Issue 217

December 16, 2024

In partnership with

PROLOGUE
Do You Throw Spaghetti Against The Wall?

Last week, I was on a call with a school, and they asked, "How do we know which social media platform is driving the most inquiries?"

I remember asking that question years ago after I had been posting across multiple platforms for years, crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. At the time, it felt like I was throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what stuck – not exactly a scientific approach.

That's when I discovered the magic of UTM codes. Think of them as little digital breadcrumbs that help you track exactly where your website visitors are coming from.

I wish someone had told me earlier that UTM codes are simple to create and are incredibly valuable for school marketers like us.

Want to know if your Instagram posts are more effective than your Facebook posts? UTM codes can tell you.

Are you curious whether your email newsletter or LinkedIn updates drive more traffic to your open house registration page? UTM codes can tell you.

The best part? They're completely free and surprisingly simple to use. You just add a few parameters to your URLs (don't worry, there are tools that make this easy), and suddenly you have crystal-clear data about where your traffic is coming from.

I've found that even tracking just three basic parameters can be transformative:

  • Source (where the link is coming from)

  • Medium (the marketing channel)

  • Campaign (what specific initiative you're running)

For instance, when I share this newsletter, I use UTM codes to track which topics resonate most with readers like you. It helps me curate more of the content you actually want to read.

Here's a quick tip: Start small. Pick one channel you want to track better (maybe your Facebook posts) and experiment with UTM codes there. Once you see how valuable the data is, you'll want to use them everywhere.

I'm curious if you are using UTM codes now. Please vote in the poll below, and I'll share the results next week.

Thanks,
Brendan

P.S. If you want to start playing with UTM codes right away, Google's Campaign URL Builder is your new best friend. It's free and makes the whole process foolproof. You can access it here, or I've made a shortcut URL that is easy to remember. Just type schneiderb.com/utm, and it will take you to the Google Campaign URL builder.

Learn AI in 5 minutes a day

This is the easiest way for a busy person wanting to learn AI in as little time as possible:

  1. Sign up for The Rundown AI newsletter

  2. They send you 5-minute email updates on the latest AI news and how to use it

  3. You learn how to become 2x more productive by leveraging AI

Do you currently use UTM codes in your school marketing?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

SPONSOR
Saddlerock Strategies

Looking for help with enrollment strategy? Get in touch with Saddlerock Strategies for tested and proven strategies to help schools grow and refine their enrollment. Whether you are a brand new admission professional or a seasoned veteran, our work is data-driven, and tailored to meet the needs of your school. We love helping schools with their enrollment. Be in touch to learn more.

RECOMMENDED READING

5 Ways Schools Can Improve QR Codes for Marketing & Development

Here are some tips for school marketers looking to increase engagement via QR codes for admissions, marketing, and fundraising.

www.enrollmediagroup.com/blog/5-ways-schools-can-improve-qr-codes-for-marketing-development

Preparation Leads to Focus in a Crisis

When a crisis hits, a community is operating in its worst moment. This is so important to acknowledge in organizational leadership. Over the past few years in our school community, we have experienced a variety of challenging situations, each one putting us on the verge of panic and operating at elevated stress levels throughout the organization. It is important for leaders to acknowledge that when emotions are high, thinking can be unclear, and we can tend to be reactive rather than disciplined

www.backroadstrategy.com/post/preparation-leads-to-focus-in-a-crisis

How to Stay Consistent with Your Content

From staying on strategy, to telling compelling stories, to sharing and tracking results, the enormity of content marketing can make it hard to stay consistent.

cursivecontent.com/how-to-stay-consistent-with-your-school-marketing-content

8 High-Impact Social Media Posts from Schools (And How to Use Them!)

Discover eight impactful social media post ideas for schools that boost engagement and highlight the best of your school community.

socialschool4edu.com/8-high-impact-social-media-posts-from-schools-and-how-to-use-them

The Power of Online Reviews: A Strategy for Private Schools

Online reviews will influence how prospective families perceive your school. Do you have a strategy to inspire your parents to post reviews?

www.enrollmentcatalyst.com/2024/12/05/the-power-of-online-reviews-a-strategy-for-private-schools

UPCOMING EVENT

I hope you can join me on December 18!

School marketers are increasingly overwhelmed by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). Many aren’t sure how to leverage its potential, misapplying the technology or worrying about losing the personal touch in their messaging. Concerns about AI’s practicality, ethics, and effectiveness often lead to hesitation, creating missed marketing opportunities. Join Brendan Scheider, Founder & CEO of SchneiderB Media, as he breaks down the complexities of AI and provides actionable insights to help you confidently embrace its potential. Through practical examples tailored for schools, you’ll discover how AI can streamline your workflow, enhance targeting, and craft engaging human-centered communication.

RECOMMENDED VIEWING

RECOMMENDED LISTENING

Redefining Leadership: Advancing Women Leaders in Independent Schools

Explore the gender gap in school leadership with Rebecca Malotke-Meslin, revealing inequities, burnout causes, and actionable solutions for independent schools.

www.moonshotos.com/advancing-women-leaders-in-independent-schools

MARCOM JOB

Director of Marketing and Communications - Start date February 2025 @ Washington International School

Reporting to the Head of School, the Director of Marketing and Communications (DMC) is responsible for designing and implementing strategies and tactics aimed at enhancing the reputation and visibility—both externally and internally—of the school. The DMC works in close collaboration with the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid and the Director of Advancement. The DMC is expected to be “on call” to address critical questions or problems on weekends and/or evenings.

jobs.marcomsociety.org/job/director-of-marketing-and-communications-start-date-february-2025

Last week’s poll results

Do you plan to work over holiday break?

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ Yes (13) 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 No (21) 34 Votes

via @beehiiv polls

Whenever You're Ready, There Are 4 Ways I Can Help You

Fractional Digital Marketer Program: Our flagship consulting program where we help you get more inquiries by implementing inbound marketing, Google Ads, FB/Insta Ads, SEO, and Blogging for you! Learn more.

SchoolMarketingCRM: My new marketing software for schools. This is the software I wish I had when I worked in schools. It handles all of your marketing functions, including landing pages, email automation, reputation management, appointment scheduling, and much more. Learn more.

The MarCom Society: Join other school marketing and communication professionals in my membership community, which is designed to help you become a better MarCom professional through training, support, and community. Learn more.

Promote yourself to 5,000+ subscribers by sponsoring this newsletter. Email me at [email protected].