines a trend that mtm has often seen anecdotally, and reported at length on in our Independent Education Sector Report 2010: that the spiralling costs of independent education are driving the sector’s core target market to take a more savvy, compromised approach.

mtm’s sector report stated that while “social classes 1&2 (households headed by people working in managerial and professional occupations) are a large and rapidly growing part of the UK population… (and) currently account for 29% of all households in England and Wales… within this target market the proportion of children currently attending independent schools is in long-term decline.”

Our report goes on to assert that independent school rolls has dropped from 18% of children born into social classes 1&2 in 1981 to just over 14% in 2009. We fear that while school fees continue to rise along their current trajectory, the decline in affordability may lead to an overall decline in independent school numbers of 0.5% per year.

mtm’s Missing Million (2008) study explored the reasons why families who, in theory, could afford independent education for their children did not choose to use independent schools. The report highlighted two key findings:

• The most common reason for not buying is because parents are satisfied with the local state schools – cited by 73% of respondents
• 59% of non-buyers felt they could not afford the fees

This begs two questions for independent schools looking to attract more pupils:

Firstly, schools may ask, “how do we differentiate ourselves from the local state schools?” This is a difficult matter. State education has, in recent years, been in receipt of consistently significant funding from a government keen to prove its commitment to the long-term prosperity of the UK. As increasing amounts of taxes have been diverted to the state sector, quality of facilities, resources, teachers and outcomes have improved. Indeed, an oft-cited response from independent schools justifying their fee increases is to explain that it is neccessary in order to compete with the state sector alternatives.

The second question schools are likely to ask is “how can we present ourselves as better value?” It is important to note that while some of those surveyed in the Missing Million are simply unable to afford the fees, for many non-buyers the statement may reflect a value judgement – that they cannot justify the fees.

It may be suggested, therefore, that independent school strategies can respond to these facts. Schools should go out of their way to highlight their true value through effective educational PR and communications with their stakeholders. Independent schools have clear value demonstrated in the current level of interest in Conservative plans for free schools and the rise of groups such as the New Schools Network. School marketing should iterate the benefits of truly independent education and the strengths the sector has: providing a rigorous, rounded, wholesome and consistently outstanding education.

Equally, school businesses must emphasise the value of their education in terms that will help prospective parents to justify the benefits. For enhanced retention of pupils throughout their school career, this means outstanding communication with parents, listening to their feedback (mtm’s parental surveys are an excellent means of achieving this), and making sure they feel nurtured throughout.

For attracting  new pupils this means investing in an effective school website design and e-marketing campaign, a captivating and appealing prospectus design, ensuring your open days and school tours present your school as nothing less than stunning, and ensuring your admissions registrar follows up each and every enquiry swiftly, appropriately and in a personable and inviting manner.

Independent schools may be facing favourable conditions too. The Independent Education Sector Report suggests that in the wake of the recession budget cuts in public sector finances may lead to unrest. We predict that “between 2010 and 2013 the annual change in pupil numbers will swing from -1.5% to +0.8%”. This equates to a strong opportunity for all independent schools to consolidate their market position. After this, suggests the report “growth rates will fall, becoming negative in 2015. From 2017 we believe the trends of falling affordability and attractive free schools will be reducing total independent school rolls by at least 1% per annum.”

The education sector report concludes that “the order of priorities for the independent sector over the period to 2020 is therefore: 1) cut costs; 2) explore federations; and 3) find a niche.” Personally, I would add to this, 4) use school marketing and communications to highlight your value.

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The most significant changes from 2000-2009 in the source of overseas boarders attracted by boarding schools marketing in the UK have been the rise of China and the decline of Hong Kong and the particular expansion of Germany, Spain and Russia.  Sterling’s weakness against the Euro has made British schools more attractive and the number of European pupils has increased.

China and Hong Kong will continue to be the largest sources of overseas boarders for UK schools, according to our survey respondents (the Independent Education Sector Report was partially informed by an educational research survey of 31 sector leaders). However, there is a natural limit to this trend: when the parents of Chinese children begin questioning the value of using schools in the UK because of the number of Asian children present, then the game’s up”, according to a survey respondent.

Russia and central Asia will also continue to grow, partly because of the lack of social stability. There is expected to be particular growth in the number of new pupils from Moscow and Kazakhstan. Eastern Europe will become more important, with particular growth from Poland and the Baltic States.

Hong Kong has declined as a source of independent school boarding pupils in the UK, while China, Germany, Spain and Russia have shown significant expansion

However, there are threats to the market for non-British pupils whose parents live overseas…

• Firstly is the fact that some countries that have traditionally sent large numbers to the UK are making it less easy for pupils to attend school abroad (such as via more restrictive visa requirements). They are also, as in China, making greater efforts to expand and improve their own domestic private education sectors.

• Secondly, in June 2009 it was reported (by the Press Association National Newswire) that the UK’s new visa regime, introduced to fight terrorism and illegal immigration, was stopping foreign pupils attending private schools in the UK.

• Thirdly international competition for boarders is becoming more intense, particularly from American, Australian, New Zealand and now South African schools (and the latter are starting to attract interest from British parents). The fall in the number of pupils from some countries in Asia reflects increasing competition from schools in Australia and New Zealand, including state schools in the latter. New Zealand’s independent schools were the highest-ranked English-speaking schools for maths and science, according to the OECD’s Pisa survey. They are also considerably cheaper: in 2008 King’s College, Auckland charged international students NZ$40,000 (£15,000) for tuition and boarding.

• Fourthly, rapid growth in the numbers of pupils at Anglophone international schools across the world is primarily driven by local demand rather than from expatriates, so winning boarders from overseas is therefore becoming more difficult.

• Finally there is the danger that having too many overseas boarders will change the atmosphere and ethos of a school. In fact there appears to be a natural ceiling to the proportion that an individual school in the UK can accommodate. On average it was felt by our respondents that a school could cope with just over 30% of its boarders being from overseas if there is a mix of nationalities and a strong day element. Although opinions about where this point is ranged widely amongst respondents (from 15% to 50% of boarders), even if we remove the outliers the average remains at 31%. However, given that 30% of boarders are already non-British pupils whose parents live overseas, it appears that for many schools this limit has largely been reached already.

However, a potential solution to this problem has been adopted by some UK schools which have clairified their strategy for education and established a separate international study centre (ISC) on or near to their British campuses: these include Bedford School (Bedford School Study Centre); Box Hill School (The ISC); King’s School Ely (King’s ISC); Rossall School (Rossall ISC); Sherborne School (Sherborne International College); and Taunton School (Taunton ISC). Nevertheless, the overall balance of opinion amongst our respondents was that the overseas segment within boarding would decline a little.

To discuss our strategic and marketing services for schools please contact mtmconsulting.

For more information on mtm’s educational research publications please click here.

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The following excerpt is taken from the ’Scenarios to 2030′ section of the report, which has been widely praised amongst independent school heads, bursars, marketing managers and observers alike.

Higher parental expectations
Independent schools are already used to demanding parents. In 2009 anecdotal evidence from our survey (the report is partly informed by a survey of 31 sector leaders) revealed that parents are becoming even more “picky” when choosing schools, paying closer attention to inspection reports and examination performance, demanding more attention from heads and taking longer to decide on offers.

We believe that the trend towards higher parental expectations will become near universal because…

• Public opinion will recognise the need to overhaul the state education system and will resolve to do better for current and future generations. Parents in the state sector will not tolerate “bog standard” schools. Even children could become much more motivated by educational achievement.
• Economic competition from emerging markets will place a greater importance on education, qualifications and skills as a means of establishing successful careers. Education will perhaps be increasingly treasured, as it is in emerging markets, rather than seen as merely a right.
• People’s lives are increasingly diverse so there will be more distinct groups of parents with common values and attitudes towards life in general and education in particular. An example: for a growing minority of parents materialism, the “culture that has dominated our lives and behaviour for the past two decades, has been uncovered as a sham… [producing] a fast hit, then a vague sense of dissatisfaction” (Rosie Boycott, speaking in The Sunday Times, 31st May 2009). Education for its own sake will be an important issue for them, as is the instilling of values and morals in their children.

However, state provision will not able to deliver what parents want at the necessary scale. Instead, the operation of schools could increasingly be handed over to private companies, just as might happen as a result of limited funding. This will likely begin with the creation of free schools, but the policy eventually moves on to state schools. This process will be accepted by parents and be supported by all political parties (who must be seen to be championing the demands of parents and children). Labour will probably accept the free schools set up by the Conservatives – the party will largely recognise that the comprehensive system could not meet parents’ expectations and it will not have found a suitable alternative itself. So in power it will be content to maintain the free schools.

What might the results be?

Menu-based options. The varying needs of individual pupils are catered for with different types of school run by different kinds of operator. In order to further increase customisation, all schools (even those that specialize in particular types of pupil) have a menu of options that pupils and parents can choose from. Virtually every aspect of what schools do has to take into account the specific requirements of the individual child.

Mixing and matching. As a pupil’s needs also vary over time, there is even more mixing and matching than there was in 2010. By then there was already plenty of evidence that pupils were transferring between independent schools more and at non-traditional moving points and that children from the same family were increasingly being sent to different schools.

Children as decision-makers. The rising expectations of children mean that they are more important in the decision-making process. A headmaster observed to us that the decision about which independent school to attend is being made by a greater proportion of children and at a younger age. “In the [mid-1990s] they did it at 16+: by the turn of the Millennium it was more and more at 13+ and 11+; [now it is] a growing trend at 9+ and 7+.”

New forms of marketing. Independent schools’ marketing has to change radically to reflect this driving force. Increased marketing activity from free schools means it is even more important for each independent school to have a very clear statement about its principles and points of differentiation. The coffee table prospectus has disappeared, being replaced by downloadable prospectuses, DVD guides and virtual visits and webcams in most lessons. Although independent schools had been slow to develop a presence on Facebook and Twitter, they are quicker off the mark as these social networking and blogging sites are superseded by new formats. Finally current parents are also a target for marketing activities that seek to boost customer loyalty and keep the incidence of mixing and matching down. This means inclusive event management, regularly updated online report cards and web-based parent-teacher forums. This focus on current parents has the added advantage of making it more likely that parents act as ambassadors, recommending the school to friends, neighbours and colleagues.

mtm consulting has worked alongside independent schools for 25 years. To discuss how we can support you through turbulent times in school strategy, marketing and e-marketing, please contact mtm.

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It’s perhaps not wise to try to predict with any degree of certainty what the next decade will hold – for the world,  the nation,  the economy or even as relatively an insignificant  part of it  as the independent schools market. Some confidently forecast developments never seem to arrive (remember the paperless office?) while others catch us unawares. But the main message of this column is going to be about the invigorating effects of uncertainty, so here goes…..

Prediction 1: The market will be more dynamic and  volatile
All the economic and political indicators suggest that education in general and independent schools in particular will be very different by the end of this next decade. There will be much less clarity by 2020 about what constitutes an independent school: schools in the maintained sector will have differing but increasing degrees of independence of their own and the independent sector will have found ways of extending its own reach. The economic turmoil and its long-lasting fiscal consequences will also have a deep and lasting impact on parental expectations and behaviour.

This market dynamism and volatility will keep us on our toes. Few, if any, schools will be able to coast through. But in these conditions there will be significant opportunities for schools which are quick on their feet.

Prediction 2: It will be the decade of entrepreneurs
External forces, in particular, the effects of much tighter budgets in the public sector, will create opportunities for independent schools to be more entrepreneurial. Schools which are prepared to add to or amend what they offer – provide access courses, top-up activities, open new style schools, even be involved with free schools – will be able to take these opportunities.

In a time of recession, this may seem unlikely but I expect to see increased interest in the independent sector from entrepreneurs and investors. Why?

The basic impetus which drives people to independent schools has not diminished. If anything, surveys show that it is increasing. There are still plenty of companies and high net worth families and individuals who are showing an interest in the sector and the desire to invest will not go away. There are likely to be more opportunities because a cash-strapped government will be forced to turn to private suppliers to deliver services, including education.

A new generation of entrepreneurs / investment  capital will enter the sector. At least one of the existing chains of schools will be put up for sale. New chains will enter or be created, at least one of which will be run by a well-known charity school or group.

Prediction 3: What we think of as a school will change
The mtmconsulting Independent Sector Report 2010 predicts that new and innovative educational businesses beyond what we think of as traditional schooling could soon be established. The next decade may see the start of schools maximising their income by diversifying their services: their “pupils” may include young people attending a whole variety of top-up courses and activities as well as their full-time roll. Holiday and weekend courses could become a commonplace as the supply dries up elsewhere.

What people think of as 'a school' in the future may change

Prediction 4: The sector will fragment
In the next few years, as the nation picks up the tab for the credit crunch and the recession, some families will be hit hard and will struggle to invest in their children’s education. But we have been here before: sound school business strategies and realistic retrenchment should steady the ship.

But the sector will fragment further. The independent sector is not an homogeneous entity and the gap will widen between the big-name brand schools, both boarding and day, who will continue to attract the wealthiest parents, and mid-sized/mid-range.  Some of us predicted this when we did the first sector scenario planning exercise more than a decade ago.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that smaller schools will struggle to survive, but they will need to differentiate themselves clearly in their own markets. Every school has different opportunities to take and different threats to manage.

Prediction 5: The decade will be green
Environmental pressures on independent school business leaders will increase rapidly – especially from the Government, partly to comply with global climate change obligations and, almost certainly, to generate tax income too. But the pressure will also come from increasingly environmentally-aware parents and, especially, from your pupils. It’s their future and they care about it.

Prediction 6: Parents will become more demanding
It’s an acknowledged business nostrum that when people purchase products or services that take a higher percentage of their disposable income they become more discriminating about the quality. There is no doubt that, even with better cost control, school fees will take more disposable income, so I am sure that parents will become even more demanding . They will expect and demand consistent quality of provision – and that means, amongst other things, that heads really will really have to do something about weak teaching and teachers.

Prediction 7: Good school communications will be critical
All schools’ communications activities will have to work more effectively both internally and externally. Internally, to reduce the incidence of “switching” (because there’s no doubt that there will be more mix-and-match in the next 10 years); externally, to emphasise differentiation (because as we see the establishment of new types of state and independent schools, this will be vital for existing independent schools).

Schools will certainly have to communicate better with their pupils as consumerism in education develops, and schools will have to anticipate, manage, and take advantage of the new communication technology: yesterday it was Facebook, now it’s Twitter, what comes next? Better use of technology will enhance opportunities for communication within the school.

And digital technology will take over marketing in schools as never before.

Finally…….

Of course, we have to get through the next couple of years, when the focus will be on managing the school as well as possible to provide a firm base for future investment and development. But 2012 will see an upswing in optimism, not least because of the London Olympics, and more opportunities will emerge as the decade unfolds.

The adjustments that the sector may have to make may well seem alien to some education professionals. But we must learn from successful business and industry where they are acutely aware of the need for new and different products for the next ten years as demands change. Schools may have to change what they offer just as radically as, for example, the motor industry is changing to meet the demand for environmentally efficient cars for the future.

For a frank and informal discussion about how mtm will help your school meet the challenges and embrace the opportunities of the future, please contact mtmconsulting.

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2. mtm School Matters newsletter issue 3 released
3. mtm is featured in Funding for Independent Schools

For many independent school marketing teams, search engine optimisation is considered something of a black art. We all know that the internet is being used more and more amongst the general public, and that being found on a Google results page is a masterful PR exercise.

However, mtm would argue that fewer school marketers are actually fully aware of how to achieve these results. In this guide we outline some key things to remember in helping your school’s website to boost its SEO.

SEO on the page
The following five aspects should be attended to in order to ensure web ‘spiders’ are finding your school’s website:

a)    Page titles – these must be relevant and descriptive of your pages content. See Prospectus design for an example
b)    URLs should be relevant and related to subject matter (such as www.mtmconsulting.co.uk/marketing)
c)    Metadata should always be used, particularly descriptions – which show up on SERPs (search engine results pages), and keyword tags, which aid usability and may be used in future by search engine spiders.

It might help, when your school marketing team are adding information to your school’s website, to remember a basic guide: keep it clean, relevant and descriptive.

Your school's marketing strategy should include web design and SEO campaigns

Making the link
Your school website’s SEO will flourish with good use of links, and fortunately as a school you have plenty of ways to get other people linking to your site: schools guides, school business consultancies, school and education news websites, local and national media, feeder and destination schools, the list is long. Why not go on a campaign to win links to your site through other websites? And remember, the harder a link is to get, the more traffic it will send your way: one link from http://www.bbc.co.uk/ is likely to send far more traffic than 30 links on small, unknown sites.

Equally, you should provide links from your site to other websites, as long as you don’t redirect traffic (links should open in a new tab or window), and make sure that the anchor text itself is relevant and descriptive – not just ‘click here’.

Keeping your school website fresh
Finally, both Google spiders and visitors alike will be unimpressed if your site is not kept up-to-date and vibrant. Your school should ensure it is continually adding new content, news articles, photos and so on in order to maintain good SERPs listings and win new traffic. The best SEO campaign should involve regularly adding new content that is relevant to your audience, to the page, and will be read. Think to yourself, if you found this website, navigated to this article, and have made it this far, mtmconsulting must be doing something right in our own SEO. Good, relevant articles will win you an audience.

To learn more about our school website and e-marketing services please contact mtmconsulting.

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It seems that a number of independent schools’ marketing teams are coming of age: school websites are beginning to reflect the quality and value of the offering, rigorous record keeping measures are being put in place, and new and innovative ways of reaching out to new parents and markets are being established. With this in mind, should schools be using social networking sites: Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Bebo, YouTube et al  to a greater advantage? What opportunities might be grasped by the canny independent school marketing specialist?

Of course, the social networking revolution is still very much in  its infancy. Let’s remember that while Twitter seems ubiquitous (passing the 50million registered users mark last August, according to comscore figures, and was growing at a rate of 16% per month), the site’s owners have – to date – failed to capitalise on its market share, with no core revenue stream for the site.

However, social networking is a huge opportunity for school marketers and business leaders to communicate directly to their marketplace - parents and pupils alike. A recent Facebook browsing session revealed that one particular school had an unofficial group with over 800 members, the majority of whom were alumni and sharing particularly positive notes, memories and photographs.

Social networking sites may prove a great opportunity for schools to communicate with their audiences

One particular client of mtm’s is now looking to utilise this potential to its advantage. This large indepedent school is planning a significant project to mark its forthcoming anniversary, and is looking to its students and alumni to share memories, photos, experiences and news. Facebook, of course, is an ideal platform for this, offering cost-effective, monitorable, and intuitive opportunities for schools. Equally the campaign is likely to see a range of videos uploaded to YouTube, photos to Flickr and so on.

All school marketing teams should, at the least, have a clear awareness of social media. Monitoring communications amongst all stakeholders is a fantastic opportunity to understand what people really think of a school, and these sites offer a valuable – and free – means of doing this.

Other opportunities abound, from ’tweeting’ updates on sports matches, school events etc to posting recordings of school concerts onto MySpace. For a candid and free discussion about how mtmconsulting might boost your school’s website success and e-marketing strategy, please contact us.

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1. The future brings new independent school marketing tactics and higher parental demands, says mtm
2. mtm: Opportunities for the future of independent schools
3. mtm is exhibiting at the AMDIS conference for schools marketing professionals